Help the victims of

Typhoon Sendong!

Flash floods caused by the Tropical Storm Sendong (International name Washi) have ravaged the provinces in Northern Mindanao and Visayas in the Philippines on Sunday, 18 December 2011. Since then, the death toll has reached to more than a thousand with hundreds more reported missing. Typhoon Sendong is now considered to be the deadliest storm in 2011. Relief and rescue operations are still ongoing.

Campaign for Human Rights in the Philippines, together with Kanlungan, the Alliance of Filipino organisations in the UK, appeals to its partners, friends and the rest of the international community to assist our kababayans in this urgent time of crisis. Kanlungan ang CHRP have partnered with EILER in the Philippines so that all proceeds of our donation drive will go to the relief and rescue operations by the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines, Northern Mindanao Sub-Region.

You can donate through Paypal, by clicking and type in under purpose “Typhoon Sendong.”

The past year in the Philippines has served as a reminder that the election of a president promising reform does not guarantee reform. President Aquino condemned human rights violations in the Philippines and pledged to bring justice to the victims of the ‘Maguindanao massacre’ – since he has come to office Human Rights Watch has documented seven extrajudicial killings and three enforced disappearances in which there is strong evidence of military involvement, and there has been little progress in the prosecuting of the perpetrators of the 58 murders in Mindanao or the many other cases of death and disappearance that wait to be resolved.

These examples serve to highlight problems in the Philippine political and legal systems which if not tackled will result in more deaths and disappearances – if following previous trends, of those who simply campaign for better lives – and the impunity of those who are responsible for them.

It is clear that there remains a need for far greater civilian control of a more professionalised military, which itself must be better educated on human rights and held to account by the courts. Breaking the dependency of national government on provincial trapos is another necessity – the manner in which such regional elites are given unremitting support by central government due to their ability to win elections or fight insurgencies highlights systemic flaws in the political system. Again, a well-funded military under firm public control would do away with the need for private militias and the well-understood risks of allowing provincial rulers to amass private armies. Here, the issue of tackling insurgencies comes to the fore – it is clear that force alone will not defeat the government’s enemies, and it is well understood that in the case of both communist and Islamic separatist conflicts, poverty in Mindanao – the country’s breadbasket – is a key driver. The government attitude of no development without peace first thus presents a conundrum which must be broached.

Underscoring all these issues is the need for deep and wide reforms to the criminal justice system – an issue CHRP has chosen to highlight this year. Believing that there is no punishment for crime only serves to incentivise would-be criminals. Here, Maguindanao must be seen as a test case setting an example to would be human rights violators.  As Detlev Mehlis – head of the now ended EU-Philippines Justice Support Programme – tells CHRP in an interview in this newsletter, the criminal justice system is in “desperate need” of reform, from the police, through to prosecutors and criminal procedures. And in this, civil society has a role to play. Ultimately, though, it is government which must take the lead. As Mehlis tells CHRP, “while civil society plays a most important role in creating awareness and observing the government, functioning courts, an effective and determined prosecution service and an effective police respected by the people can only be implemented by the elected political institutions”. And here Mehlis says there must be a “much bigger effort and more determination” than he saw when in the Philippines.

We remain hopeful that President’s Aquino will act with the determination that he promised. And where he does not, CHRP will be there to remind him of what needs to be done.

Salamat.

Mark Dearn
CHRP Chair

CHRP is marking two years since the “Maguindanao massacre” with an event supported by Amnesty International UK, UNISON and the International Federation of Journalists, focusing on the killings and the need for judicial reform for prosecuting human rights violations in the Philippines.

On November 23, two years to the day from the 2009 killing of 58 people in Maguindanao, Filipino lawyer and journalist, Carlos Zarate, Stefan Antor, a judge formerly of the European Union-Philippines Justice Support Programme (EPJUST), Jim Boumelha, president of the International Federation of Journalists, and CHRP UK chair Mark Dearn will speak at “Never Forget”, at the Amnesty International Human Rights Action Centre, London.

Since the party of 58 people – including 34 journalists – were murdered en route to filing Ismael Mangudadatu’s candidacy for mayoral elections, there have been no successful prosecutions. Former local ruling family the Ampatuans have been put on trial, but the process has been dogged by delays, while many of the 195 accused remain at large.

While the Maguindanao killings highlight the way in which provincial rulers needed by national government – whether to win elections or fight insurgencies – can act with disdain for human life and the rule of law, there remain a number of human rights abuses in which the military is culpable. Human Rights Watch documents seven extrajudicial killings and three enforced disappearances carried out by the military since President Aquino came to power in 2010, with no convictions.

