Philippines
20.10.04
Urgent Interventions
Philippines: Members of KARAPATAN and EMJP harassed
URGENT ACTION - THE OBSERVATORY
PHL 002 / 1004 / OBS 080
Harassment
Philippines
October 20, 2004
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint program of OMCT and FIDH, requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in the Philippines.
Brief description of the situation:
The Observatory has been informed by the Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights (KARAPATAN) of the harassment to which members of the organisation and some of the staff of the Ecumenical Movement for Justice and Peace (EMJP) were subjected.
On October 9, 2004, at 3:15 a.m., staff members of the KARAPATAN National Office and EMJP – as well as relatives and victims of human rights violations that were staying at KARAPATAN’s office and other families living within the compound – were awakened by a loud banging on their gate. When they looked out of the window they saw five masked men wearing bonnets who were not only banging on the entrance door, but also shouting invectives against members of KARAPATAN, all of which lasted for about 30 minutes.
The harassers reportedly also called for justice for the slain of Arturo Tabara, founder of the Revolutionary Proletarian Army (RPMP-RPA) in 1992, which merged with the Alex Boncayao Brigade (ABB) in 1997, forming the RPA-ABB; Mr. Tabara was killed by the New People’s Army on September 26, 2004.
According to the information received, after the men had left, the staff went down and found flyers on the floor and posters on their gate, as well as on trees and other buildings’ entrances. These posters, signed RPA-ABB, contained messages maliciously and baselessly linking KARAPATAN to the New People’s Army.
The Observatory has been further informed that the attack against KARAPATAN may be related to the organisation’s documenting of human rights abuses by RPA-ABB against civilians, particularly in the Negro provinces in Central Philippines. Notable cases were those of the murder of Pedro Trabajador, a 67 year old leader of the National Federation of Sugar Workers, in 2002 and the burning of a house and shooting of a farmer, Mamerto "Bebe" Acsimar, in Sitio Langguni, Barangay Inayawan, Cauayan, on September 21, 2004, among others.
Action requested:
Please write to the authorities in the Philippines urging them to:
i. put an immediate end to any kind of harassment and violence against members of KARAPATAN and EMJP as well as against all human rights defenders in the country;
ii. conduct a fair, impartial and independent inquiry into these events, in order to identify the authors and bring them to justice;
iii. ensure the implementation of the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 9 1998 (Declaration concerning the rights and responsibilities of individuals, groups and institutions to promote and protect universally recognised human rights and fundamental liberties) in particular its Article 1 which states that «Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels» and Article 12.2 which provides that «The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration.»
iv. guarantee the effective respect of fundamental rights and liberties in accordance with the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the international and regional Pacts and Covenants ratified by the Philippines.
Addresses:
Geneva, Paris, October 20, 2004.
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken, quoting the reference number given above.
The Observatory, an FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line : Fax : +033 (0) 1 55 80 83 92
Tel : FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 OMCT +41 22 809 49 39
E-mail : observatoire@iprolink.ch
PHL 002 / 1004 / OBS 080
Harassment
Philippines
October 20, 2004
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint program of OMCT and FIDH, requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in the Philippines.
Brief description of the situation:
The Observatory has been informed by the Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights (KARAPATAN) of the harassment to which members of the organisation and some of the staff of the Ecumenical Movement for Justice and Peace (EMJP) were subjected.
On October 9, 2004, at 3:15 a.m., staff members of the KARAPATAN National Office and EMJP – as well as relatives and victims of human rights violations that were staying at KARAPATAN’s office and other families living within the compound – were awakened by a loud banging on their gate. When they looked out of the window they saw five masked men wearing bonnets who were not only banging on the entrance door, but also shouting invectives against members of KARAPATAN, all of which lasted for about 30 minutes.
The harassers reportedly also called for justice for the slain of Arturo Tabara, founder of the Revolutionary Proletarian Army (RPMP-RPA) in 1992, which merged with the Alex Boncayao Brigade (ABB) in 1997, forming the RPA-ABB; Mr. Tabara was killed by the New People’s Army on September 26, 2004.
According to the information received, after the men had left, the staff went down and found flyers on the floor and posters on their gate, as well as on trees and other buildings’ entrances. These posters, signed RPA-ABB, contained messages maliciously and baselessly linking KARAPATAN to the New People’s Army.
The Observatory has been further informed that the attack against KARAPATAN may be related to the organisation’s documenting of human rights abuses by RPA-ABB against civilians, particularly in the Negro provinces in Central Philippines. Notable cases were those of the murder of Pedro Trabajador, a 67 year old leader of the National Federation of Sugar Workers, in 2002 and the burning of a house and shooting of a farmer, Mamerto "Bebe" Acsimar, in Sitio Langguni, Barangay Inayawan, Cauayan, on September 21, 2004, among others.
Action requested:
Please write to the authorities in the Philippines urging them to:
i. put an immediate end to any kind of harassment and violence against members of KARAPATAN and EMJP as well as against all human rights defenders in the country;
ii. conduct a fair, impartial and independent inquiry into these events, in order to identify the authors and bring them to justice;
iii. ensure the implementation of the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 9 1998 (Declaration concerning the rights and responsibilities of individuals, groups and institutions to promote and protect universally recognised human rights and fundamental liberties) in particular its Article 1 which states that «Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels» and Article 12.2 which provides that «The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration.»
iv. guarantee the effective respect of fundamental rights and liberties in accordance with the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the international and regional Pacts and Covenants ratified by the Philippines.
Addresses:
- Her Excellency, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, New Executive Guilding, Malacanang Palace, J.P. Laurel Street, San Miguel, Metro Manila, Email: opnet@ops.gov.ph; kgma@yahoogroups.com
- Hon. Chairperson, Dr. Purificacion Quisumbing, The Commission on Human Rights, SAAC Building, Commonwealth Avenue, U.P. Complex, Diliman, Quezon City; Fax: +632 929-0102, Email: drpvq@chr.gov.ph
- Hon. Sec. Eduardo Ermita, Department of National Defense, Camp Aguinaldo, EDSA, 1110 Quezon City, Email: snd@dnd.gov.ph; sndermita@dnd.gov.ph
- Hon. Sec. Simeon Datumanong, Department of Justice, P. Faura, Ermita, Manila; Fax: +632521-1614, Email: sechbp@info.com.ph
- Hon. Sec. Teresita Deles, Office of the Presidential Advisers on the Peace Process, 7F Agustin Building, Emerald Avenue, Pasig City, Metro Manila, Fax: 632 638 2216
- The Secretariat, GRP-Monitoring Committee, 6/F Immaculate Conception Multi-Purpose Building, 71 Lantana St., Cubao, Quezon City, Email: grp_mc@myway.com
- Ambassadeur, S.E. M. Enrique A. Manalo, Av. Blanc 47, CH-1202, Genève, Suisse, E-mail : mission.philippine@ties.itu.int, Fax: +4122 716 19 32
Geneva, Paris, October 20, 2004.
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken, quoting the reference number given above.
The Observatory, an FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line : Fax : +033 (0) 1 55 80 83 92
Tel : FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 OMCT +41 22 809 49 39
E-mail : observatoire@iprolink.ch