Philippine groups plan protests at Asia summit

Manila, Jan 4: Philippine left-wing groups will stage protests against President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo during a summit of 16 Asian nations being held on the resort island of Cebu next week, an activist said today.

The summit, to be attended by leaders from China, Japan, India, Australia, South Korea, New Zealand and 10 Southeast Asian nations, will be held on Cebu from Janaury 13-15. Foreign ministers and senior officials meet at the venue from January 10-12.

''We will arrive on Cebu on the evening of 12th and the protest will start on the 13th and end on the 15th,'' Renato Reyes, secretary general of the umbrella left-wing group Bayan, told Reuters by telephone.

''Some of the issues we would be advocating include political killings and Philippine sovereignty in light of the custody issue.

We will also oppose planned free trade agreements.

''These issues will eventually hound her (Arroyo) during the summit and surely raise questions from other member countries.'' Local rights groups say more than 700 left-wing activists have been killed since Arroyo took power in 2001. Police say the real figure is 136 and accuse the groups of exaggeration to undermine the government.

Last week, Arroyo also came under severe criticism after the government moved a U S marine convicted of rape from a local jail to the custody of the U S Embassy. Critics said the move infringed on national sovereignty.

''The Arroyo administration would be placed in a very difficult situation facing the international community given the domestic issues that she has to confront which would unavoidably put her government to shame,'' Reyes said.

He said he hoped to attract 5,000 protesters who would leave Manila by boat for Cebu on January 11. They will call themselves ''Voyagers for Peace''.

Security officials have said 7,000 policemen and 5,500 troops would be deployed on Cebu during the summit. The meeting was postponed from December, ostensibly because of an incoming typhoon, but the U S, British and Australian governments also warned of threats of a terrorist attack.

Police have said protesters would be kept a good distance from the venue of the meeting.

Reyes indicated there would be no violence during the protests.

''Quite possibly there will be intense security preparations but we are prepared to deal with that and we have also negotiated with the local government,'' he said.

REUTERS

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