Philippines urged to stop killing of human rights defenders

KAIROS urgent action: Help stop the killing of human rights defenders in the Philippines. Summary Philippine partners are appealing to global partners like KAIROS to help convince the government of the Philippines to stop the senseless killings of church people, human rights advocates, journalists, and political activists. Almost 100 activists, religious leaders, human rights defenders and trade union leaders have been killed since the beginning of this year. KAIROS partners believe that the military is responsible for these atrocities. KAIROS strongly condemns the rise of political killings in the Philippines. We ask you, on behalf of our partners in the Philippines, to take a moment and send letters to the Philippines and Canadian governments. Your solidarity is needed in this moment of crisis. Links for further information KAIROS’ letters and statements and urgent actions on the Philippines, including Recent spate of killings and targeting of religious leaders, and gross human rights violations in the Philippines and the September 2005 statement, A Call to Stop the Killing of Human Rights Defenders in the Philippines: http://www.kairoscanada.org/e/media/statements/stmPhilippines051003.pdf The United Church of Canada’s action on the Philippines: http://www.united-church.ca/action/philippines/050926.shtm The statement of the WCC ecumenical delegation to the Philippines: http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/international/philippines-pastoraldelegation-july05.html The Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance’s action on killings in the Philippines: www.e-alliance.ch/media/media-6028.doc Background (Feel free to skip ahead to the action—this section gives you the bigger picture of the situation in the Philippines.) Many Canadians will remember the brutal Marcos dictatorship which gripped the Philippines from 1972 to 1986. “People power” eventually overthrew that regime, with the support and solidarity of people around the world. Since then, Filipinos have continued to struggle with deep inequalities between rich and poor, corruption at every level of government, and a worsening human rights situation. Last year, KAIROS partners told us that the martial rule characteristic of the Marcos dictatorship, though undeclared, is actually now in place again. The current administration’s “Calibrated Preemptive Response” (CPR) denies or restricts rights, supposedly to stop unlawful or illegal acts from being committed. It allows the government to use all existing laws to protect public interest, prevent chaos in the streets and restore public order. CPR provides impunity to military and police officers who use violence and force to disperse peaceful demonstrations. This has resulted in physical injuries, illegal arrests and detention, torture, and in some cases involuntary disappearances. It is reminiscent of the Marcos regime’s Preventive Detention Action or PDA and other repressive laws of an era that many had thought was over. The situation has worsened and killings have only increased in the wake of strong church and civil society protests against corruption in the national government. A recent ecumenical delegation to the Philippines organized by the World Council of Churches reported on the rising number of political killings and on “large-scale human rights violations including police and military intimidation, illegal detention, and torture of peasants working on the farms of rich landlords ...” The WCC delegation report also stated that “among the root causes of the current turmoil in the country are: the inadequacies of state institutions such as the judiciary, inequitable distribution of resources which traps many Filipinos in abject poverty, and the monopoly of transnational corporations and other foreign interests in resource extraction”. A particular concern for Canadians is the growing presence of Canadian mining companies in the Philippines. Canadian and Australian based mining companies hold at least fifty per cent of concession applications now seeking approval for exploration in the Philippines. The Philippine government has opened the country up to mining exploration and operations in a bid for revenue and “development”. The communities affected have strongly protested the displacement, environmental damage and violations of Indigenous peoples’ rights that happen all too often as a result of these mining companies’ operations. A number of the people killed in recent years have spoken out against the destructive activities of foreign and corporate mining interests. A recent, all-party report to the Canadian government from the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade (SCFAIT) expressed concern about the action of Canadian mining companies, drew on an example from the Philippines, and called for legislation to ensure better corporate accountability. The government ignored the committee’s recommendations. While the ruling administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo remains keen on granting favours to foreign and corporate mining and other interests, it responds with outright violence to workers, peasants, church people and members of people’s organizations who dare to raise their voices and