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Amidst US-China dispute in South China Sea, DC Tribunal tackles US drone ops, violations to Philippine sovereignty

ICHRP Secretariat
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Amidst US-China dispute in South China Sea, DC Tribunal tackles US drone ops, violations to Philippine sovereignty

WASHINGTON DC — As ongoing US-China military tensions over the South China Sea escalate, international human rights advocates are gathering in Washington DC to examine violations to Philippine sovereignty and territorial integrity as a result of escalating US military presence. An International Peoples’ Tribunal (IPT) on the Philippines, scheduled for July 16-18 at the Catholic University of America, will tackle the human rights situation in the Philippines as well as the impact of US military presence which is increasing by way of the newly-signed Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).

Amongst the witnesses traveling from the Philippines to testify in the public opinion court are Philippine Congress Representative Neri Colmenares of Bayan Muna Party List and Suara Bangsamoro spokesperson Amirah Lidasan.

“China’s moves in the South China Sea is being condemned around the world, that’s why it’s correct we Filipinos go to the international community and ask for support rather than play into the trap of the US. The US has no concern for the Filipino people. It will not wage war with China to defend the Philippines. It only wants to freely navigate the seas for its own economic and military interests,” stated Colmenares last June 12 at a rally in front of the Chinese Embassy in Manila.

Colmenares will serve as an expert witness on the impact of the US-RP Visiting Forces Agreement and the EDCA, both of which have ensured a permanent rotational presence of US military in the country.

“Since 2002, we have been reporting on the US-directed anti-terrorism operations in Mindanao, and the secret participation of US troops, but no one believed us. The legislators refused to listen to us. The President refused to listen to us. But now, with the bloodbath at Mamasapano, US-trained Special Action Forces of the Philippine National Police themselves are speaking out about how the whole operation was under the command of the US military with US military troops on the ground,” stated Lidasan at a rally in front of the US Embassy last February in Manila.

Lidasan, a native Moro, will testify on secret US drone operations and military presence in Muslim Mindanao, most recently seen in the US-directed anti-terrorist operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last January that not only broke rank inside Philippine state forces, but resulted in the death of over 70, including 44 Special Action Forces of the Philippine National Police.

Cases filed in the IPT include the murder of Filipina transwoman Jennifer Laude allegedly by a US Marine last October and the destruction of the Tubbataha Reef, one of the most biodiverse marine life sanctuaries and a UNESCO world heritage site, by a US naval minesweeper in the Sulu Sea.

“It’s time for US taxpayers to understand the role of their government in the human rights crisis in the Philippines, including the impact of US militarism on the Filipino people and their environment,” states Katrina Abarcar of the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP), one of the conveners of the IPT. Other conveners include the National Lawyers Guild, the International Association of Democratic Lawyers, and Ibon International.

A 2007 US Senate hearing on killings in the Philippines led to restrictions placed on a portion of the annual US military aid package to the Philippine government, based on the Philippine military’s culpability in gross human rights abuses.

Reference:
Jackelyn Mariano
(+1) 347.244.8953
ipt2015media@gmail.com

Neri Colmenares and Amirah Lidasan are available for media interviews
Call (+1) 347.244.8953

Open letter to President Benigno S. Aquino III

ICHRP Secretariat
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Open letter to President Benigno S. Aquino III

Canada-Philippines Solidarity for Human Rights (CPSHR)

AN OPEN LETTER
To His Excellency Benigno Simeon Aquino III

RE:  Community schools for indigenous children being shut down by Department of Education in Caraga region (Philippines).

Number of affected children that will be affected of the school closure: More or less 2,896 Lumad children

Date of incident: 12 May 2015 up to present

Place of incident: CARAGA Region

 

Mr. President,

The Canada-Philippines Solidarity for Human Rights (CPSHR) joins the Filipino human rights defenders, educators, people’s organizations, and international rights groups to raise our grave concern on the case of closing schools for indigenous people.

On 12 May 2015, in a letter addressed to Alberto Escobarte, Department of Education (DepEd) Region XI Director, Josephine Fadul, DepEd Division of Davao del Norte Superintendent, has endorsed the closure of at least 24 schools, which will affect 2,896 Lumad children of Salugpongan Ta’Tanu Igkanogon Community Learning Center (Unity in Defense of Ancestral Land) (STTICLC) and Mindanao Interfaith Services Foundation Inc. Academy (MISFI Academy).

We learned that a total of not less than 146 Lumad community schools provide formal and non-formal education to children in various indigenous communities in Mindanao and the majority implement DepEd-accredited formal education. They also provide literacy and numeracy programs and introduce scientific agriculture while strengthening the Lumad’s indigenous culture and traditions.

Education is a right, like the right to have proper food or a roof over your head. Article 26 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that “everyone has the right to education”.

The indigenous children need not to be deprived to education and at schools soon to be close.

Since 2011, a total of 82 incidents of state-instigated attacks involving 57 community schools and day care centers in Mindanao have been documented and reported by the Children’s Rehabilitation Conflict. These community schools and centers adopted the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Directive 25 or Guidelines on the Conduct of AFP Activities Inside or Within the Premises of School or Hospital. Under both directives, military elements are allowed to conduct “civil-military operations” as long as the AFP has a written request and school authorities have given their approval. Since the issuance of the Department Order, an increase in the number of military attacks on community schools has been noted.

The situation over a decade ago was that public schools were built in town centers, far from upland communities, compelling Lumad children to walk for hours every day to attend their classes. Children unable to endure the difficulty chose not to attend these schools. With more and more children opting not to go to school, Lumad elders in Mindanao, with the support of non-government and church-based organizations, worked hard to put up schools in their own community 10 years ago.

