News: Human rights violations in the Philippines sparks concern of Canadian unions
Published by Patrick March 22nd, 2007 in Human Rights, International Solidarity, Lower Mainland Tags: Human Rights, International Solidarity, philippines.
Vancouver, B.C. – The recent arrest of Philippine Congressman Satur Ocampo and the intensifying human rights violations and political repression in the Philippines has sparked international concern, including that of Canadian labour unions.
The B.C. region of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), one of Canada’s largest unions, is co-sponsoring a forum “Building People to People Solidarity” to coincide with the Permanent People’s Tribunal: Second Session on the Philippines (which is occurring in the Netherlands). This forum will be held Thursday, March 22, 2007 from 7-9 p.m. at the Bonsor Recreation Complex, 6550 Bonsor Ave. in Burnaby.
Kay Sinclair, Regional Executive Vice-President of the PSAC for B.C. shares, “We need to build awareness amongst our members and other trade unionists about the grave political situation, for trade unionists and other activists, in the Philippines.”
“It is part of our effort towards international solidarity,” adds Sinclair.
The forum expects to gather around 100 people including trade unionists, members of the local Filipino-Canadian and Indigenous Filipino community and other human rights activists and concerned Canadians.
The forum has also been endorsed by the Vancouver District Labour Council.
Speakers in the forum will include Dr. Constancio Claver, chair of provincial Bayan Muna (People First) Party in Kalinga province and member of Hustisya! (Justice) an organization of family of victims of extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances. Dr. Claver survived an assassination attempt on July 31, 2006 in which his wife Alyce was killed.
Other speakers will include: Ted Alcuitas, member of the BC Committee for Human Rights in the Phiippines and Jennifer Efting, Hospital Employees Union staff and Bus Riders Union organizer who both recently returned from the Canadian Fact-Finding Mission to the Philippines held in November 2006.
Dr. Claver and members of the Canadian Fact Finding Mission will also speak in a press conference this Friday, March 23, 2007 at 10:30 a.m. at 451 Powell St. in Vancouver.
The Permanent People’s Tribunal will hold public sessions from March 21-24, 2007 to hear the case of the Filipino people against the government of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the United States government and other accomplices, for human rights violations, economic plunder and transgression of the Filipino peoples’ sovereignty. Their verdict will be announced on March 25, 2007.
The Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal is an international opinion tribunal, independent from any State authority. It examines and judges complaints regarding violations of human rights and rights of peoples that are submitted by the victims themselves or groups representing them. The Tribunal was founded in June 1979 in Italy by law experts, writers and other intellectuals.
For more information, please call: May at: 604-215-1905 or: Amal Rana at 604-430-5631. To arrange an interview, please call: Hetty at 604.215.1103.