A national statement of concerned Canadians

Stop disappearances and killings in the Philippines now!

July 12, 2006

In an unprecedented orgy of arbitrary arrests, forced disappearances and killings of the opposition to her government, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (GMA) has remained impassive and unmoved despite numerous calls by local and international bodies for a stop to this carnage.

In the last few weeks, we have witnessed the GMA administration commit grave violations of people’s civil liberties and human rights. On June 26, three University of the Philippines-Diliman students, Karen Empeneo, Sheryln Cadapan and Manuel Merino were abducted in Bulacan, Central Luzon by six suspected elements of the military. The three students are members of progressive youth and student organizations. On July 3, , seven officers of PISTON, an organization of transportation drivers, were abducted by elements of the 56 th Infantry Battalion, 69th Infantry Battalion, and the Philippine National Police. These incidents are only the latest in GMA’s intensifying campaign of state terror being wielded against legal and progressive national democratic activists and organizations.
 
No less than 170 legal and progressive national democratic activists have been victims of forced disappearances since GMA took office in 2001 according to the human rights group Karapatan. More than700 progressive activists and supporters have also been killed allegedly by government forces or their agents according to Marie Hilao-Enriquez, head of Karapatan.

As peace- and democracy-loving Canadians we express our deep concern over the fact that the increase in human rights violations and political killings coincides with GMA’s declaration of all-out war against revolutionary forces of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the New People’s Army (NPA) almost three weeks ago.  We find it appalling that GMA would make such a declaration of war in effect abandoning the possibility of peace-builiding through peace negotiations with the revolutionary forces of the CPP and NPA through the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).

Likewise, as human rights advocates, we are appalled at the enormity of this situation of  impunity given that the Philippines is considered a democratic country by the Canadian government meriting more than $600 billion in bilateral aid to the country. Most of these monies are supposedly to support responsible governance and private sector development.

We do not believe that the government is sincere in its pronouncements to go after the perpetrators of these crimes, for while it pretends to ‘investigate’, the killings and disappearances continue unabated. President GMA has clung to power in the face of repeated calls for her resignation due to corruption and other charges but she has responded with an iron fist and resorted to fascist methods to eliminate or cow her opposition.

She can only do so with the help of foreign governments including Canada by pouring foreign aid to her government. As peace-loving Canadians, we are deeply distressed that the Canadian government is in effect abetting and aiding in this human carnage, contrary to its stated values of respect for human rights and the promotion of peace.

If Canada truly stands by her avowed embrace of human rights, it must send a strong message to GMA by withholding any aid until the killings and disappearances are stopped.

We call on Canada to use its international reputation as a promoter of peace to encourage the Philippine government to resume the oft-postponed peace negotiations with the NDFP. Only when the root causes of the civil conflict in the country which has been raging for more than 37 years  be addressed can a truly just and lasting peace reign in the country.
As Canadians, we are committed to continue and heighten our genuine solidarity with the Filipino people in these troubling times.

In our recently concluded conference on June 21, over 70 participants from Canada, the US, Europe and the Philippines agreed to a statement of concern and action plan to call for a stop to the killings.

We vowed in North America to hold a coordinated day of action to coincide with the Filipino people’s protest against GMA’s State of the Nation Address on July 24, 2006. There will be various protest actions in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and other cities at their respective Philippine consulates on July 24, 2006.

STOP THE DISSAPEARANCES AND KILLINGS NOW!
RESUME THE PEACE NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE NDFP!
SUPPORT THE FILIPINO PEOPLE’S CALL TO OUST PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO!

Statement of:
British Columbia Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines (BCCHRP)
Ontario Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines (OCHRP)
Philippine Network for Justice and Peace – Toronto (PNJP)
Centre for Philippine Concerns - Montreal
Centre for Philippine Concerns -- Winnipeg