DOWN WITH U.S. IMPERIALISM! NO WAR IN IRAN!
As tensions between the United States and Iran escalate, Major General Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds military force and one of the most powerful figures in the Islamic Republic, was killed by a U.S. drone strike at Baghdad International Airport on January 3, 2020.
The College Editors Guild of the Philippines, the oldest, broadest, and the only-existing alliance of tertiary student publications in the Asia Pacific, vehemently condemns the United States' imperialist intervention, inciting war and chaos worldwide.
The targeted assassination of Soleimani is designed to provoke war, diverting President Donald Trump's impeachment case and assuring his re-election in November 2020.
US imperialism has brought nothing but destabilization and violence to other countries worldwide, committing acts of aggression, killing the lives and properties of millions of people, even without the formal declaration of war.
Trump administration has blatantly perpetrated numerous crimes, as well as aggression in the Middle East countries. Trump acted illegally, in violation of the Constitution, the War Powers Act and international law.
Meanwhile, in the Philippines, undeclared war against critics of the Duterte administration is also happening. Countless are being harassed and killed, including leader-activists, church people, and journalists among others. An increasing number of detachments are established to control and restrict the movement of the people through Executive Order 70 and Oplan Kapanatagan under the current administration.
Just today, January 6, the Philippine National Police (PNP) started profiling groups that "might sympathize" with slain Soleimani.
The Guild would like to call on the PNP to be wary of possible linking of progressive groups as terrorist groups, condemning the unjust killing of commander in Iran and U.S imperialist aggression.
By halting the groups to condemn the atrocities of Trump administration, this goes to show how subservient Duterte and his men to U.S. imperialism.
The Guild reiterates its resounding call to junk all the lopsided agreements between the Philippines and the U.S. such as the Mutual Defense Treaty, Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, and the Visiting Forces Agreement.
In this fascism-stricken times, the Guild, together with the Filipino youth will not back down and will continue to fight against the rusting shackles of imperialist exploitation.
Long Live International Solidarity! #NoWarInIran
