Philippines needs neighbors' help in combatting terrorism

Philippines needs neighbors' help in combatting terrorism

Philippine Daily Inquirer, Asia News Network, Manila

The international campaign against terrorism takes an ASEAN accent this week when the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Brunei considers a draft declaration calling for increased regional cooperation in combating terrorism. The declaration grew out of a Philippine initiative seeking the formation of a coalition among the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia as the tripod of the ASEAN anti-terrorism effort.

While ASEAN members have joined the condemnation by the international community of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, two of the largest Muslim countries in the ASEAN -- Indonesia and Malaysia -- have called on the U.S. and its Western allies to halt bombings on Afghanistan, emphasizing the divergence between the U.S. and some of its Asian allies over the mode of battling terrorism.

Indonesia and Malaysia, which are both secular Islamic states, have been roiled by protests from extremist Islamic groups which have manifested support for the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda network. It is in the interest of the stability of their governments to strike a balance between fighting terrorism and not taking part in the military action staged by the United States and its Western allies.

The part of the Philippines in this three-nation coalition stems from the fact that has a home-grown Islamic extremist group, the Abu Sayyaf, which has carried out terrorist activities in the form of abduction of innocent civilians and fighting government troops. The Abu Sayyaf has links to the al-Qaeda network.

The Philippines has a significant Muslim population, and the governments of Malaysia and Indonesia are concerned over reports that the attacks on Afghanistan have fueled the resentment of fundamentalist Islamic groups against secular governments. Some governments in the ASEAN are worried that Islamic extremists may forge links within the region and undermine the stability of secular regimes. Already, there are reports that the Abu Sayyaf has sent arms to extremist groups in Indonesia. Many Filipino Muslims have declared themselves ready to volunteer as fighters joining the Taliban.

While the Philippines has a Muslim minority with close ties to the Muslims in Malaysia and Indonesia, it has gone farther than these two countries in assisting the U.S. military action in Afghanistan. The Philippines has allowed the use of former American bases in Clark and Subic for refueling of aircraft and ships and transit of troops and supplies to staging points for Afghanistan.

American counterterrorism specialists are already in the Philippines acting as "advisers" to Filipino troops to improve their capability to fight the Abu Sayyaf. The more aggressive commitment of the Philippines to help U.S. military action is in contrast to the more restrained posture of Indonesia and Malaysia, whose governments have to prevent Islamic extremism from spreading among their population.

Because of the different outlooks among the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia in their support of the international anti-terrorism campaign, their basis of cooperation is necessarily limited to not military action.

As President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has pointed out, "through this coalition, we will work to share intelligence on terrorist activities, tighten border patrols and, when necessary, take part in joint peacekeeping operations."

Such a coalition does not, however, inhibit the Philippines from pursuing the other dimension of its policy aligning the country with the U.S.-led military action against terrorism. Its support for the campaign is anchored on the United Nations Security Council resolution establishing the framework for action against terrorism in many areas. While the Philippines' ASEAN allies are less enthusiastic about joining military action, President Macapagal has offered Filipino troops for combat duties, if requested within the UN framework.

The prospects of Philippine military involvement in the campaign appear remote. Our problem with terrorism centers on its local variants. We have had a long experience with banditry and outlawry in the South, but with the rise of Islamic extremism, our immediate concern is to check it from spreading, with the help of our Islamic neighbors.