No to war and manipulated elections

It may be a coincidence but while in London I read a review of Rama Mitter’s book, “China’s War with Japan, 1937-1945: The Struggle for Survival.” The review was written by Martin Jacques for the Financial Times.

I realized how little we know about the enmity between these two countries. But as Mitter points out 14 million Chinese died in “defense of the realm.” At the time China was a poor, developing country and treated as an inferior by the US and Britain even as both came to its aid in its fight with Japan. The review says that this is a neglected fact because soon after fascism was defeated in 1945 “the geopolitical cards were reshuffled.”

“The anti-fascist imperative gave way to the exigencies of the cold war. Japan, from being a pariah became America’s key east Asian ally while China became the new enemy.”

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On landing in Manila and with this background in mind, I cannot help but view the joint statement between Japan’s Prime Minister and the Philippine president with a large dose of salt. By all means let us accept Japan’s helping hand and Japanese Prime Minister Abe’s four initiatives especially for economic reasons. But as always it should be with a “caveat emptor.” And the best way to do this is to keep an even hand in dealing with economic and development partners whether it is Japan, China or the US.

What we should avoid is to be used as a staging ground for war of the ‘biggies’. We should continue to foster good relations with China and focus our efforts on what is good for our country rather than be a prey for a geopolitical agenda in which Japan is playing a significant role. Neither can China be blamed for feeling threatened once again and feel compelled to “defend its realm.”

As Mitter’s book reminds us “Between 1868 and 1945 the country (Japan) fought 10 major wars, lasting 30 years in total, all but one at the expense of its Asian neighbors (including the Philippines). From 1937 it was to carve through much of northern, central, eastern and southern China. Chiang’s forces were in perpetual retreat.”

That past impinges on the present and explains why China would not want to be as helpless as it was before. Its attitudes have been shaped by a harrowing history of war especially with Japan. “Mitter’s descriptions of the Japanese massacre in Nanjing, where hundreds of thousands were killed, and life in the air-raid shelters in the western city of Chongqing are compelling,” the review adds.

It is that fear of the past that compels China to act so it would not be as vulnerable as it had once been.

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This is the era of “problematic” elections. But as usual some are more problematic than others, I am beginning to wonder just what elections are being used for other than a country being able to choose its leaders.

I was struck by some comments made by my friend Belinda Olivares-Cunanan in her blog Polbits on the recent elections in Cambodia. She was invited by former Speaker Jose De Venecia, president of ICAPP, to be part of the monitoring team of the elections.

Since I was not there I will just quote parts of her article and you can draw your own conclusions.

“I had this strong déjà vu feeling in Phnom Penh as I listened to claims of election irregularities and to Sam Rainsy’s plea for US support for recount of votes.

Rainsy is luckier than us Filipinos: we have documented all kinds of issues vs. Comelec but Brillantes simply stonewalls them and no reaction from US.”

Cunanan’s comments depart from the usual made to assess elections in various countries because she tackles it from a geopolitical vantage point. She said she thought she was taking a vacation from local politics with the Smartmatic-PCOS issue still unresolved and pending. And although there were accusations of cheating too in Cambodia, the Philippine elections cheating formula is quite different. She laments though that there is an uneven treatment of the US on elections in the Philippines and Cambodia.

After the opposition candidate Sam Rainsy met with the American Ambassador things began to move.

“Soon enough a spokesperson from the US State Department in Washington issued a statement expressing concern about the numerous reported irregularities in the elections, including “systemic flaws such as problems in the voter registry and unequal access to the media.” While careful about being perceived as backing the opposition’s call for an investigation “specifically,” nevertheless it safely stressed the need “for a full and transparent investigation that will be (viewed) as credible by the Cambodian people.”

In this regard, I can only envy the Cambodian people, for we Filipinos who had monitored our own national and local elections of last May have grown hoarse presenting all manner of irregularities, and yet the US government, represented by Amb. Harry Thomas, chose to play the role of the traditional monkey in Asian fable – see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.

Obviously the US ploy is to protect the results as far back as our first fully automated elections of 2010 that, in the light of so many revelations that have since surfaced about the PCOS machines, have put into question the legitimacy of the leadership installed then.  Why the US role of the traditional monkey? It’s all about the issue of basing and geopolitical realities.”

(CNP: It is not too bad if it should encourage us to finally grow out of US dependence. Elections should be our business not anybody else’s. Have you ever heard of election monitors in the UK, Australia, France etc.)

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I certainly would be interested to hear from former Speaker Jose P. de Venecia who is the honorary chairman of the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP). It is a proper forum to discuss  elections in the region.

Elections or non-elections are very much under the remit of a group concerned with political parties in Asia.

Also a co-chairman of the Standing Committee apart from de Venecia is Hon. CHUNG Eui-yong: Former Chairman of Foreign Relations Committee, Democratic Party (formerly United Democratic Party), Republic of Korea.