Philippines-Canada Task Force on Human Rights
Vancouver Steering Committee for the Stop the Killings in the Philippines Campaign
Press Release

Forum to gather local Filipino human rights advocates with academics, trade unionists, lawyers, church, and media to call for stop to political killings in the Philippines 

14 September 2007

VANCOUVER, B.C. – Local human rights advocates will join a victim of human rights violations in the Philippines, prominent academics, trade unionists, lawyers, church people and media to take action to address the deteriorating human rights situation in the Philippines.

The roundtable discussion will take place on Tuesday, September 18, 2007 from 2-5 p.m. at the People’s Law School, 900 Howe St. at Nelson St. in Vancouver.

Sponsored by the Philippines-Canada Task Force on Human Rights (PCTFHR) and organized by the local Vancouver Steering Committee for the Stop the Killings in the Philippines Campaign, the forum aims to gather ideas about what can be done by Canadians and the Canadian government to pressure Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to put an end to the political killings and other human rights violations in the Philippines.

According to the Philippine human rights group Karapatan (Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights) since 2001, there have been over 885 victims of extra-judicial killings and close to 200 people have been forcibly disappeared. As well, more than one million people have been displaced because of intensifying militarization.

Speakers at the roundtable discussion will include: 1) Dr. Constancio Claver, spokesperson of Hustisya, (Victims of Arroyo Regime United for Justice) Northern Luzon, a medical doctor from Kalinga, Philippines whose wife was killed in a political assassination attempt on his life in July 2006 and who is now living and seeking refuge in Canada, 2) Gail Davidson, Executive Director of the Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada talking about how the Philippines is violating International Human Rights Laws, 3) Janet Routledge, BC Regional Coordinator of the Public Services Alliance of Canada on her recent trip to the Women’s International Solidarity Affair in the Philippines, 4) Professor Geraldine Pratt, University of British Columbia, Department of Geography on her research about transnational solidarity between Canada and the Philippines, 5) Glenys Verhulst of the United Church of Canada on her recent exposure trips to the Philippines as a church intern and 6) Aiyanas Ormond of the Bus Riders Union, a member organization of the Vancouver Steering Committee for the Stop the Killings in the Philippines campaign.

The discussion will be moderated by lawyer Luningning Alcuitas-Imperial, Western Coordinator for the PCTFHR.

The forum is expected to gather over 30 people and is part of a national month of education, action and lobbying on the theme, “September of Solidarity: (SOS) A month of action for Canadians to express solidarity with the Filipino people’s struggle for human rights.”
 
“We are concerned about the Canadian government’s inadequate response to the dire human rights situation in the Philippines,” says Alcuitas-Imperial. “We want to look for ways to demand our government give a more concrete response,” she adds.

In a recent written response to petitions filed in the House of Commons, then Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay said the “Government of Canada is deeply concerned by extrajudicial killings in the Philippines…. [yet] acknowledges the steps undertaken by the Government of the Philippines and Philippine civil society to stop extrajudicial killings….”

According to the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), in 2004-2005 Canadian net official development assistance (ODA) to the Philippines totaled $25.65 million. According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, Canadian exports to the Philippines are worth over $402 million and Canadian direct investment in the Philippines is $141 million.

Filipinos are the third largest non-European ethnic group in Canada and the second largest in Vancouver, numbering over half a million across Canada. The Philippines continues to export over 3000 Overseas Filipino Workers everyday.

They will be preparing for another nationally-coordinated day of action on September 21, 2007 to mark the 35th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law under former dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

Members of the media are cordially invited. Photo opportunities will be available.

 
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For more information, to arrange an interview or to confirm your attendance, please call Sheila Farrales at: 604-215-1103 or e-mail: bcchrp@kalayaancentre.net

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