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Photos and text courtesy of
United Filipinos in Hong Kong (UNIFIL-HK)
2/F., New Hall, St.
John’s Cathedral, 4 Garden Road, Central, Hong Kong SAR
Tel: 28104379 Fax: (852) 25262894 E-mail: execom@unifil.org.hk
Website: http://www.unifil.org.hk |
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Petition Submitted to the Philippine
Consulate General
Stop Forced Disappearance!
Stop Extrajudicial Killings in the Philippines Now!
On the occasion of the International Day of the Disappeared, we, human
rights advocates, civil libertarians, migrant workers, unions, youth and
students of Hong Kong, unite and call on the Philippine government to
effectively and swiftly address the unabated extrajudicial killings and
human rights violations in the Philippines.
To date, human rights organizations in the Philippines have documented 729
cases of human rights violations in the country including scores of those
who were forcibly abducted and until now remain missing.
Enforced disappearance still remains to be one of the gravest acts of
human rights violations. It is a violation of many international
conventions on peoples rights not the least of which is the Universal
Declaration on Human Rights. The documentation of 147 cases of enforced
disappearances (as of June 2006) in the Philippines is a cause for alarm
and indignation for all defenders of human rights.
What is even more alarming, of the cases documented and reported to
Philippine authorities, not a single case has been resolved.
Worse for victims of enforced disappearance, delegates of the Hong Kong
Mission for Human Right and Peace in the Philippines reported that their
interview with Task Force Usig, the body formed by the government to
supposedly investigate the spate of political killings, revealed that the
task force is not investigating cases of those who have been abducted and
have not yet resurfaced.
The excuse that was given by the task force was that its mandate does not
cover cases of enforced disappearances and that it only investigates cases
in which a body has been found. This is an absurdity given the very
serious nature of the crime of enforced disappearance which causes
continuing grief for the families and friends of the victims. There is no
reason why enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings should be
dealt with separately by the authorities as this would surely encourage
perpetrators to ensure that bodies are never found. This development could
subsequently lead to cases of involuntary disappearances replacing the
present wave of extrajudicial killings.
In most cases, human rights groups have documented the involvement of the
police, military and paramilitary groups on incidences of human rights
violations. Even the various fact finding missions conducted by
respectable institutions and groups all over the world has revealed the
pattern of state involvement in these human rights violations.
Different international organizations including human rights associations,
journalists, churches, lawyers and even parliamentarians have already
expressed their concern over the killings.
However, the response of the government to the extrajudicial killings and
enforced disappearance is very disappointing.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyos strongly-worded promises of solving
human rights violations cases issued only after international pressure
mounted and the issue has become a national concern still remain as
promises.
On this day, we demand the Philippine government to:
1. Uphold international conventions and UN resolutions on human rights
such as the Declaration on the Protection of all Persons from Enforced
Disappearance
2. Give full priority to the investigation and resolution of reported
cases of human rights violations;
3. Direct the police and the military to account for their involvement on
human rights violations and direct them to resurface those who have been
forcibly abducted;
4. Provide sufficient protection and assistance to witnesses of human
rights violations incidences, and;
5. Establish a truly independent body that shall investigate the cases of
human rights violations.
Signed:
Hong Kong Campaign for the Advancement of Human Rights and Peace in the
Philippines
Asian Human Rights Commission
Hong Kong Christian Institute
Hong Kong Christian Industrial Committee
Justice and Peace Commission of HK Catholic Diocese
Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions
Center for Justpeace in Asia
World Student Christian Federation – Asia Pacific
Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants
Asian Center for the Progress of Peoples
Asian Students Association
People’s Democracy Foundation
Ziteng
Thai Regional Alliance
Association of Indonesian Migrant Workers
Iglesia Filipina Independiente/Philippine Independent Church - HK
United Filipinos in Hong Kong (UNIFIL-MIGRANTE-HK)
Filipino Migrant Workers Union
Abra Tinguian Ilocano Society
Cordillera Alliance
United Pangasinan HK
Migrante Sectoral Party - Hong Kong
Association of Concerned Filipinos
Friends of Bethune House
Pinatud a Saleng ti Umili
Filipino Migrant's Association
Association of Filipino Women Migrant Workers in Hong Kong
Filipino Friends - Hong Kong
LIKHA Migrant's Cultural Organization
Bruce Van Voorhis, AHRC
Michael Anthony, AHRC
Lau Fong, President, HK University Student’s Union
Corazon Amaya-Canete, Kisapmata Productions
Gessen Rocas, Hong Kong
Cynthia Ca Abdon-Tellez, MFMW
Jun Tellez, MFMW
Norman Carnay, MFMW
Edwina Santoyo, BHMWR
Hope Antone, CCA-FMU
Doris Lee, Hong Kong
Kimmy Hung, Hong Kong
Liana Dalton, USAS
Fely Tabay, Hong Kong
Eun Ju Kim, Hong Kong
Peggy Lee, human rights activist (Canada) |
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