Protest against escalating violence in the Phillipines

Protest against escalating violence in the Phillipines

Campaign for Human Rights in the Philippines (CHRP) calls for day of action in London (1-3pm on 16 November outside Embassy of RP) in response to killings, abductions and harassment of political, social and trade union activists

The Campaign for Human Rights in the Philippines (CHRP) together with other civil society organisations, including Filipino migrant organisations in the UK and trade unions, will hold a peaceful protest in front of the gates of the Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines at Palace Green Road, at Kensington High Street between 1-3pm on Thursday16 November to condemn the escalating violence in the Philippines against political and social activists, including trade unionists. The CHRP urges UK trade unions to actively support this picket given the number of trade unionists amongst the victims. A request to the Ambassador to meet with a small delegation during the time of the protest has been made to the Embassy in London.

The CHRP was set up by human rights activists in London in February 2006 in response to the serious and growing levels of political killings and disappearances since President Arroyo came to power in January 2001. The number of political killings is now more than 770. These include political activists, farmers' leaders, students, priests, lawyers, journalists and trade union organisers.

Earlier this year CHRP gained the support of MPs to sponsor an Early Day Motion (EDM) in the House of Commons condemning the killings and the arrest of opposition political party leaders in the Philippines. CHRP has been working closely with Amnesty International to publicise a human rights crisis which has gained little publicity or recognition around the world. In August 2006 Amnesty International produced a report "Political Killings, Human Rights and the Peace Process" <http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/engasa350062006&gt; which noted "a politically motivated pattern of killings". Amnesty International also noted that government attempts to investigate the killings were inadequate and lacked credibility, giving rise to "a climate of impunity". In not a single case has any perpetrator been brought to justice. The Chair of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in the Philippines, Purificacion Quisumbing, warned that the Philippines was in danger of being blacklisted by the United Nations for failing to submit reports on alleged human rights violations in the country. Quisumbing said the failure of the authorities to stop the killings and alleged abductions of left-wing activists might be considered by the UN as a reason for the blacklist in addition to the Government's failure to submit 14 "overdue reports' (on human rights violations) some dating as far back as 1992. http://newsinfo.inq7.net/topstories/topstories/view_article.php?article_id=12043

Officers of the Kilusang Mayo Uno Labor Center (KMU) have been prime targets of what Amnesty International calls, EJEs - extra judicial executions. KMU have called for an international day of action on 16 November, to coincide with the 2^nd anniversary of the killings of 7 workers on the picket line at Hacienda Luisita.http://www.kilusangmayouno.org/international-campaign-stop-trade-union-repression . The KMU have this week filed a complaint with the ILO regarding violations of labor rights of Filipino workers. http://www.kilusangmayouno.org/kmu-complains-arroyo-government-international-labour-organisation-ilo

In July 2006 the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, ICFTU (now ITUC) gathered information on 16 murders and 9 abductions of trade union organisers and leaders from September 2005. http://www.ituc-csi.org/?displaydocument.asp?Index=991223935&Language=EN Guy Ryder the General Secretary of the ICFTU warned "The number of labour-related killings in the Philippines now places it in a similar category to Colombia."

The Centre for Human and Trade Union Rights (CHTUR) in the Philippines www.ctuhr.org has reported more than 64 killings of trade union organisers during Mrs Arroyo's presidency. In addition to these killings CHTUR has recorded 982 cases of trade union and human rights violations, including assault on the picket line, illegal arrest and detention, harassment and abduction.

The current level of political killings in the Philippines, including the systematic murder of trade union leaders must be of serious concern to all those who wish defend basic human and trade union rights. It is greater now, in terms of percentages that at any time under the Marcos dictatorship. The CHRP is supporting the call by the KMU for an International Day of Protest against Trade Union Repression and Political Killings in the Philippines on 16 November 2006. We are requesting UK trade unions to support by writing protest letters to: H.E. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, President, Malacañang Palace, Manila, Philippines and by showing up at the Embassy on Thursday with your branch, regional and national banners.

In solidarity with workers in the Philippines - Stop the killings!