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A Gathering for Peace and Life, Stop the Killings
Bishop's House, Baguio City
Sept. 21, 2006 Posted Sept. 28, 2006 |
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A Gathering for Peace and Life, Stop the Killings
Bishop's House, Baguio City
Sept. 21, 2006 Posted Sept. 28, 2006 |
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Bishop Carlito Cenzon of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Baguio (left) urged all Filipinos to join a people’s movement to counter-act political killings and seek justice for all victims, in a unity statement read on the occasion of the 34th anniversary of the declaration of martial law on Sept. 21 in Baguio. (From NORDIS report)
“We can refuse violations of our rights, initiate protests against abuses. We can offer our homes, our churches as sanctuaries for the persecuted. If we have a way with words or the media, we can write about what is happening; a talent for music, we can compose songs of freedom. We should always speak the truth.” -- From a statement by CHRA vice-chair Beverly Longid calling for everyone to do seemingly small actions to resist killings, quoted by NORDISK report. |
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| Photos courtesy of Lyn V. Ramo/NORDIS | ||||
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Bishop Marino Inong of UCCP |
Sta. Scholastica sisters |
Metro Baguio tribal elders & leaders alliance offers a shield |
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For related stories, visit the website of: The Northern Dispatch Weekly |
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Bishop
calls for mass action against killings
From: The Northern Dispatch Weekly http://www.nordis.net/blog/?p=163
BAGUIO CITY (Sept. 21) — Bishop Carlito Cenzon of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Baguio today urged all Filipinos to join a people’s movement to counter-act political killings and seek justice for all victims, in a unity statement read on the occasion of the 34th anniversary of the declaration of martial law.
Bishop Cenzon made the call during the launching of the “The Stop the Killings Network,” a multisectoral group composed of families of victims of political killings, human rights groups, indigenous peoples groups, and individual advocates, held at the Bishop’s House here.
The activity, dubbed as the “Gathering for Peace and Life, Stop the Killings,” was led by the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA), Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA) and Hustisya as main convenors. Cenzon called on the public to “break silence into song and transform fear into a people’s movement.” Reading the Network’s unity statement, he said that in so doing, “today’s crisis be a tomorrow’s masterpiece created by our unity and solidarity.”
Cenzon joined hands with Bishop Renato Abibico of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Luzon and other Protestant bishops, lawyers, a city councilor, a media representative, and other leaders in clamoring for justice and more vigilance against the killings.
Other participants came from labor, peasant, urban poor, youth, women, church, media and other sectors from Baguio, Abra, Kalinga, Benguet, Mt. Province, Isabela and Ilocos region.
Hustisya launching
Hustisya, as one of the network convenors, was itself was launched on Sept. 15 in Manila as the national alliance of families of victims of political killings during the presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Its regional chapter was launched on Sept. 14 at the Resurrection Cathedral here.
Regional Hustisya convenor Albina Terredano, wife of slain peasant organizer Albert Terredano, said that accepting the death of their kin is never easy. She challenged the government and asked the public’s help in seeking justice for their dead loved ones.
In a statement, the CPA declared that “we resist the Martial Law of the Arroyo Regime,” as it was 34 years since Marcos’ dictatorship, where the victims of political killings are left with injustice. Under GMA, the CPA statement added, there have been 753 victims of political killings; 96 of these are indigenous peoples.
CPA Secretary General Windel Bolinget said that the 34th martial law commemoration is also an international day of action against political killings in the Philippines.
‘Even small actions help’
Echoing Bishop Cenzon’s call, CHRA vice chair Beverly Longid called on everyone to do even seemingly small actions to resist the killings.
“We can refuse violations of our rights, initiate protests against abuses. We can offer our homes, our churches as sanctuaries for the persecuted. If we have a way with words or the media, we can write about what is happening; a talent for music, we can compose songs of freedom. We should always speak the truth,” Longid said.
Other sectoral
representatives in the gathering made their respective symbolic offerings. Representing the health sector and the medical advocacy group CHESTCORE, Dr. Cyril Abalos also gave commitment to the network. He condemned the July 31 Tabuk ambush, which wounded Dr. Constancio “Chandu” Claver and killed his wife Alyce.
Desiree Caluza and Elina Ramo of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) offered a feather pen and pencil to symbolize the journalists’ responsibility to inform the people of the truth, and flowers to remind people of “the beauty, frailty and subtlety of life, and how precious it is.” Other organizations
offered symbols, poems, video presentations and solidarity messages.
John Panem of the CPA Youth Commission said such commemorative gatherings are important for today’s youth “to remember the darkness of yesterday and today and be vigilant against it so people can provide a brighter tomorrow for future generations.” # Pink-Jean Melegrito with reports from Michael Julius P. Rubio for NORDIS |
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A student offers time and reads a poem |
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Dr. Cybel Abalos of CHESTCORE |
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Manang Norma of SANTAHNAY- DALUPIRIP |
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Aldwin Quitasol of KMU-Cordi |
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Unity Statement for Peace and Life STOP THE KILLINGS! NETWORK |
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“Remember Yahweh what has befallen us. Look and see our disgrace, our home handed over to strangers, our inheritance to foreigners.” Lamentations 5:1-2
In the midst of 753 unsolved political killings of church people , media persons, government employees, youth, women indigenous people, lawyers, human rights workers, activists, peasants and workers, WE GIVE THANKS…
---for their selfless offering of their precious lives, for martyrdom, for peace. For life is not measured by the length of our lives, but by the gift we made of our lives for others. For the cause for which they gave their lives, their deaths were not a triumph of darkness but mighty explosions of light, that guide the winding paths of our nation’s pilgrimage to freedom. Our fallen friends and companions in the struggle can never be forgotten. Their every act of integrity, compassion, courage and sacrifice has encouraged thousands to emulate their example. And as all of us come to terms with inescapable death, they have inspired us to courageously struggle toward abundant life for all. Our hearts are filled to the brim with gratitude for their shining examples. For Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away.
