THE Asian Peasant Coalition (APC) condemned on Wednesday the arrest of 13 farmers and advocacy- group leaders in Jakarta, Indonesia, while they were observing protest actions both at the presidential palace and at the Ministry of Agriculture.

Danilo Ramos, concurrent secretary-general of the APC and the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), said among those who were arrested by the Indonesian police on Tuesday are activists from India, Malaysia, Pakistan, Cambodia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

The leaders were in Indonesia for the organizing committee meeting for the Asian activities of the “Week of Rice Action.”

“At the protest actions they were constantly followed by intelligence agents and their pictures were taken. Finally, at the Ministry of Agriculture, they were taken by Indonesian intelligence agents and their passports were confiscated. The agents said they violated Article 92 of the immigration law and can be meted out with five years in prison and a 25-million rupiah fine,” Ramos said.

Ramos said the leaders of the peasant and advocacy groups were later taken to the immigration department where their fingerprints were taken and where they were documented and interrogated for almost 12 hours.

He said the arrested leaders were still awaiting word if they would be deported to their respective countries.

“This is a clear violation of their human rights for they were just observing the protests of local farmer groups in demanding that the Indonesian government should address the problems of the peasants in the countryside,” Ramos said.

The APC and the KMP demanded that their colleagues be released.

“They are there to promote the welfare not just of Indonesian peasants but for all of Asian peasants. Their work should not be hindered,” Ramos said.

Vietnamese vessels ‘monitored in Spratlys but no violation committed’

THE Philippine Air Force (PAF) on Wednesday disclosed that it had monitored two cargo and eight naval vessels with Vietnamese markings in the Spratlys in January and March, but admitted that the foreign ships did not violate the Code of Conduct prevailing in the area.

IN an effort to resolve the impasse on the country’s baselines issue, Speaker Prospero Nograles will meet with members of the House foreign affairs committee and the heads of the parties composing the majority coalition hoping to come out with a formula on how to best resolve conflicting positions among the three branches of government.

ZAMBOANGA CITY—A military official disclosed that the New People’s Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines has changed its strategy to boost the number of its fighters and mass-based supporters.

THE Asian Peasant Coalition (APC) condemned on Wednesday the arrest of 13 farmers and advocacy- group leaders in Jakarta, Indonesia, while they were observing protest actions both at the presidential palace and at the Ministry of Agriculture.

THE World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday urged governments to prioritize the effects of global warming in their health agenda as it warned that climate change may reverse whatever gains were achieved in fighting diseases due to poverty.

THE possibility of a presidential pardon for the nine military officers who were convicted on a coup case by the Regional Trial Court in Makati Tuesday is not remote especially if Malacañang considers the admission of their wrongdoing, the Armed Forces chief of staff said Wednesday.

HAD President Arroyo followed the propoor programs of former President Joseph Estrada, the country would not experience a rice crisis, San Juan Mayor Joseph Victor Ejercito said Wednesday.

Malacañang is resorting to another diversionary scheme to distract public attention from the increasing list of uncovered administration anomalies with President Arroyo herself insisting on Wednesday that “Senate investigations would not bring rice to the table” of hungry Filipinos.