NR0413:Musommeli a racist and religious bigot

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran
News Release April 13, 2005
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US Charge D'affaires Musommeli a religious bigot and a racist; his rights as a diplomat in the Philippines should be revoked - Rep. Beltran

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today expressed indignation over what he termed as US Embassy Charge D'affaires Joseph Mussomeli's "overbearing arrogance" over the latte's refusal to issue an apology and take back his categorization of southern Mindanao as the new Afghanistan and a "Mecca" of terrorism."

The veteran labor leader said calling Mindanao a Mecca of terrorism was a vicious attack against Islam and to Muslims to whom Mecca is a place of worship and holiness. "Musommelli is a racist and a religious bigot - and he reveals the standing policy of the war mongering government he represents led by George W. Bush. He and his ilk are terrorism-mongerers and should be expelled from the Philippines will full badges of disgrace."

"The gall of this official-he should be immediately deported and all his rights as a American diplomat in the Philippines revoked. American diplomatic officials in the country are seldom diplomatic and they continue to issue statements and declarations against the Philippines and the Filipino people without expressing the least respect or consideration for political consequences affecting the country's security ," he said.

Beltran said that Musomsomelli's arrogance is enough grounds to have the man declared "persona non grata" and barred from the Philippines. "His declaration is tantamount to a death sentence for many Muslims and the rest of the Filipino people living in Mindanao. It's not a secret to anyone that the US government is deploying majority of its armed forces in Mindanao to guard US investments in the island. The unceasing military operations in Mindanao are primarily a result of the US government's demands on the Macapagal-Arroyo administration and part and parcel of the so-called "counter-terrorism" campaign. Hundreds of thousands of civilians are in the line of fire because of Musommelli's anti-Muslim, anti-Mindanao slur."

Finally, Beltran demanded that President Macapagalk-Arroyo should not allow Musommeli's attacks against the Philippines, Mindanao and Filipino Muslims go unnoticed. "Pres. Arroyo is taking these declarations from American diplomats with a grain of salt, and this is contemptible. She should be the first to demand that Musommeli and even the White House issue a public apology to all Filipinos, particularly our Muslim brothers and sisters," he said. #