From the Manila Bulletin (Jul 21): Human rights group to join anti-SONA protests
An international coalition of some 250 human rights advocate launched a campaign in Quezon City on Sunday in a bid to end all forms of human rights violations in the country. They are also expected to participate at the people's mobilization as counter to the State of the Nation Address of President Aquino (SONA) today July 22 at the Batasang Pambansa.
More than 50 organizations joined the International Conference on Human Rights and Peace in the Philippines (ICHRPP) in the hope of bringing justice and showing the plight of the abused Filipinos to the world. The international peace conference was attended by human rights supporters from the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Australia and the Asia-Pacific region.
After several years of campaigning, the ICHRP was formed by international solidarity groups for the Philippines to call for freedom for political prisoners, end to political killings and enforced disappearances and put a stop on militarization of rural communities.
The solidarity coalition also vowed to bring their lobby and advocacy work to the United Nations, national parliaments and other relevant international institutions and to make Philippine Presidents accountable for their alleged crimes against the Filipino people and to mobilize the international community for human rights in the Philippines.
Prior to the international conference and the launching of the ICHRP, solidarity activists joined international fact-finding missions in Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Southern Tagalog and Mindanao to investigate and document cases of human rights abuses and the people's economic and social conditions.
The peace and human rights activists have also called on the Aquino government to immediately resume peace talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, and to respect previously signed agreements.
The ICHRP has elected an 11-person global council composed of prominent human rights and peace advocates, church leaders, jurists, lawyers, academics, journalists, and community leaders.
http://mb.com.ph/News/National_News/23226/Human_rights_group_to_join_anti-SONA_protests#.UexO1I7D9lY
The International Conference on Human Rights and Peace in the Philippines (ICHRPP) was formed by CPP front organizations as way to project the illusion of international condemnation of the human rights record of the Philippine government and military.
ReplyDeleteThe ideological orientation of these folks is clear by their glaring silence on the issue of CPP/NPA human rights violations such as attacks on civilians, extrajudicial killings, kidnappings, extortion, and other criminal activities. Nary a voice raised against these clear cut depredations committed by the communist rebels.