Asia recalls 11 September victims and upholds anti-terror struggle
Together with the United States, Pakistan, Japan, Russia and the Philippines held religious services and rallies to recall victims of the al-Qaeda attack against the USA. Governments have renewed their commitment to fight the "absolute evil" of this century. The position of China is ambiguous.
Tokyo (AsiaNews) Asia has recalled the fifth anniversary of the attack by al-Qaeda terrorists against the United States and has renewed its commitment to fight Islamic fundamentalism, the "absolute evil" of this century.
The allies of the "war on terror" launched by the Bush administration commemorated the anniversary of the attack with events in memory of the victims and renewed pledges to press ahead with the battle against fundamentalism.
The wide range of events held reflects how much the international landscape has changed since Islamic terrorists hijacked four airliners, crashing them into the twin towers of New York's World Trade Centre, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field. The attacks claimed 2,973 lives and shocked the world.
Yesterday, President Bush and wife stood in silence over the debris of the twin towers, known as Ground Zero, while commemorative services held across the country marked the tragedy: in Washington, thousands of people marched up to the Pentagon in silence. Among them were relatives of 184 people killed there. After the march, a candle was lit for every victim.
In Pakistan, the Christian community of Multan a city in the eastern part of Punjab province "offered condolences to families of the victims" who were remembered in a Sunday service. Some participants held up a big sign that read: "We condemn 9/11."
Pakistan is an ally of the Bush administration but it is also the place where Osama Bin Laden, the al-Qaeda leader, is thought to be in hiding. The government ordered its troops to be on maximum state of alert today in the southern part of the country.
Also yesterday, the Orthodox community of Moscow held a service for the repose of victims' souls at St Catherine's Church, the representation of the Orthodox Church in America. Present at the service were US ambassador to Russia Williams Burns, diplomats from Serbia, Bulgaria, Egypt, Ethiopia, as well as representatives of the Russian government. Archimandrite Zaccheus, who celebrated the service, urged all those present to recall that the current war "was just, a war between good and evil".
In the Philippines, where government troops clash every day with Islamic militants of Abu Sayyaf [of Qaedist inspiration], Filipino soldiers and their American counterparts stationed in the country decided to mark the anniversary with a ceremony, including prayers. Colonel James Linder, commander of American forces in the country, said: "We will remember all of the many terrorist incidents that have happened in this area, to Americans and to all peace-loving people. All of those things were done by the most hideous type of enemy that all peace-loving people fear."
A similar ceremony will also be held outside the US Embassy in Tokyo. Japan is a supporter of Washington's war on terror: it sent troops to Iraq and non-combatant personnel to Afghanistan. Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, said: "Terrorism continues to be as much as a threat as ever to mankind, an absolute evil."
In China, an editorial of the People's Daily online that analyses the post-11 September world is worthy of mention. The column appreciates the work of George Bush in the US, which has brought more security in the country and foiled other terrorist attacks. But the newspaper criticized US foreign policy, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan, where American military campaigns have resulted in more terrorist activities.
China is suspected of using the international war on terror for domestic ends, suppressing the Uighur insurgency in Xinjiang, accused by Beijing of ties with al-Qaeda. At the same time, China is seeking to distance itself from US policy in the Mid-East to safeguard oil supplies for its economy, increasingly starved of energy.
In Dubai, the Gulfnews paper asked its readers how the world has changed since 11 September: some said the planet has become a "safer" place but others said the opposite: it is "less safe" now.
.png)
15/01/2007
