ASEANEWS EDITORIALS
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If words could kill, the Abu Sayyaf would have been annihilated many years ago. Since the extremists made their presence felt with their deadly bomb attacks in the early 1990s, every president has vowed to “crush” or “destroy” the group.
Government forces have since killed the group’s Afghanistan-trained founding chieftain Abdurajak Abubakar Janjalani and his brother Khadaffy. Several commanders have also been killed in a succession of military operations, among them the flamboyant Aldam Tilao, a.k.a. Abu Sabaya, Ghalib “Commander Robot” Andang, and most recently during the retaking of Marawi, Isnilon Hapilon, tagged as the Southeast Asian “emir” of the terrorist Islamic State.
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Yet the Abu Sayyaf always manages to recover from decapitation and to regroup, with a new head always emerging. The challenge now faced by an administration that was borne to power on a platform of peace and order is how to break this cycle and sustain battle victories.
The Abu Sayyaf has engaged in a kidnapping spree, raising millions of dollars in ransom and dampening tourism and investments in Mindanao. It has bombed churches, schools and government targets, murdered and raped with abandon, and tortured and mutilated priests and nuns. Its team-up with Maute terrorists razed much of Marawi.
Yet today the Abu Sayyaf is again being eyed as the perpetrator of twin bombings during mass last Sunday morning that killed at least 21 people and wounded about 100 others at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral in Sulu’s capital Jolo. Specifically, security officials are pointing to a faction of the group, called Ajang-Ajang, as the likely culprit.
For most people, it’s the first time to hear of Ajang-Ajang. It seems that as soon as one group’s propensity for violence appears to be weakening, a faction breaks away and forms a new one that rivals the original in virulence.
At the moment, the focus of the government is on catching those behind the bombing of the Jolo cathedral. But the government must also intensify other measures that will deprive terrorists of their community support network and address the roots of that support. The Abu Sayyaf has survived numerous military offensives and refuses to be crushed. It can’t be because its firepower is superior to that of state forces.
The Philippine Star
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ASEANEWS EDITORIAL CARTOONS
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The Manila Times – …. WINTER WONDERLAND
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Pilipino STAR Ngayon – Nalusutan ang AFP
SINGAPORE’S The Straits Times
Brexit vote: MPs must put nation first
If there is a consensus among all actors in the Brexit drama, it is that Britain’s headlong departure from the European Union on March 29 is undesirable. That convergence of opinions provides the best chance for resolving the snowballing impasse that would otherwise result in a no-deal Brexit. A vote on Tuesday gave Prime Minister Theresa May the backing from MPs to renegotiate the withdrawal treaty with Brussels. In particular, she seeks to redo the backstop. With this, she intends to appease eurosceptic members of her Conservative Party opposed to her deal on the grounds that Britain loses its right to formulate a sovereign trading policy if it agrees to the backstop. The mechanism is meant to prevent the imposition of post-Brexit checkpoints at the only land border between the United Kingdom and the EU. Checkpoints, it is feared, will disrupt the flow of goods along the Irish border and revive memories of the Troubles, thus also undermining two decades of peace since the Good Friday accords.
It is unclear what “alternative arrangements” can replace the backstop. But Mrs May hinted at seeking a time limit or a “get out” clause to allow the UK to withdraw unilaterally from the backstop. Technological approaches – for instance, using drones to inspect trucks that cross the border – have also been talked about. This is perplexing: The EU already clarified that the backstop is temporary and technology that can replace checkpoints is not immediately serviceable. Yet, Mrs May’s contention is that a majority will coalesce around her deal if the backstop were tackled.
TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE:
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/st-editorial/brexit-vote-mps-must-put-nation-first-the-straits-times-says
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THAILAND’S Bangkok Post – OPINION
Overlooking Araibi’s rights
As it requested the Criminal Court to proceed with extraditing Bahraini footballer Hakeem al-Araibi to Manama yesterday, the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) sent a message to the international community…
read more: https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/1622222/overlooking-araibis-rights
However, as the country moves forward towards civilian rule, it has an opportunity to prove to the world that it is committed to international standards on refugee treatment and not to pleasing a ruthless regime.
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