Filipino-Canadian Youth Alliance
Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada
Statement

Filipino youth held a vigil rally on March 20, 2006 to commemorate the murder of the young Filipino, Mao Jomar Lanot, and to call for an end to systemic racism in the school system.

On the International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Filipino Youth and Students Demand: the End of Systemic Racism!

March 21, 2006

Vancouver, BC --- As the world celebrates the International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination, a local community organization of Filipino youth and students continues their demands for justice for the death of Mao Jomar Lanot, a 17-year old Filipino student swarmed and beaten outside of Sir Charles Tupper Secondary School and died several hours later. Nearly three years ago after his death, the Lanot family and the Filipino community are still waiting for justice to be served.

Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada / the Filipino Canadian Youth Alliance (UKPC/FCYA) held a press conference on Monday, March 20, 2006, at the Kalayaan Centre, a Filipino community centre located in the Downtown Eastside. The speakers included Jena Lanot, mother of Mao Jomar Lanot, and Charlene Sayo of UKPC / FCYA.

Jena Lanot, who experienced many years of separation from her children under the Live-in Caregiver Program, hoped for a better life here in Canada. Jena was reunited with her sons for one year until Jomar’s brutal death in November 2003. Until now, Jena Lanot  continues to plead for justice and criticizes the justice system for not prioritizing the Lanot case as the accused has not been sentenced. “We are not satisfied with the entire process. We believe this is not fair as the death of my son has not been resolved,” Jena Lanot said.

Charlene Sayo, representative of UKPC/FCYA, stated, “We challenge the Vancouver School Board and other Canadian institutions to critically examine the systemic racist policies they are implementing towards immigrants, particularly the Filipino community here in Canada. Systemic racism kills Filipino youth. The death of Mao Jomar Lanot is an example of the many impacts of systemic racism Filipino youth are facing.”

UKPC/FCYA also held a vigil on the eve of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination at Sir Charles Tupper Secondary School at 500-block of East 23rd Avenue in Vancouver, where Lanot was a student and was beaten. About 40 people attended the vigil that commemorated Lanot. Through songs, and sharing of experiences, members of UKPC/FCYA and SIKLAB (Advance the Rights and Welfare of Overseas Filipino Workers), their friends and allies, expressed their support for the Lanot family and their anguish and disappointment of the Canadian institutions such as the Vancouver School Board, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, and the Vancouver Police Department in eliminating systemic racism.

UKPC/FCYA is also disappointed of the response of Iona Whifhaw, the Principal of Sir Charles Tupper Secondary School, whom the members of the youth organization spoke with prior to the vigil. “We asked the Principal of Sir Charles Tupper Secondary School if she would come to the vigil, she said she had a meeting. We asked her if she would at least help us outreach to the students of Sir Charles Tupper Secondary School about our vigil, she refused. Her response is not new to us, we get little or no support from the Vancouver School Board (VSB). Although systemic racism intensely affect our community, the VSB still refuses to speak about it, nor admit their institutions are accountable for the impacts of systemic racism,” states Albert Lopez of UKPC/FCYA.

UKPC/FCYA has been active in speaking out against incidents of systemic racism Filipino youth are facing. Since 1995, UKPC / FCYA has been raising awareness to the Filipino and Canadian community about the affects of systemic racism.

UKPC FCYA states, “We will not let Mao Jomar’s death be forgotten. The death of Mao Jomar Lanot reminds us of the harsh reality of what Filipino youth in Canada faces. As a community, we will come together not only on this International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination to continue to educate and organize ourselves and we will continue to reach out to other marginalized communities, but we also demand that Canadian institutions be accountable for the destructive impacts of systemic racism in their words, actions, policies, and practices. In this so-called multicultural and diverse society, it is our right as a community to be treated with respect and dignity. We deserve no less and we will continue to struggle for our community’s future – for its genuine development and equality in Canadian society.”

As part of a national campaign, UKPC/FCYA Toronto also held a vigil last week to commemorate Jeffrey Reodica, the 17-year old Filipino youth who was shot and killed by Toronto police officers in May 2004.

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