Justpeace Blog

The Nation, Bangkok
30 October 2004

We have been taught by our parents and by our schools to believe that we belong to the same community, known as the Thai nation state. In this state, we share the same language, culture, identity and beliefs. Our schools and our teachers told us that our country has a rich culture and history. They told us that our ancestors and our kings fought courageously, without caring for their own safety, in order to protect the nation�s territory and its sovereignty.

In school, we would be punished for speaking regional dialects. In some schools in the North, students who speak in the Northern dialect in class would be fined, as teachers would consider this to be a failure of the educational system, which emphasises the importance of the central Thai language.

We have been told that our opportunities in study, in work, and in life would be limited if we did not learn to speak the central Thai language properly. Being unable to communicate in the central Thai language � considered to be the official and national language, thus usually brings shame and humiliation to speakers of dialects.

Culturally, we have been taught to admire the beauty and uniqueness of our culture, as expressed through our national dress, arts, performance and social manners. We have learnt and remembered how to distinguish ourselves from those who don�t share the same language, culture and territory. For example, we will tell others that Thai people are easygoing by nature. Visitors to Thailand might remember generosity, kindness, gentleness and a love of fun among the major features that Thais usually characterise themselves as having.

The three things that we have been taught to value above all others are the nation, religion, and the monarchy.

To express our love of the Royal family and the nation, we have been taught to pay respect to its symbols; the national anthem and the national flag. In Thailand, we are proud to show our love for our nation twice a day � at 8am and 6pm � when the whole nation freezes for about 30 seconds to listen to the national anthem. Thanks to modern communications technology, some people now show their love of the nation by programming their cell-phone ring tone to play the national anthem.

We have been taught that Buddhism is the national religion. Buddhists, we have learnt, are tolerant, merciful and peace-loving people � a belief that has been challenged by public apathy in response to the hundreds of Thai people killed in the Thai government�s recent crackdown on suspected drugs traffickers and, now, protesters.

In most parts of the country our educational system � now under reform � that produces, promotes, and distributes what we have been learnt to be our national identity, has worked successfully, with the exception of the South.

It is in the South of Thailand, in the predominantly Muslim provinces, where the Thai state�s regime of nationalism and national identity has failed, unfortunately without the authorities� realisation. It is there that residents insist on preserving their local identities, religious beliefs and linguistic preferences. People there have long identified themselves with other identities than the Thai authorities would have preferred.

It is apparent that the Thai authorities� notion of the nation state is different from that in which some elements in the country�s southern provinces believe they live. Theirs is one identified by a shared language and religion unfamiliar to state authorities, which flies in the face of the wishes of the Thai state authorities. The rhetoric of national security usually means that anyone failing to conform with the state-defined national identity is a traitor.

Claims by military officials that they heard protesters participating in the Narathiwat incident communicating in Arabic reinforced the perception that the protesters were �others�, who don�t have �Thai� consciousness.

The authorities� failure to impose linguistic nationalism on the Muslim communities of the South has long embarrassed local authorities.

Thus, it is not surprising that Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, in his immediate reaction to the recent crackdown in Narathiwat province, addressed the importance of enforcing the centralised education system in the South, and introducing ideas of controlling the Islamic-based pondok school system.

The premier sincerely believes that the unrest in the South can be easily resolved by taming young southern people with the centralised educational system that has been applied in other regions. Then find these youngsters work after graduation, so that they don�t become involve in separatist activities.

Yet, the complexity of the situation, which is a symptom of the decades-old tension between local identities and the imposed �national identity�, requires solutions that reflect a greater understanding of the historical, political and cultural context.

MUKDAWAN SAKBOON

* Okinawans protest U.S. military helicopter crash
* 55,000 signatures submitted to protest U.S. chopper crash
* 30,000 protest U.S. chopper crash, demand return of Futemma base
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A city in Okinawa protested the recent crash of a U.S. military helicopter with a petition signed by 55,726 people addressed to the Japanese and American leaders on Monday, and called for the return of a U.S. air station on the island.

The petition submitted by the city of Ginowan followed a demonstration by 30,000 people on Sunday over the Aug. 13 crash in a university campus. The accident damaged a building and injured the crew.

The petition called for an apology and compensation for the crash damage, an end to U.S. military flights over civilian areas, the return of Futemma Air Station to Japan, and a revision of the agreement governing U.S. military operations in Japan.

"To protect precious lives and peaceful living, the 88,000 residents of Ginowan city strongly and angrily protest the U.S. military helicopter crash and the way it was handled afterward," the petition said. The population of Ginowan is 88,000.

While the crash caused no injuries on the ground, Okinawans say the accident shows the dangers of operating a military installation in an urban environment.

Local police have also complained that the U.S. military blocked them from investigating the crash site, as American authorities say they are entitled to do under the Status of Forces Agreement, or SOFA.

Monday's petition, a copy of which was obtained from the Japanese Foreign Ministry, was addressed to U.S. President George W. Bush, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, and Japanese government agencies.

The accident stirred long-standing grievances of residents near the U.S. air station, and prompted Japanese Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba to suggest that the SOFA could be revised.

Japanese and U.S. officials recently agreed to set up a panel to examine the way such accidents are handled and suggest improvements.

Japan and the United States agreed in 1996 to relocate the Futemma base, but environmental concerns have hindered the building of a new heliport atop one of the area's last healthy coral reefs.

The presence of the U.S. military is a sensitive issue in Okinawa, which hosts two-thirds of the 50,000 American troops in Japan. Many Okinawans complain of crowding, noise and crime associated with the military bases.