This year also marks the end of the 18-month, E3.9 million, EPJUST project. Implemented to help improve institutional capability around investigating and prosecuting perpetrators of human rights violations, such overseas technical assistance initiatives should be actively encouraged by the government.

By examining the lack of progress in prosecuting the alleged perpetrators and in this and many other cases of human rights violations, CHRP urges the Philippine government to act on its commitment to stopping human rights abuses and help enable the successful prosecution of human rights abusers.

CHRP believes that the 58 killings in Maguindanao in 2009 were an expected outcome of a tacit policy of supporting provincial rulers and granting them immunity from the law – as highlighted by the legacy of killings, torture and abduction that have been documented to have occurred over the course of 20 years at the hands of the Ampatuans.

“The ‘Maguindanao massacre’ was a stark evocation of the culture of impunity around abuses of human rights in the Philippines,” said CHRP chair Mark Dearn. “The lack of progress made in prosecuting the killings is a reminder of the changes needed in the judicial system.

“Being a democracy goes far beyond holding elections. The Aquino government must act on its promises and initiate the reforms long-needed to create the fair and transparent political and legal systems that will best serve the Philippine people.

“President Aquino must bring an end to the culture of impunity around human rights violations that persists in the Philippines since his election. Perpetrators of such violations must be brought to justice, and the government must work hand-in-hand with the military, police, civil society and the legal establishment to this end.”

Links for more info:
http://www.nuj.org.uk/innerPagenuj.html?docid=2302
https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=177256159025114

http://bulatlat.com/main/2011/08/12/an-overview-of-the-human-rights-situation-in-eastern-visayas/

By Ericson Acosta

Many are surely wondering, why did the military detain Acosta? Why was he imprisoned?

In what far-off corner of the islands could Barangay Bay-ang be found, and what could a writer and poet like Ericson Acosta possibly be doing there?

In truth, these are vital questions, not just to the overly curious or to the sectors that know me as an activist and cultural worker and are now calling for my release. I bore direct witness to the deliberately illicit and deceptive conduct of my arrest and detention by the authorities; directly witnessed how the very institutions that must defend my rights had instead conspired to suppress the same. These then are questions vital to anyone concerned in human rights issues, especially in the context of the dismal state of affairs in the Eastern Visayas, as well as in other parts of the country.

The latest Commission on Human Rights findings on the case of missing activist Jonas Burgos attest to the fact that widespread extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances around the country are systematically and regularly being committed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in line with their counter-insurgency program. While the AFP has not been charged nor held liable for thousands upon thousands of violations throughout the islands, citizens remain trapped in a climate of terror and fear.

In spite of the much awaited advent of justice and reform touted by the new regime of President Noynoy Aquino III, poverty endures in Eastern Visayas. Of course, Region VIII is the land of the Waray (a word which literally means “without,” “empty” or “naught”), the ethno-linguistic group inhabiting the clustered islands of Samar, Leyte and Biliran.

Local culture and tradition so permeates the lives of the Waray that it nearly overwhelms the daily tragedy of a backward agriculture and economy. Though they amuse themselves with tuba (palm wine) and kuratsa (an indigenous dance), they face a sobering reality. The absence of social justice is made even worse by natural calamities. Persistent rainfall has raised alarm against heavy landslides and flash floods in Leyte akin to those that befell Ormoc City and the town of St. Bernard. In Catbalogan City and San Jorge town in Samar, farmers expect their crops to be submerged in apo or flood – this disaster has hit them year in, year out for over 50 years.

Widespread military operations are common occurrences in the interior barrios and upland areas. The AFP boasts it has “pulverized” insurgency in the isle of Leyte, and regards the whole of Samar as a national priority. The two islands were struck in the “last salvo” of extensive militarization under Oplan Bantay Laya II (OBL II or Operation Freedom Watch II) of the Arroyo regime. The Aquino regime extended the implementation of OBL II until January 2011, before it was recently replaced with Oplan Bayanihan (Operation Teamwork). In Region VIII, this “last salvo” has been dubbed “Operation October Left Cross” by the 8th Infantry Division (8th ID) of the AFP, the armed forces division that oversees the entire Eastern Visayas.

The region has suffered tremendous aggression under OBL, and though a succession of generals ultimately served as chief of the AFP and the 8th ID, militarization in the whole of the region has assumed a single visage. Singularly the most infamous military man, the one called the “butcher,” Jovito Palparan was assigned in the island.

