On and around the 26th of April, groups worldwide, led by the Friends of the Filipino People in Struggle (FFPS), organized waves of actions in support of the Filipino people’s right for national liberation. More than 24 FFPS member organizations and other anti-imperialist organizations in more than 10 countries held militant demonstrations, postering, flyering and graffiti actions to show their support for the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) against US-led war and aggression in the Philippines.
“As the NDFP and the revolutionary struggle in the Philippines continue to advance and consolidate political power, it directly challenges imperialist domination. A stronger struggle for national liberation means a weaker grip by US imperialism on the Philippine islands. The Philippine revolution is the expression of the Filipino people’s desire to be free from foreign domination and of a people themselves building a just and lasting peace,” said Robert Reid, chairperson of FFPS.
The actions highlighted the destructiveness of US-led imperialist war and the right of oppressed peoples to fight for a just and lasting peace.
“The Filipino people are faced with continuous US-supported and US-directed war. Today it’s the violence of the US-Marcos regime, before that it was the violence of the US-Duterte regime and even before that it was the violence of direct US colonization,” said Chris Maldonado of FFPS NOLA in the US. “When faced with the violence and destruction of imperialist war and counterinsurgency, with a de-facto martial law in the countryside and continuous war crimes committed against them, the people are left with no choice but to defend themselves. The Filipino people’s revolution for social and national liberation is their just and necessary response to US imperialist war.”
Finch Foley of People Organizing for Philippine Solidarity in the US stated, “The US recently approved an arms sale to the Philippines of $5.58 billion, ensuring their stronghold in the country and preparing to drag the country into the US’ war efforts against China. But the Filipino people have long proven that no amount of money and foreign intervention can destroy a people’s movement fighting for a just and lasting peace. Their urgent fight deserves our utmost support and is an active component of the global anti-imperialist struggle.”
Under its strategic initiative “NATO 2030” the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) identified China as a principal security concern. During the mobilizations, solidarity groups in Europe, the UK and Canada argued that NATO member state’s militarization in the Asia-Pacific should be seen as US-led aggression in service of US imperialist interests.
“NATO member states such as France, Canada, and Germany passing their first-ever Indo-Pacific Strategies are further proof that NATO remains a model for US-led war strategy. For this reason we will participate with other member organizations of FFPS in the Resist NATO campaign of the International People’s Front and co-organize a counter-summit in the Netherlands on June 21, to highlight NATO as a mere tool of US imperialism and to strengthen our support to national liberation movements in the Global South,” stated Angie Weitz from Comité de Soutien à la Révolution aux Philippines in France.
FFPS is a global solidarity organization that supports the NDFP – which FFPS sees as the genuine representative of the Filipino people – and its 12-point program for a just and lasting peace. FFPS argued that the Philippine revolution is an integral part of the global anti-imperialist struggle and the NDFP should be supported by all anti-imperialists.
“As we strengthen our solidarity with the NDFP and the revolutionary movement in the Philippines, we directly counter US imperialism. At the same time we can support the Philippine revolution by further exposing and opposing US-led war — from the US-directed ‘counterinsurgency’ in the Philippines to other acts of imperialist aggression and intervention,” said Robert Reid.