In the midst of more than a hundred missing, and more that a hundred civilians traumatized from frustrated political killings, and thousands more harassed, violated, and displaced by an insane war, WE CELEBRATE…
--- Even as Yahweh long defined the nothingness of darkness when He confounded all peoples with the accuracy and inevitability of the sunrise. These are but rehearsals of people’s sacrament and stories of the struggle for life, of seed surfacing from the inhospitable rock, of a child birthing against the deepest womb, of the Son of Man rising from the dead. YES the darkest night is our very assurance that dawn is sure to come.
In the midst of charges and counter charges against even bishops, businessmen, patriotic soldiers, imprisonment, persecution and betrayal of the people’s trust, tyranny and repression of basic freedoms and rights in the form of EO 464, PP1017, the death of democracy in the rejection of impeachment proceedings, and anti-terrorism law….against a backdrop massive corruption and poverty, WE REJOICE.
--- For the oppressors are besieged in the chaos of their own making, as they are digging their own graves in the sinfulness and deceit. And even as they celebrate their own petty victories in the killings of the freedom loving civilians, we rejoice, for it is in the silencing of the just that their sublime cause is magnified a thousand times. And the love of the just is always stronger than death.
In the midst of the stalled peace negotiations between the government panel and the National Democratic Front, the Operation BANTAY LAYA which chose instead to kill innocent civilians instead of confronting the very issues of injustice that breed insurgency, the US-led war on terror to promote a most horrifying globalist empire founded on the blood of the innocents, the final triumph of evil masqueraded as good, OUR SOULS WILL PROCLAIM THE GREATNESS OF THE LORD.
--- for He will act with power through then people, and will scatter the proud with their plans. He will put down the mighty from their thrones and lift those who are downtrodden. Luke 1:46-52
In the midst of the outright sell-out of our nation’s patrimony through the Mining Act, betrayal of truth through Charter Change, the promise of more war to suppress the people’s longings, and use of various laws in furtherance of tyranny, and the situation of an unproclaimed Martial Law, WE RAGE EVEN AS WE FERVENTLY PRAY…
--- That hope may triumph over experience as it always does. For the people’s patience is now being stretched to its snapping point, and soon our cries of anguish will eventually turn into shouts of struggle. The force of conscience and humanity dictates--- that we must obey God rather than men.
Bishop Desmond Tutu once said, “Goodness is stronger than evil. Love is stronger than hate. Light is stronger than darkness. Victory is ours through Him who loves us.”
We urge all freedom loving Filipinos to break silence into song and transform fear into a people’s movement for justice. Only then will today’s crisis be a tomorrow’s masterpiece created by our unity and solidarity. Let us all do this for LIFE---For PEACE!
We forward the following calls:
STOP THE KILLING OF ACTIVIST, POLITICAL DISSENTERS, MODERN DAY PROPHETS! NO TO CHARTER CHANGE! NO TO ANTI-TERRORISM LAW THAT TARGETS INNOCENT CIVILIANS! RESPECT HUMAN RIGHTS!
“The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”
Convenors:
Bishop Carlito Cenzon, CICM, DD, Vicariate of Baguio City Bishop Marino Inong, UCCP Northern Luzon Jurisdiction Bishop Benjamin Justo, United Methodist Church Bishop Renato Abibico, Episcopal Diocese of Northern Luzon Pastor Joseph Agno, Kalinga Apayao Religious Sector Association Dr. Constancio “Chandu Claver, convenor, HUSTISYA Councilor Perlita Chan-Rondez, Baguio City Councilor Leandro Yangot, Baguio City Councilor Jose Molintas Atty. Pablito Sanidad Atty. Reynaldo Cortes, Cordillera Human Rights Alliance Atty. Cheryl Daytec-Yangot Atty. Warren Luyaben, IBP Chair Kalinga Dean Raymund Rovillos, University of the Philippines Baguio Dean Willy Alangui, University of the Philippines Baguio Beverly Longid, Cordillera Human Rights Alliance Sr. Alice Sobrevinas, OSB Windel Bolinget, Cordillera Peoples Alliance HUSTISYA – an organization of families of human rights victims and survivors Association of Women Religious-Baguio Benguet National Union of Journalists in the Philippines (NUJP) – Baguio Benguet Save Apayao Peoples Organization Kalinga Peace Advocates Abra Human Rights Alliance Cordillera Human Rights Alliance Innabuyog-Gabriela Tongtongan ti Umili Cordillera Peoples Alliance Kilusang Mayo Uno-Cordillera Alyansa Dagiti Pesante iti taeng Kordilyera (APIT-TAKO)
Different sectoral peoples’ organizations also signed the declaration
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