[Read more →]

http://www.change.org/petitions/call-for-support-for-justice-for-eton-11

Amnesty International Press Release

11 June 2011

Cagayan de Oro City – International Rights Group says: P-NOY must step
up efforts to free our country from human rights abuse and injustice, on
the eve of Independence Day

On the eve of Philippine Independence Day, Amnesty International
highlighted the continuing human rights abuse and called on President
Aquino to step up efforts to free our country, especially Mindanao, from
impunity and injustice. This call was made by Amnesty International when
it launched its Annual Human Rights report 2011 at Dynasty Hotel in
Cagayan de Oro City on Saturday, June 11.

“Unlawful killings continue in our country under the Aquino government
and justice remains elusive. The families of victims  of the Maguindanao
massacre suffer from delayed justice, “ said Mr. Ritz Lee Santos III,
Chairperson of Amnesty International Philippines.

“We are celebrating our independence from colonization this June 12 but
we cannot celebrate freedom from human rights abuses. We cannot
celebrate freedom from injustice in our country unless President Aquino
and high officials of the Philippine government will step up their
efforts to fight impunity and injustice,”  declared Dr. Aurora Parong,
Director of Amnesty International Philippines.

Amnesty International’s report noted the killing of six journalists in
2010, including radio reporter Desiderio Camangyan in Mati City and
Nestor Bedolido in Digos City.  The report also stated that more than
200 cases of enforced disappearances recorded in the last decade
remained unresolved, as did at least 305 cases of extrajudicial
execution (with some estimates ranging as high as 1,200). Almost no
perpetrators of these crimes have been brought to justice.

The human rights group reported that private armed groups continued to
operate throughout the country, despite government commitments to
disband and disarm them. It noted that President Aquino vowed to disband
and dis-arm private armies but refused to abolish CVOs, the CAFGU and
police auxiliary units.

“President Aquino has to take concrete steps to disband the private
armies in order to curb human rights abuses, especially in Mindanao. The
trial of the alleged perpetrators of the Maguindanao massacre must be
hastened if we do not want the slow justice to be turned in favour of
the perpetrators. ,” asserted Mr. Santos.

Amnesty International’s  report also stated that in the Philippines,
three indigenous peoples were victims of extrajudicial killings in the
past year. It also noted the debates on sexual and reproductive rights
in Congress. Amnesty International has publicly stated that the
Reproductive Health Bill as they are in Congres, at the Senate and the
House of representatives, is a step towards improving the rights to
health especially of women and girls. The organization also said that
the Reproductive health bill will improve access of marginalized sectors
of society and those living in poverty to information and services
necessary for decision making regarding their family.

At the global level, Amnesty International reported that:

* Torture occurred in 98 countries
* Unfair trials occurred in 54 countries
* Prisoners of conscience are held in jails in 48 countries
* Unlawful restrictions of freedom of expression occurred in 89
countries.

“2/3 of the peoples of the world do not have access to justice. We are
launching a Global Call to Action to tip the scales against repression
and injustice. We appeal to leaders of the world, including those in
Asia to adopt a rights- based governance. In the Philippines, we call on
President Aquino and high government officials to help tip the scales
for justice and human rights in our country.  We hope that President
Aquino will not let the legacy of impunity and injustice left by the
Arroyo government to be immortalized.“ appealed Dr. Aurora Parong.

Amnesty International is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary. The
anniversary comes against the backdrop of a changing human rights
landscape, as people across the Middle East and North Africa
courageously confront oppression, tyranny and corruption – often in the
face of bloodshed and state violence. These protests dramatically
demonstrate the need for international solidarity on human rights.

Amnesty International called on the peoples of the world to join its
three million members and supporters worldwide to take action for human
rights. Amnesty International monitors human rights in more than 150
countries and territories of the world.  Amnesty International was
awarded the Noble Peace Prize in 1977.

18 May 2011

http://www.unison.org.uk/international/pages_view.asp?did=12934

As part of its 50th anniversary celebrations, Amnesty International made a number of awards for outstanding achievements in defending human rights. UNISON was proud to be included in the roll of honour for its work on the Philippines.

In a light-hearted ceremony some very serious work in defence of human rights around the globe was acknowledged.

UNISON was congratulated for its work in raising awareness of human rights violations in the Philippines. This included working with Amnesty International UK in providing opportunities for human rights defenders in the Philippines to come to Europe to raise awareness of the situation in their country. UNISON was also commended for working with overseas filipino workers (OFWs) in the UK in realising their rights.

Branch international officers, Louise Giblin and Kaila McCulloch from Scotland, received the award on behalf of UNISON at Amnesty’s annual conference in Belfast.