Philippines-Canada Task Force on Human Rights
Media Release

RETURNING CANADIANS DOCUMENT GRAVE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS WHILE ON MISSION IN THE PHILIPPINES

November 24, 2006

Vancouver delegates to the recently completed Canadian Human Rights Fact-Finding Mission to the Philippines will present their findings during a *press conference on Tuesday, 28 November 2006, 10:00am at 451 Powell Street, Vancouver. * Composed of 9 Canadians from Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto, and Ottawa, the mission was held from November 14 to 23, 2006 and received national and international media attention, including criticism from the Philippine Presidential Palace.

The delegation went to three areas in the country to speak with community members, activists and human rights defenders about the daily violations and repression they are experiencing at the hands of the Philippine military.

While on their human rights fact-finding mission, the Canadians likewise experienced harassment and intimidation by the Philippine military and Arroyo administration. The group also had the opportunity to bring their concerns over the worsening state of democracy and human rights in the country to the Canadian Ambassador.

Since Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo came to power in 2001, Karapatan (Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights) had documented over 760 civilian activists, workers, church people, peasants and others have fallen victim to extra-judicial killings allegedly carried out by elements of the Philippine military.

The spate of killings and other human rights violations have brought international criticism of the Philippine government from human rights organizations like Amnesty International and business groups like the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Manila and executives representing major US clothing retailers like Gap and Wal-Mart.

MEDIA COVERAGE HIGHLY REQUESTED.

For inquiries, please contact Hetty, Philippines-Canada Task Force on Human Rights, phone: 604-215-1103 or email: bcchrp@kalayaancentre.net

Running updates from the Fact-Finding Mission delegates may also be found at website:

http://humanrights-philippines.blogspot.com/