HKCAHRPP Press Release - 21 September 2006

Press Release
21 September 2006


For reference:

Eman Villanueva
HKCAHRPP Convenor
Tel. No.: 97585935

“Macapagal-Arroyo is another Marcos”
Rights groups in HK join global action against killings


“It’s Martial Law all over again.”

This was declared today by the HK Campaign for the Advancement of Human Rights and Peace in the Philippines (HKCAHRPP) as about 100 people attended the candlelighting and cultural program the group organized today at Star Ferry Pier, Tsim Sha Tsui.

The action was conducted as part of the Global Day of Action vs Political Killings in the Philippines in commemoration of the declaration of Martial Law by former Pres. Ferdinand Marcos in 1972. Martial Law was in effect for more than 10 years and was characterized by widespread human rights violations.

“As we commemorate Martial Law, we remember the victims of human rights violation then and until now under the government of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,” said Eman Villanueva, HKCAHRPP convenor.

HKCAHRPP reported that since 2001, human rights groups in the Philippines have recorded more than 780 cases of extrajudicial killings and around 180 cases of forced disappearance all over the country with victims mainly coming from activist organizations critical of government policies.

“A state of national terror is being implemented in the country nowadays. Nobody is being spared with the killings becoming more and more brazen and repressive laws being institutionalized,” Villanueva reported.

The HKCAHRPP is a group composed of local organizations and individuals in Hong Kong that strive to gather the support of the international community to stop the extrajudicial killings in the Philippines. In July this year, the group organized a Fact Finding Mission in the country to investigate cases of human rights violations.

“The HK Mission for Human Rights and Peace in the Philippines came up with the same findings as numerous other similar international missions organized – human rights violations do exist where elements of the armed forces of the state are the ones involved. Even worse, actions of the government have remained inadequate as proven by the fact that up to now, none of the cases has been resolved,” he added.

HKCARHPP said that they are planning to organize even more actions to popularize the issue in Hong Kong and urge the HK public to take part in solidarity activities to stop the killings in the Philippines.

“GMA is another Marcos. As pressure from the international community played a part in the eventual lifting of Martial Law, the broadening international solidarity and support for the current campaign will also surely force this government to effectively address human rights violations in the country,” Villanueva concluded.#

September 21 - Candle-Lighting Vigil

The message from Hong Kong is clear

September 21 - Candle-Lighting Vigil

Program emcees Aaron Ceradoy of the Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants and Jackie Hung of the Justice & Peace Commission of the Hong Kong Catholic Diocese. Jackie is one of the members of the HK fact-finding team to the Philippines last July 2006

September 21 - Candle-Lighting Vigil

Fr. Dwight dela Torre, IFI/PIC and convenor of the HKCAHRPP in his opening speech with a local Chinese friend helping with the translation to Cantonese

September 21 - Candle-Lighting Vigil

Vicky Casia-Cabantac, Chairperson of the MIGRANTE Sectoral Party Hong Kong, delivered a poem entitled “The Reign of Empress Glorius Marius Arius the Terrible” by Tomas Talledo, CONTEND-UP

September 21 - Candle-Lighting Vigil

Debby Chan of the Hong Kong Christian Institute (HKCI) and a member of the Hong Kong fact-finding team to the Philippines last July gave a testimonial from her 5-days stay in the Philippines

September 21 - Candle-Lighting Vigil

Serenade Woo, Chairperson of the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) and a member of the Hong Kong fact-finding team to the Philippines last July talked about the killings of journalists and the lack of freedom of the press in the Philippines

September 21 - Candle-Lighting Vigil

Rose Wu, Executive Director of the HKCI, leading the closing prayer

September 21 - Candle-Lighting Vigil

Maricel, a Filipino migrant worker and member of the LIKHA Migrants Cultural Group, performed a dance interpretation of “Awit sa Bayani” sang by Tambisan sa Sining

September 21 - Candle-Lighting Vigil

A member of the Hong Kong People's Alliance on Globalization (HKPA) distributing statements to passers-by

September 21 - Candle-Lighting Vigil

Ben, a student from the Chinese University and a member of SCM-HK while soliciting signatures from the public for the Stop the Killings petition

HK Statement - Global Action vs. Killings in the Philippines

Stop the Killings in the Philippines!

