MANILA, Nov 19 – Water cannon were used as street protests turned violent in Manila on Thursday (Nov 19), ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Meeting. Police failed to disperse the crowd and scuffles broke out as authorities continued to block the large crowds gathered on the streets from getting closer to the summit venue.
The protesters, from the local Bayan (Nation) group, were kept about a kilometre from the Philippine International Convention Centre where the leaders, including US President Barack Obama, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, were arriving for the summit’s morning session.
“We are not for sale,” the protesters chanted as water sprays from two firetrucks were rained on them. “Junk APEC”. The protesters claimed the APEC forum benefits wealthier, bigger economies at the expense of smaller, poorer ones. On Wednesday, demonstrators also mounted rallies throughout central Manila; Anti-American posters and signs deriding APEC were seen lining the streets around the city.
Philippine authorities said they will maintain what they call “maximum tolerance” towards the protesters. No arrests had been reported. Thursday was the second day of the meeting of the leaders of the 21 economies involved, with economic matters and deeper regional integration on the agenda for talks.
Expectations were that the leaders would also discuss security following the Paris attacks, as well as the war against Islamic State. Despite tensions over the territorial disputes in the South China Sea, the 21 leaders enjoyed a festive start to their summit, posing for their usual APEC family photo in the traditional Filipino formal dress shirt.
President Obama and many Southeast Asia nations attending the Manila trade talks will proceed on to Malaysia for a regional summit. The South China Sea row, the spectre of terrorism and the US-led Trans Pacific Partnership free trade pact are likely to again be the main subjects of discussion in Malaysia.
Photo By: AFP
