British Columbia Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines
Press Release

Vancouver Labour Council Brings Resolution to National Labour Convention:
MOMENTUM BUILDING AGAINST HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN THE PHILIPPINES 

April 18, 2008

The Philippines is the second most dangerous country for trade unionists.  In recognition of this, the labour movement in Canada is responding to the Filipinos’ call for support and solidarity.

Working with the B.C. Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines (BCCHRP), a community-based solidarity organization, the Vancouver & District Labour Council (VDLC) has put forward a resolution to the upcoming Canadian Labour Congress Convention which will be held in Toronto from May 26 to 30, 2008. 

The VDLC is the local organization of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) at the municipal level.  The CLC, which represents 3.2 million unionized workers in Canada, works to strengthen solidarity between workers in Canada and other countries.

If the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) adopts the resolution in its present form, the CLC will:
1)    Condemn the repression of human rights and trade union rights in the Philippines;
2)    Support Filipino unions in their fight to realize an end to the killing and repression of trade unionists in the Philippines;
3)    Demand that the Canadian government link its foreign aid to the Philippines to support for human rights and;
4)    Join with the Philippines-Canada Task Force on Human Rights (PCTFHR) in calling on the Canadian government to hold a Parliamentary Hearing on the human rights situation in the Philippines.

“As concerned Canadians and Filipino-Canadians, we are encouraged by the labour movement’s initiative to support human rights in the Philippines,” said May Farrales, Chairperson of BCCHRP, “We are confident that Canadian workers will realize the importance of the resolution as the repression and killing of trade union organizers in the Philippines must be condemned in the spirit of international workers’ solidarity,” says Farrales.

Ning Alcuitas, Western Coordinator of the PCTFHR adds, “The resolution is very positive.  It will certainly help translate the groundswell of concern amongst Canadians and Filipino-Canadians over the deteriorating state of human rights and democracy in the Philippines into meaningful campaigns.  We urgently need to continue to build and strengthen genuine people-to-people solidarity with the Filipino people.”

Since current Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo took power in 2001, she has spearheaded a bloody military counter-insurgency campaign that has resulted in more than 889 documented cases of extra-judicial killings (over 80 were trade unionists), 200 cases of enforced disappearances and the displacement of over one million people. - 30 -

For more information, please contact Laarni de los Reyes at bcchrp@kalayaancentre.net or 604-215-1905.

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