From InterAksyon (Sep 17): 8 years after, state continues to block efforts to find missing Cordillera activist - groups
Eight years since James Balao was snatched in front of a church in La Trinidad, Benguet, colleagues, friends and relatives of the missing Cordillera activist say the state the state continues not just to evade accountability but is also hampering efforts to find out what happened to him.
Balao, a founding member of the Cordillera People’s Allliance, was abducted by what are believed to be members of the security forces on September 17, 2008.
“Eight years since that day, the state continues to disown responsibility and desperately evade accountability for James’ enforced disappearance,” the Cordillera Human Rights Alliance said in a statement.
The CPA, which advocates the rights of the Cordillera’s indigenous peoples, has long been accused by security forces of supporting the communist revolutionary movement and many of its leaders have suffered harassment or worse because of this.
CHRA secretary general Imelda Tabiando said the fact that none of the scores of victims of enforced disappearances since the presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has surfaced and no one convicted for their loss is proof “of the state’s failure in its responsibility to protect its citizens.”
CPA chairman Windel Bolinget said in the eight years they have searched for Balao, they have confronted “contemptible and desperate lies” even as the missing activist’s family continues to be harassed.
“We continue to hold the state and its security forces accountable and responsible” for Balao’s disappearance, the CPA and CHRA said in a joint statement.
“We are deeply frustrated that despite strong leads, motive, and evidence pointing to the military and police as perpetrators of this brazen violation, the investigation of the case has gone back to square one” they added.
They said they are pinning their hopes on successful peace negotiations between the government and National Democratic Front not only to finally shed light on and exact accountability for the enforced disappearances and other human rights violations but also to see the genuine implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/132527/8-years-after-state-continues-to-block-efforts-to-find-missing-cordillera-activist---groups
Commie front groups continue to keep pressure on the Duterte administration on human rights issues.
ReplyDeleteThe Cordillera People's Alliance (CPA) is the main Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) front organization active in the Cordillera region.
The Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA) is a CPP-associated human rights front group. The group is the Cordillera chapter of the main CPP umbrella human rights front organization KARAPATAN (Alliance for the Advancement of People's Rights).