Go easy on terrorist tag, UN official asks gov’t

A ranking United Nations official cautioned the government yesterday against tagging all Muslim separatist rebels as "terrorists," saying most of them were forced to pick up arms because of dire poverty.

Dr. Francis Deng, representative of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on Internally Displaced Persons, also said the government should not abandon its peace talks with the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

He pointed out that after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the US, governments experiencing internal dissent generally labeled the insurgents as "terrorists" to gain international sympathy and support.

"The best way to fight terrorism is to address the genuine grievances of the people, particularly in Mindanao," Deng told reporters.

He cited the Philippine government for acting appropriately in labeling the communist rebels and the Abu Sayyaf bandits as terrorist groups, but not the MILF.

He stressed that the UN does not question government efforts to fight terrorism, but also enjoins them to address the underlying causes of the problem.

For his part, UN resident coordinator Terrence Jones stressed that a stable peace and order situation is conducive to economic progress.

Citing findings of the Human Development Index, war-torn areas in Mindanao have remained economically backward, notably Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Basilan and Maguindanao.

Jones, who also heads the Philippine office of the UN Development Program, said the UN, with the help of non-government organizations, the private sector, and in coordination with local government units, has been implementing various assistance programs for displaced families in the blighted areas.

Jones added that the UN intends to help build trust and confidence among investors to spur economic growth. – Paolo Romero