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30,000 protest U.S. chopper crash, demand return of Futemma base

About 30,000 people gathered in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, on Sunday to protest the recent crash of a U.S. military helicopter at a university there and demand that the nearby U.S. Marine Corps Futemma Air Station be closed and returned.

The number of protesters greatly exceeded the municipal government's expected turnout of 10,000 people and was the largest protest against U.S. forces by Okinawa residents since 85,000 gathered in 1995 to protest the rape of an elementary schoolgirl by three U.S. servicemen.

The protesters adopted a resolution with six demands, including an apology and compensation for damage caused by the crash, termination of U.S. military flights over civilian areas, the return of Futemma at an early date and an overhaul of the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement, which governs U.S. military operations in Japan.

The chopper incident occurred on Aug. 13, when a CH-53D helicopter, which took off from Futemma, crashed at the campus of nearby Okinawa International University, injuring three crew members and heavily damaging a building. Helicopter parts were also scattered in surrounding residential areas.

The base is located in the center of Ginowan but no one on the ground was hurt in the incident.

"We must have the government begin negotiations to suspend the heliport functions (at Futemma) right now and to have the base shut down and returned," Ginowan Mayor Yoichi Iha said at the gathering held at the university campus.

"Until when do we Ginowan residents have to be worried about the safety of our lives?" said one of the 11 resident representatives in a speech.

A siren was sounded at the protest assembly to mark the moment of the crash and protesters set free 200 doves to represent their hopes to eradicate accidents by U.S. military aircraft.

"I think that the fact that so many Ginowan residents took part in the assembly shows the strong concerns by each and every resident regarding the dangers of the Futemma Air Station, which is located in an urban area," Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine said in a statement.

He added that the prefecture, which hosts the bulk of U.S. forces in Japan, has requested that all flights at the base be grounded until the accident's cause is uncovered and measures to prevent a recurrence are taken.

Japan and the United States have agreed to build a military-civilian offshore facility in Nago, also in Okinawa, to replace the heliport functions of Futemma. However, the construction plan faces strong opposition in Nago and it is expected to take at least 10 more years before Futemma can be relocated.

Sunday's protest was originally scheduled to take place a week earlier on Sept. 5 but was postponed due to a typhoon.

By Ben O. Tesiorna

* Says virtual consulate will become a spy center in Mindanao
* Protest rallies to greet Ambassador Francis Ricciardone during Wednesday's launching of US virtual consulate
* Protesters believe virtual consulate will be operated from Ateneo

FOR several militant organizations and leaders opposing US presence in Davao City and in Mindanao, the US virtual consulate will serve as America's "spy center" for their interests here in Mindanao.

For those involved in its launching, however, everything is virtual and will thus have no "center", not even a single personnel hanging out in the city.

Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Joel Virador said the establishment of the US virtual embassy in Davao City is part of America's grand plan to maintain its superpower status not just here in the Philippines but all over the world.

"Kadtong Baker Piston ug karon kining (There was Baker Piston, and now the) US virtual consulate is part of the US intervention in the affairs of our country," Virador said.

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan)-Southern Mindanao Region spokesperson Jeppie Ramada, meanwhile, said the US had created several virtual embassies in other parts of the world like Russia in order to protect US interests in the said countries.

According to Gabriela party-list Rep. Liza Maza, the same is true with the US virtual embassy here in Davao City that would be inaugurated tomorrow by no less than US Ambassador Francis Ricciardone.

"Para mas dikit at mas malapit sa mata ng US ang Mindanao, which is considered as a hotbed (in their war against terrorism)," Maza said.

Anti-US protests

Around 2,000 anti-US rallyists are expected to hold massive protests in Davao City tomorrow in time for the arrival of US Ambassador Francis Ricciardone.

Khadidja, a Moro women's group, will hold a protest rally at the Freedom park in front of the Ateneo de Davao University (ADDU) in the morning.

In the afternoon, anti-US delegates from Davao del Norte, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Soscsksargen area and Davao City will march through the city streets and will converge near Marco Polo Hotel where the launching of the US virtual consulate will be held.

Evil agenda

Militant leaders are urging the ADDU management not to be part of the US "evil agenda" by way of rejecting the virtual consulate that the militants claimed was going to be located inside the Ateneo Jacinto campus.

"Dili sila angayan magpagamit sa imperyalismong Amerikano kay maro kaayo ning America. Agihon nila na ug mga donation ug mga regalo aron good image sila pero diay lain gyud ang ilang tumong (They shouldn't let themselves be used by the US Imperialist because the US is very sly. They will give donations to prop up their image but will have other hidden agenda)," Virador said.

The militant leader warned that with the presence of the US virtual consulate inside the Ateneo Jacinto campus the Jesuit-run university would now become the center of militant protests just like before when the USIS Library was still in Bajada.

Maza, meanwhile, called on Malaca-ang officials and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to make public the agreement regarding the establishment of the US virtual consulate here in Davao City.

She said once Congress resumes session, they will file a resolution asking DFA to be transparent with their agreement with the American government regarding the virtual embassy.

ADDU president Fr. Edmundo Martinez denied the school will be hosting the virtual consulate.

He admitted they were initially asked to host the launching of the virtual consulate but said that plans changed and the launching was transferred to the Marco Polo Hotel.

A US Embassy personnel who is among those arranging the launch tomorrow also told Sun.Star Davao that what is being launched is a "virtual" consulate, meaning this will have no stations and no personnel, just a formal announcement and demonstration of how anyone who has transactions with the US Embassy can have access through the Internet.

(October 5, 2004 issue)