oppose these interests. Ten people have been murdered from September to mid-October alone. Among them were the following victims: § Mrs. Vicky Samonte was stabbed to death while on board a public utility vehicle on September 30, 2005. Mrs. Samonte was the president of Andres Soriano Memorial College Employees Union. § Mr. Diosdado Fortuna was summarily executed last September 22, 2005 by two unidentified men riding a motorcyle. Mr. Fortuna was the president of the Nestle Philippines Workers Union. § Rev. Raul Domingo died on September 4, 2005, two weeks after being shot by suspected military agents in Puerto Princesa, Palawan. He was a 35 year old pastor of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, an anti-mining activist, and one of the many church leaders who called for radical reforms within the government. § Attorney Norman Bocar was killed on September 1, 2005 in Borongan, Eastern Samar. He was a human rights lawyer and the Regional Chairman of BAYAN. An attempt was made on the life of Mr. Tony Cuizon, president of the Atlas Mining Workers Union on October 10, 2005 in Cebu City. Mr. Cuizon bore three gunshot wounds near the shoulder and one on his right hand, and is in serious condition. Action already taken KAIROS has signed a petition and urgent action alert issued by the Trade for People Campaign of the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance calling for an immediate and impartial investigation into all recent extra-judicial executions, and the prosecution of those involved in the killings. KAIROS has written letters to the President of the Philippines and related government agencies on behalf of the Canadian churches to express our condemnation of the targeted killings. These murders have included members of our partner churches and groups, the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP), the Promotion of Church People’s Response (PCPR), the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP), the Ecumenical Bishops Forum (EBF) and allied groups working for social justice. KAIROS mourns each death and deplores the ongoing violence. We stand in solidarity with our partners and the Filipino people in their struggle to assert their civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, and uphold their right to defend these without fear for their lives or violent reprisal. Our concern about these killings springs from our deep belief in the sacredness of life as a gift from God, and our responsibility to protect the rights of our sisters and brothers wherever they are. Take action! 1) Write letters to the Canadian government and the Canadian embassy in Manila, regarding the alarming rise in killings of human rights defenders and religious leaders. 2) Write letters to the Philippine government, demanding that the government: i) Immediately stop extra-judicial executions and other human rights violations, and order the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police to strictly enforce international standards and national laws protecting the civil and political rights of citizens; ii) Immediately investigate the killings and identify those responsible, and ensure that the human rights of all Filipinos are protected; iii) Immediately stop the military from using the Rule of Calibrated Preemptive Response (CPR). (See a sample letter here.) 3) Telephone representatives of the Philippine government here in Canada to register your concerns. The subject of all calls is noted and passed on to the Philippines government. Use the sample letter for background, and focus on the number of killings that have taken place, as well as the fact that these were people who were not engaged in violent action. Phone numbers for all the Consulates in Canada are listed below. Please be sure to send a copy of your letter to Connie Sorio, and contact her if you have any questions or comments. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT: Connie Sorio, Partnership Program Coordinator for Asia-Pacific, KAIROS 129 St. Clair Avenue West, Toronto, Ontario M4V 1N5 Tel: (416) 463-5312 ext 240 Fax: (416) 463-5569 Email: csorio@kairoscanada.org The Canadian government: Hon. Pierre Pettigrew, Minister of Foreign Affairs 125 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, ON Tel:(613) 995-1851 Fax:(613) 996-3443 E-mail: pettigrew.p@parl.gc.ca Please CC: Ambassador Peter Sutherland, Canadian Embassy in the Philippines Level 6-8, Tower 2, RCBC Plaza 6819 Ayala Avenue, Makati City, Philippines 1200 PO Box 2098 Fax: 632-843-1082 Email: care of manil-gr@international.gc.ca The Philippine government: Office of the Philippine Ambassador to Canada, Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines 130 Albert Street, Suite 606, Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5G4 Email: embassyofthephilippines@rogers.com Phone numbers: Ottawa: (613) 233-1121 Toronto: (416) 922 7121 Winnipeg: (204) 237 2497 Edmonton: (780) 428 2541 Vancouver: (604) 685 7645 President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Malacanang Palace, Manila, Philippines Fax: 011-632-736-2495 E-mail: corres@op.gov.ph CC a copy by mail to: Hon. Avelino Cruz, Secretary Department of National Defense, Camp Emilio Aguinaldo. EDSA, Quezon City, Philippines

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