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Stop tagging children victims as “child soldiers” — Child rights group

ICHRP Secretariat
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Stop tagging children victims as “child soldiers” — Child rights group

Children’s Rehabilitation Center (CRC) raised alarm over the recent cases of children illegally arrested, tortured and even tagged as suspected members of the New People’s Army by elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in the province of Agusan del Sur.

“Just this month alone, three children were added to the increasing cases of branding children victims of human rights violations as child soldiers. Like the previous cases under Oplan Bayanihan (Aquino government counter-insurgency program), these children were civilians and in fact victims of AFP’s rights violations” said Jacquiline Ruiz, CRC Executive Director.

Four Lumads of whom three are minors were arrested on 22 July by elements of 26th Infantry Battalion and its paramilitary Bagani Force on the suspicion of being members of the NPA operating in Loreto, Agusan del Sur. Upon verification, it was proved that these children are civilians heading to Barangay (village) Poblacion to register for the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (youth council) elections when the said military elements illegally arrested and continuously tortured them.

Moreover, the intensified military operations in Loreto continued, resulting to the forcible evacuation of around 423 individuals, including 224 children on 28 July.

“Like most cases, communities allegedly influenced by the NPA were harassed, civilians were interrogated, arrested, tortured, and tagged as members of the rebel group. It is saddening because children are not spared. The effect of these violations to the well-being of children is severe. Again, we are urging the Aquino government and the AFP to respect the rights of the civilians, especially children. The government must end its long practice of baseless tagging of children as child soldiers and reprimand the perpetrators,” Ruiz ended.

Reference:
Jacquiline Ruiz, CRC Executive Director
Tel: +63 2 913 9244

Children’s Rehabilitation Center
#90 J. Bugallon Street, Project 4
Brgy. Bagumbuhay, Quezon City,
Philippines
www.childrehabcenter.org

Jurists condemn police violence vs. Philippine protesters

ICHRP Secretariat
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Jurists condemn police violence vs. Philippine protesters

The International Association of Democratic Lawyers, a nongovernmental organization with consultative status at ECOSOC of the United Nations, and members throughout the world, has been informed that on 22 July 2013, the Philippine police force attacked a peaceful demonstration of protestors who assembled on the occasion of President Aquino’s State of the Nation Address, to voice their concerns about the government policies and protest actions of his administration.

IADL is informed that a “negotiating team,” including officers of our Philippine affiliate the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) who were present to legally assist their clients from various mass organizations, was talking to the police officers about the progress of the demonstration and while they were patiently awaiting a response from the police spokesperson/negotiator, when the police suddenly attacked those at the front of the protest resulting in injuries to several unarmed protestors.

IADL condemns this action as being a violation of the fundamental rights of people in the Philippines to freedom of speech and assembly. IADL understands that the Republic of the Philippines has ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and therefore must act in conformity with the provisions of this Covenant.

IADL reminds the Government of the Philippines that the rights to freedom of speech and assembly are guaranteed in Articles 19 and 21 of this Covenant. Under this Covenant the government may restrict these rights only if the restriction is provided by law and is necessary to protect national security, public safety or order. The burden is on the government to credibly show the necessity of the restriction.

While IADL understands that a permit for this demonstration was unfortunately denied on the basis of a supposed temporary disruption to traffic, such a rationale does not comport with the government’s obligations to protect rights of freedom of assembly under the IC CPR or a reason under the ICCPR which allows for any restriction.

Freedom of assembly is a fundamental right and should generally be enjoyed without regulation.

Under the standards of international law, those wishing to assemble should not be required to obtain permission to do so. While IADL recognizes that in some circumstances, states may create notice schemes for assemblies but these should be notification, not for permission. Any notification scheme must not impose excessive demands and must be for the purpose of informing the authorities so that they can take measures to facilitate the exercise of the right.

Where assemblies or marches are held outside notice schemes this fact alone does not justify police action against those assembled.

IADL demands an objective and independent investigation into the police violence against the demonstrators and for the government to ensure that its domestic rules regarding freedom of assembly comply with international law as recognized by the Philippine Constitution. If the government fails to undertake this investigation or attempts to prosecute those peacefully assembled, a formal complaint will be filed with the UN Human Rights Committee when appropriate and the IADL and its affiliates worldwide will support and assist in this regard.#

Issued 29 July 2013
Jeanne Mirer, President
International Association of Democratic Lawyers

International Coalition calls for end to impunity in the Philippines

ICHRP Secretariat
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International Coalition calls for end to impunity in the Philippines

Speech at People’s SONA on behalf of the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines

By PETER MURPHY
Secretary General, ICHRP

Magandang hapon po sa iyong lahat!

