Japan
09.03.01
Urgent Interventions
Philippines: brutal dispersal of workers on strike in the Yokohama Tires Phils. Inc (YTPI).
ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS CONCERN
Case PHL 090301.ESCRC
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in the Philippines.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), a member of OMCT network, of the brutal dispersal of workers on strike in the Yokohama Tires Phils. Inc (YTPI).
According to the information received, the 6 weeks long strike of the workers was violently dispersed, on the 7th of March 2001 at around 7 am, by the combined forces of the Police, the Security Guards, and 2 platoons from the Police’s Crowd Disturbance Control Unit. The forces were led by Col. Rosete on the prompting of Mr. Ronaldo Tongco and Mr. Manny Angeles.
It is reported that the combined forces attacked the workers on strike with fire trucks, truncheons, shields, rocks and pistols. The combined forces dismantled the tents installed by the workers on strike, and took away workers’ valuable possessions such as jewellery, money, cameras, cell phones, clothes, a sack of rice, canned goods and loud speakers. It is also reported that members of the combined forces pointed their guns to scare away the workers on strike.
According to the information received, Avvigail Manalili, a worker who was photographing the incident, was attacked by 5 Security Guards who took and broke her camera, removing the roll of the film in it. It is also reported that she has been injured by the Security Guards who hurled and rammed her on the pavement. The workers who tried to support her were also hit by truncheons.
According to KMU, the workers retreated following the crackdown, but they continued to be chased by the combined forces who were still throwing rocks at them. After the dispersal, leaders of the workers on strike tried to negotiate but were hit by truncheons. The combined forces then set up barricades around the gate of the Yokohama Tires Phils. Inc (YTPI) and then burned the flags of the workers’ syndicate.
Action requested
Please write to the Philippine authorities urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the workers of the Yokohama Tires Phils. Inc, and in particular Avvigail Manalili;
ii. guarantee adequate reparation to all victims;
iii. guarantee an immediate investigation into the circumstances of these events, identify those responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Addresses
Her Excellency, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, President, Republic of the Philippines, Malacanang Palace, Manila, Philippines, Fax: +63 2 735 8006,
Secretary Artemio Toquero, Department of Justice, Padre Faura, Manila, Philippines, Fax: +63 2 521 1614
Commissioner Aurora Recina Commission on Human Rights, SAAC Bldg., UP Complex, Commonwealth Ave., Quezon City, Philippines, Fax: +63 2 929 0102
Gen. Angelo Reyes, Chief-of-Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Camp Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City, Philippines
Hon. Mamintal Adiong, House Committee on Justice and Human Rights, House of Representatives, Batasan Hills, Quezon City, Philippines, Fax: +63 2 818 7391
Diplomatic representatives in your country.
Geneva, March 9, 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
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Addendum
ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS CONCERN
Case PHL 090301. ESCRC
In its appeal PHL 090301. ESCRC the International Secretariat of OMCT requested your URGENT intervention regarding the brutal dispersal of workers on strike in the Yokohama Tires Phils. Inc (YTPI) in the Philippines.
Action requested
Following further information received, please, also write to the Yokohama Corporation urging it to:
i. take all necessary measures to ensure respect for human rights, including economic, social and cultural rights, as guaranteed by national laws as well as international human rights instruments.
Please also write to the Japanese authorities urging them to:
i. ensure that the activities of the Yokohama Corporation do not negatively impact on the respect for all human rights, including economic, social and cultural rights as guaranteed by international human rights instruments.
Addresses
Mr. Yasuo Tominaga, President, The Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd, 36-11 Shimbashi 5-chome,
Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8685, Japan, Fax: 0081-3-5400-4572
Mr. Keiichi Sekiya, President, The Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd, IE5 CSEZ, Clark Field, Pampanga, Philippines, Fax: 0912-599-3613, Email: ksekiyatpi.com
Yoshiro MORI, Prime Minister, 3-1, Nagatacho 2-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
100-0014 http://www.kantei.go.jp/
Masahiko KOUMURA, Minister of Justice, Ministry of Justice, 1-1,
Kasumigaseki 1-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8926 http://www.moj.go.jp/
Yohei KONO, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2-1,
Kasumigaseki 2-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8919
http://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/
Bunmei IBUKI, Minister of State, Chairman of the National Public Safety
Commission, 1-2, Kasumigaseki 2-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8974
http://www.npsc.go.jp/
Geneva, March 14, 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Case PHL 090301.ESCRC
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in the Philippines.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), a member of OMCT network, of the brutal dispersal of workers on strike in the Yokohama Tires Phils. Inc (YTPI).
