Stop Political Killings In The Philippines at Public Service Alliance of Canada

Send a message to the Philippine Government
Stop The Political Killings!

Since Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assumed power in January 2001, there are now more than 903 reported cases of extra-judicial killings and more than 200 cases of forcible disappearances in the Philippines. It is now the 2nd most dangerous country for trade unionists. Despite this terror, the Filipino people�s resistance continues.

Use the form below to send an email to Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (President of the Republic of the Philippines), Sec. Jesus D. Dureza, (Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process), Sec. Raul M. Gonzalez (Secretary of Justice), Hon. Purificacion V. Quisumbing (Chairperson, Commission on Human Rights) and Gen. Hermogenes Ebdane (Secretary, Department of National Defense) as well as an email to Maxime Bernier (Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs).

Demand justice and human rights in the Philippines now!

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Your Message to the Philippine Government: use the provided letter, or write your own …
Subject:
I am aware of the continued political killings and arrests targeting members of opposition parties and those who are critical of the Philippine government. The latest extrajudicial killing is that of Celso Pojas, 45 years of age, spokesperson of the Farmer�s Association in Davao City (FADC), the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas� (KMP) or the Philippine Peasant Movement�s chapter in the province. I have learned that Mr. Pojas was shot around 6:30 am on May 15, 2008 in front of the FADC office in Bugac, Maa, Davao City. Mr. Pojas went to the store across the office to buy a cigarette when his office colleagues heard gunshots. The killers were two men were riding a red XRM motorcycle, believed to be agents of the military. The back rider fired four shots and hit Mr. Pojas three times. Many of the victims of human rights violations and extra judicial killings in the Philippines are members of organizations that fight for their democratic rights, like KMP, but are often painted as New People�s Army (NPA) sympathizers to instill fear and intimidation among the general populace. I would like to express my deepest concern over these developments and urge the Philippine government to respect the right of all Filipino citizens to freedom of speech and assembly. I call for the immediate formation of an independent fact-finding and investigative team composed of representatives from human rights groups, the Church, local government, and the Commission on Human Rights that will look into the extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and arrests of many Filipino citizens, over one thousand to date. I demand the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of these crimes, and immediate and proper compensation to the victims and their families. I remind you that the Philippine Government is a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and thus it is bound to observe all of the provisions of this Declaration. Stop the political killings and human rights violations in the Philippines now!
Your Message to the Canadian Government: use the provided letter, or write your own …
Subject:
Petition against the human rights violations of the Philippine government of President Gloria Arroyo and calling on Canada to act now To the House of Commons: We, the undersigned, express our grave concern regarding the human rights violations committed by the Government of the Philippines under President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. We are aware that the Government of Canada has expressed being �deeply concerned� by the extrajudicial killings in the Philippines. In a response to petitions filed in the House of Commons, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs Peter MacKay �acknowledges the steps undertaken by the Government of the Philippines and Philippine civil society to stop extradjudicial killings and continues to urge thorough and timely investigations and prosecution of perpetrators.� However, we wish to draw the House�s attention to the fact that the Government of the Philippines has done nothing effective to stop the killings and disappearances. No prosecutions have taken place. The culture of impunity is thus perpetuated, leaving the families of victims still seeking justice. President Arroyo continues to implement the counter-insurgency program, Oplan Bantay Laya � to which UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions Professor Philip Alston partly attributes the increase in extrajudicial executions. Killings and disappearances are still taking place. In light of the failure of the Government of the Philippines to do anything effective to stop the killings and disappearances, we believe that the Canadian government�s response to this situation is inadequate. We urge the House to request the Canadian government to immediately take the following concrete steps to help end the killings and disappearances in the Philippines: 1) Review Canada�s current relations with and withdraw all military aid, bilateral aid and multilateral aid to the Philippine government while the political killings and other violations of human rights continue to occur; 2) Redirect Canadian partnership aid towards progressive community-based groups like KARAPATAN (Alliance for the Advancement of People�s Rights) that advocate genuine development and uphold human rights and the dignity of life; 3) Pressure the Philippine government to respect international human rights covenants and agreements; and 4) Hold a Parliamentary Hearing on the human rights situation in the Philippines.

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In Canada, Momentum Building Against Human Rights Abuses in the Philippines

April 25, 2008

The Philippines is the second most dangerous country for trade unionists. In recognition of this, the labour movement in Canada is responding to the Filipinos� call for support and solidarity.

BY THE BRITISH COLUMBIA COMMITTEE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE PHILIPPINES LABOR WATCH

Posted by Bulatlat

Vol. VIII, No. 11, April 20-26, 2008

The Philippines is the second most dangerous country for trade unionists. In recognition of this, the labour movement in Canada is responding to the Filipinos� call for support and solidarity.

Working with the B.C. Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines (BCCHRP), a community-based solidarity organization, the Vancouver & District Labour Council (VDLC) has put forward a resolution to the upcoming Canadian Labour Congress Convention which will be held in Toronto on May 26-30, 2008.

The VDLC is the local organization of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) at the municipal level. The CLC, which represents 3.2 million unionized workers in Canada, works to strengthen solidarity between workers in Canada and other countries.

If the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) adopts the resolution in its present form, the CLC will:

1) Condemn the repression of human rights and trade union rights in the Philippines;

2) Support Filipino unions in their fight to realize an end to the killing and repression of trade unionists in the Philippines;

3) Demand that the Canadian government link its foreign aid to the Philippines to support for human rights and;

4) Join with the Philippines-Canada Task Force on Human Rights (PCTFHR) in calling on the Canadian government to hold a Parliamentary Hearing on the human rights situation in the Philippines.

�As concerned Canadians and Filipino-Canadians, we are encouraged by the labour movement�s initiative to support human rights in the Philippines,� said May Farrales, Chairperson of BCCHRP �We are confident that Canadian workers will realize the importance of the resolution as the repression and killing of trade union organizers in the Philippines must be condemned in the spirit of international workers� solidarity.�

Ning Alcuitas, Western Coordinator of the PCTFHR adds, �The resolution is very positive. It will certainly help translate the groundswell of concern amongst Canadians and Filipino-Canadians over the deteriorating state of human rights and democracy in the Philippines into meaningful campaigns. We urgently need to continue to build and strengthen genuine people-to-people solidarity with the Filipino people.�

Since current Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo took power in 2001, she has spearheaded a bloody military counter-insurgency campaign that has resulted in more than 900 documented cases of extra-judicial killings (over 80 were trade unionists), nearly 200 cases of enforced disappearances and the displacement of over one million people, based on data from the human rights group Karapatan.

News Archive

April 2008
Listen online to Satur Ocampo, President of the Bayan Muna ("People First") Party: http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/2008/200804/20080415.html

Dec 3 2007
Arroyo Gov�t on the Defensive, But Extrajudicial Killings Continue - read the article

July 11 2007
Petitions regarding the political killings in the Philippines were presented were presented by NDP, Bloc and Liberal MPs in the Canadian House of Commons. Read more at parl.gc.ca

July 1 2007
Philippine Supreme Court dismisses charges against 'Batasan 6' - gmanews.tv

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Send a message to the Philippine GovernmentStop The Political Killings!

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In Canada, Momentum Building Against Human Rights Abuses in the Philippines

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Send a message to the Philippine Government
Stop The Political Killings!