Militant greetings to the People’s SONA from the International Conference for Human Rights and Peace in the Philippines

Over 265 delegates from 27 countries came together for three days to organise a powerful international campaign to expose the criminal abuse of human rights by the US – Aquino regime.

We formed the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines and our campaign starts today at this People’s SONA.

We must end the impunity that allows the Philippines Government to be accepted in the internatioanl community when under the Aquino Presidnecy there are alreay 142 cases of Extra-Judicial Killings, 164 cases of frustrated mruder, and 64 cases of disappearances of unramed civiloians who were activists for a better life for the people. There are over 400 political prisnoers.

We condemn the political killings related to the people’s opposition to large-scale mining, killings of peasant and worker leaders, of people working for typhoon releif.

All these are a total abuse of your rights to life and freedom, guaranteed by international law and We condemn the grinding poverty of 80 million Filipino people. Thsi is another breach of human rights strognly linked to neo-liberal policies and the long domination of this countgry by United States capitalists.

We call for the removal of US military forces from the Philippines and from every country other than the United Stgates.

We call for the end of the notorious Oplan Bayanihan that unleashes the Philippines military against the people.

We call for the release of all political prisoners.

We call for the peace tgalks between the National Democratic Frong and the Governemtn of the Philippines to immediately commence in good faith.

The Filipino people are hungry for food and hungry for peace.

We are proud to stand here today in solisarity with you as you assert your right against these police to make your protest, to express your demands and democratic rights.

Karapatan ng mamayan! Ipaglaban!

Maraming salamat po.

Rights Lawyers dismiss Aquino’s SONA claims as childish showboating

ICHRP Secretariat
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Rights Lawyers dismiss Aquino’s SONA claims as childish showboating

In a statement released on the day of President Noynoy Aquino’s third State of the Nation Address (SONA), the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) said that nothing has really changed fundamentally in terms of human rights protection and promotion under the Aquino Administration.

Atty. Edre U. Olalia, Secretary-General of the human rights lawyers’ group said that the Aquino Administration has an embarrassing and lamentable record of promoting and protecting the Filipino people’s socio, economic, civil, political and cultural rights.

“Let us not be deceived by Aquino’s rhetoric and misleading grandiloquence of his supposed advocacy to ensure the protection of the people’s human rights.  His three-year record will show that its claims are infantile showboating,” Atty. Olalia added.

The NUPL stated that cases of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and systematic arbitrary arrests remain unabated since Aquino assumed office.  Moreover, there is a remarkable trend of an increasing number of trumped-up charges being filed against leaders and members of legitimate people’s organizations. Impunity remains the order of the day.

Basic social and economic rights like health, shelter and education are deprived and even peddled by this elitist government pretending to have a heart for the poor and oppressed, even as its slip of intolerance for any form of dissent is showing. The NUPL likewise assailed the government’s double-faced misrepresentations and pretensions in pursuing peace negotiations to really address the underlying reasons for the armed conflict. It also condemned the sell-out of our patrimony and sovereignty to foreign interests.

All these are in open violation of international law, principles and standards, it said.

The NUPL finally warned that the people’s freedom of expression and to peaceably assemble should be respected, saying that they are willing to help press charges and complaints even in various international fora.

REFERENCE:
ATTY. EDRE U. OLALIA
Secretary-General, NUPL
+63917-5113373

SONA 2013: Police attack protesters; scores injured, arrested

ICHRP Secretariat
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SONA 2013: Police attack protesters; scores injured, arrested

Protest rallies during President Benigno Aquino’s annual State of the Nation Address turned violent yet again with no less than 21 rallyists severely injured and at least 10 arrested by the Philippine National Police (PNP).

While leaders and lawyers of the protesters were negotiating with the PNP and have in fact moved sideways to open two lanes of the blocked road the police suddenly rushed them, leading to the violence and arrests.

Antonio “Ka Tonying” Flores of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas was, as usual, at the forefront of the protesters.

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