Defend Human Rights!





Today the world commemorates the dark years of Martial Law in the Philippines. Today the world condemns the continuing violation of human rights in the Philippines.

In 1972, former Philippine Pres. Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law which lasted for more than 10 years. Within this period, brutal human rights violations were committed against the Filipino people.
Thirty-four years after the Marcos dictatorship, human rights violations continued and even worsened.

Human rights violations under the administration of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo are fast becoming a notorious record. Since she assumed the presidency in 2001, human rights organizations have recorded a total of 743 victims of extrajudicial killings including assassinations, summary executions and massacres. Moreover, 181 people have been forcibly abducted and disappeared with no news up to now of their whereabouts.

The victims of human rights violations came from diverse backgrounds and sectors. Notable, however, is the fact that many of the victims came from organizations known for their activism and critical stance to various issues such as globalization, trade union rights, peasant struggles, women’s issues and young people’s concerns.

They were actively involved in fighting for peace, justice, and democracy but they were silenced.
In most cases, reports indicated the involvement of elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) or paramilitary units under its wings. This is not surprising considering that the government’s blueprint for crushing what it deemed as “enemies of the state” as contained in the program Oplan Bantay Laya (Operation Plan Guard Freedom) included these activist organizations.

It was only after international pressure mounted – with many international organizations deploring the state of human rights in the Philippines – did the Arroyo government act. However, the actions were not enough as up to now, no case had been brought to justice.

Families and friends of the victims remained looking for justice.

Today, the people of Hong Kong grieve with the victims of human rights violations. Today, in this Global Day of Action to Stop the Killings, the people of Hong Kong pledge to support the fight for justice and for a just and lasting peace for the Filipino people.

Today we remember Martial Law. We remember the victims. We live up the genuine spirit of international solidarity. We vow to continue the struggle.

HKCAHRPP
21 September 2006

立即終止菲律賓的政治殺害！

立即終止菲律賓的政治殺害！

共同捍衛人權與公義！

今天全球紀念菲律賓軍法管治的黑暗時代。不幸的是，全球今天仍要繼續譴責菲律賓的持續不斷的人權侵犯事件。

在1972年，菲律賓前總統馬可斯實施了長達10多年的軍法統治。期間，菲律賓人民的人權遭受殘暴不仁的踐踏。

然而目前菲律賓的人權卻仍然備受侵犯，甚至較馬可斯獨裁統治期間更為惡化。

在阿羅約的管治下，人權的狀況不斷惡化。自2001年阿羅約就任總統以來，人權組織已紀錄了743人死於法外謀殺，當中包括暗殺、即時處決及屠殺。此外，181人被擄走或強逼失蹤，下落不明。

受害人的背景各異。值得注意的是，很多受害人皆來自民間組織，並一直致力於不同的社會運動，其中議題包括：全球化、工人權益、農民抗爭、婦女、青年等議題。

他們曾積極投身在爭取和平、公義及民主的工作中，但現在他們不能再發聲了。

報告顯示，大部份的個案都與軍隊或受其包庇的民兵組織有關。這正好與政府的「保衛自由行動計劃」不謀而合，其工作藍本之一，銳意打垮那些被政府認定為「國家敵人」的份子，而這些民間組織都在打擊名單之列。

隨著眾多國際組織加入譴責菲律賓的人權狀況，阿羅約政府有感國際壓力，才稍作行動。不過，這些行動卻無甚效果，因為直至目前為止，仍然沒有個案得到公正的處理，政治殺害亦未有止息。

受害者的親友只能盼望公義到來。。

今天，香港的市民與菲律賓的死難者家屬一同哀悼。在作為「全球抗議政治殺害日」的今天，一群香港市民承諾支援菲律賓人民，共同為公義與和平而努力。

我們不會忘記軍法統治、我們不會忘記人權侵犯的受害者。我們會繼續抗爭，顯示全球人民的團結精神和力量。

香港促進菲律賓人權與和平運動

2006年9月21日