According to the information received, the 6 weeks long strike of the workers was violently dispersed, on the 7th of March 2001 at around 7 am, by the combined forces of the Police, the Security Guards, and 2 platoons from the Police’s Crowd Disturbance Control Unit. The forces were led by Col. Rosete on the prompting of Mr. Ronaldo Tongco and Mr. Manny Angeles.
It is reported that the combined forces attacked the workers on strike with fire trucks, truncheons, shields, rocks and pistols. The combined forces dismantled the tents installed by the workers on strike, and took away workers’ valuable possessions such as jewellery, money, cameras, cell phones, clothes, a sack of rice, canned goods and loud speakers. It is also reported that members of the combined forces pointed their guns to scare away the workers on strike.
According to the information received, Avvigail Manalili, a worker who was photographing the incident, was attacked by 5 Security Guards who took and broke her camera, removing the roll of the film in it. It is also reported that she has been injured by the Security Guards who hurled and rammed her on the pavement. The workers who tried to support her were also hit by truncheons.
According to KMU, the workers retreated following the crackdown, but they continued to be chased by the combined forces who were still throwing rocks at them. After the dispersal, leaders of the workers on strike tried to negotiate but were hit by truncheons. The combined forces then set up barricades around the gate of the Yokohama Tires Phils. Inc (YTPI) and then burned the flags of the workers’ syndicate.
Action requested
Please write to the Philippine authorities urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the workers of the Yokohama Tires Phils. Inc, and in particular Avvigail Manalili;
ii. guarantee adequate reparation to all victims;
iii. guarantee an immediate investigation into the circumstances of these events, identify those responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Addresses
Her Excellency, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, President, Republic of the Philippines, Malacanang Palace, Manila, Philippines, Fax: +63 2 735 8006,
Secretary Artemio Toquero, Department of Justice, Padre Faura, Manila, Philippines, Fax: +63 2 521 1614
Commissioner Aurora Recina Commission on Human Rights, SAAC Bldg., UP Complex, Commonwealth Ave., Quezon City, Philippines, Fax: +63 2 929 0102
Gen. Angelo Reyes, Chief-of-Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Camp Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City, Philippines
Hon. Mamintal Adiong, House Committee on Justice and Human Rights, House of Representatives, Batasan Hills, Quezon City, Philippines, Fax: +63 2 818 7391
Diplomatic representatives in your country.
Geneva, March 9, 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Addendum
ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS CONCERN
Case PHL 090301. ESCRC
In its appeal PHL 090301. ESCRC the International Secretariat of OMCT requested your URGENT intervention regarding the brutal dispersal of workers on strike in the Yokohama Tires Phils. Inc (YTPI) in the Philippines.
Action requested
Following further information received, please, also write to the Yokohama Corporation urging it to:
i. take all necessary measures to ensure respect for human rights, including economic, social and cultural rights, as guaranteed by national laws as well as international human rights instruments.
Please also write to the Japanese authorities urging them to:
i. ensure that the activities of the Yokohama Corporation do not negatively impact on the respect for all human rights, including economic, social and cultural rights as guaranteed by international human rights instruments.
Addresses
Mr. Yasuo Tominaga, President, The Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd, 36-11 Shimbashi 5-chome,
Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8685, Japan, Fax: 0081-3-5400-4572
Mr. Keiichi Sekiya, President, The Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd, IE5 CSEZ, Clark Field, Pampanga, Philippines, Fax: 0912-599-3613, Email: ksekiyatpi.com
Yoshiro MORI, Prime Minister, 3-1, Nagatacho 2-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
100-0014 http://www.kantei.go.jp/
Masahiko KOUMURA, Minister of Justice, Ministry of Justice, 1-1,
Kasumigaseki 1-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8926 http://www.moj.go.jp/
Yohei KONO, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2-1,
Kasumigaseki 2-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8919
http://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/
Bunmei IBUKI, Minister of State, Chairman of the National Public Safety
Commission, 1-2, Kasumigaseki 2-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8974
http://www.npsc.go.jp/
Geneva, March 14, 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.