DepEd Division of Davao del Norte Superintendent Josephine Fadul has also requested permission to build public schools with military men as para-teachers, in place of the community schools being shut down.

However, these public schools will not serve the purpose of educating Lumad children. The trauma and fear that they have experienced and that the military men have instilled in them in a series of military attacks will negate the possibility of Lumad children learning.

We ask your administration to:

  1. Urge the Department of Education act on this issue considering that education of indigenous people.
  2. Pull out of soldiers from schools and the use of military acting as educators.

Finally we call on your administration and all its institutions to uphold the basic human rights of the citizens whom you have sworn to serve.

Sincerely,

Canada-Philippines Solidarity for Human Rights (CPSHR)

http://www.canadaphilippinessolidarity.org/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Canada-Philippines-Solidarity-for-Human-Rights/

Member:  International Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP-Canada)/ Stop the Killings Network (STKN-Canada)/ International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS-Canada)/ International Women’s Alliance (IWA)/ Coalition for Migrant Workers Justice (C4MWJ)/ Mining Justice Alliance (MJA)

Associate Member: International Migrants’ Alliance (IMA)

Proud Supporter of Bayan-Canada and Migrante-Canada

New US military strategy meets July 4 protest

ICHRP Secretariat
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New US military strategy meets July 4 protest

MANILA. The Fourth of July US holiday would be met by Filipinos with protest actions at the US embassy.

“The Fourth of July is bastardized by the continued US domination and military presence in the Philippines. The 2015 National Military Strategy released Wednesday by General Martin Dempsey, the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is proof of this distortion of the concept of independence,” the Philippines Chapter of the International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS-Phils) said.

This was announced as the USS Lassen (DDG-82), an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer of the US Navy, dropped anchor at Subic Bay, Zambales for a routine port visit.

The USS Lassen, one of seven destroyers assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, is currently on patrol in the 7th Fleet area of responsibility in support of security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

Americans are celebrating the Declaration of July 4, 1776, declaring independence from Great Britain.

“US imperialism has replaced British colonialism. Under the 2015 military strategy, US global presence enables Washington to intervene swiftly without any respect whatsoever to the values of independence and people’s sovereignty,” the ILPS-Phils added.

The June 2015 document now identifies Russia, Iran, and North Korea as threats to US national security. On the other hand, the US military supports “China’s rise” and encourages it to become “a partner for greater international security”.

In the maritime dispute with China, the US has abandoned its Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with the Philippines as China occupied Scarborough Shoal in 2012 and is now aggressively reclaiming on seven reefs in the South China Sea.

“The MDT should be abrogated as well as the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).  The US will not defend us against China as it has not defended its own citizens and allies,” the ILPS-Phils said.

The 2015 US military strategy calls for: strengthening alliances with Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Philippines and Thailand; deepening alliance with India and build partnerships with New Zealand, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and Bangladesh.

The international group joins social movements in the Philippines in preparing for anti-imperialist actions on July 4 as it calls on other peoples especially in the region to protest China’s expansionism, Japanese militarism and US imperialism.

ILPS Philippine Chapter
Office Address:
2/F IBON Center, 114 Timog Avenue
Quezon City 1103,  PHILIPPINES
Tel: +63 2  9277062
E-mail: ilps.phils@gmail.com

VIDEO: Willem Geertman: On the side of the people

ICHRP Secretariat
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VIDEO: Willem Geertman: On the side of the people
Today, 03 July 2015, marks the 3rd year of the killing of Willem Geertman, a Dutch development worker who had lived and struggled with the Filipino people for more than 40 years of his life. Up to now, the killers and the masterminds are still at large.

Justice for Willem Geertman!

Justice for all victims of human rights violations in the Philippines!

APPEAL: Support the campaign to stop attacks on public sector unionism

ICHRP Secretariat
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APPEAL: Support the campaign to stop attacks on public sector unionism

To our fellow unionists, activists and human rights defenders

On behalf of the men and women of COURAGE, the national center of government employees known for its militante, progresibo at makabayang unyonismo (MPMU), we make this appeal.

In a span of less than two months, our leaders from the employees’ union National Food Authority, National Housing Authority, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Labor and Employment, Metro Manila Development Authority and Quezon City Government all received poison letters or unwelcomed visits, in their homes and offices from unidentified people in plain clothes who introduced themselves as military and police agents.

They were identified as leaders and members of the communist movement. Despite their insistence of being members of legal and democratic mass organizations of employees, these state agents directly threatened that should they refuse to cooperate and divulge information to them, they have nobody but themselves to blame should bad things befell them.

We brought our case to the Commission on Human Rights last June 8, 2015 hoping to put a stop to these harassment and threats. But within weeks, COURAGE National Staff and Organizers suffered the same fate. We were being monitored, our movements being followed. We see them every single day as we travel from our homes to COURAGE National Office and to the government agencies where we do our union organizing work.

These COURAGE National Office Staff and Organizers are men and women who have chosen to live a simple life so that the workers may get their rightful share of their labor and the people, especially the poor and the marginalized may get the social services they badly needed.

We are in very precarious situation. We see a pattern of systematic attack aimed to dissipate progressive public sector unionism. We have documented more than 20 cases in the past two months alone.

We fear another case similar to the COURAGE 2, Randy Vegas and Raul Camposano, our national organizers who were illegally arrested and detained on trumped-up charges. They have been languishing in Camarines Norte Provincial Jail since 2012. Or worst, another round of extra judicial killings that marked the Gloria Arroyo Regime.

We implore that you take a stand and issue a statement against these escalating attacks on our unionists and activists. We ask our progressive Partylist Representatives to speak on the matter, conduct an Inquiry etc. We ask for your courage for COURAGE.

For the employees and the public,
(SGD.) FERDINAND R. GAITE
NATIONAL PRESIDENT, COURAGE

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