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SIKLAB-Canada (Sulong,
Itaguyod ang Karapatan ng mga Manggagawa sa
Labas ng Bansa - Advance and Uphold the Rights of Overseas Filipino
Workers)
Statement
STOP TRADE UNION REPRESSION AND POLITICAL KILLINGS IN THE PHILIPPINES!
November 16 , 2006
SIKLAB-Canada, a national alliance of overseas Filipino workers in Canada,
takes a stand during this International Day of Protest Against Trade Union
Repression and Political Killings in the Philippines.
We stand today, united across major cities in Canada, in Montreal,
Toronto, Ottawa, and Vancouver, to recognize and commemorate the seven
martyr-workers and supporters of the Hacienda Luisita who were killed on
this date in a massacre at a picket line two years ago. We also honour the
other trade unionists and workers killed, harassed and exploited in all
the other workplaces and communities in the Philippines.
This day is also a day to stand in solidarity and support the struggle of
the Filipino workers for just wages and regular jobs and for their trade
union and democratic rights. As part of the Filipino working class abroad,
we support their struggle against the neo-liberal policies of the Arroyo
government in-line with imperialist globalization. We also rally today to
support the Filipino people’s struggle for self-determination, national
democracy, social justice and development.
The Philippines is now considered second only to Colombia as the most
dangerous place for trade unionists. Since Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo became
president in 2001, sixty-four trade union leaders and organizers have been
murdered in extra-judicial executions. They are part of the more than 770
victims of political killings of unarmed legal activists perpetrated by
government forces.
Some 982 cases of human rights violations victimizing 77,028 workers have
been documented by the independent Center for Trade Union and Human Rights
(CTUHR). The violations include attacks on the picket line, including
physical assault, sexual harassment, illegal arrest and detention,
disappearances, grave threats, abduction and other forms of harassment and
intimidation.
President Arroyo calls strikes and other planned activities of workers,
aimed at airing legitimate workers demands and grievances, ”factory
terrorism” and thus uses her armed forces in cooperation with the hired
security goons of factory owners to violently attack and repress the
workers.
Union leaders in multinational corporations and local big business
establishments have been victims of these political killings such as the
notable Diosdado “Ka Fort” Fortuna, union president in Nestle Philippines
and Ricardo “Ka Ric” Ramos, union president of the Central Azucarera de
Tarlac Labor Union (CATLU).
Member of Congress Crispin “Ka Bel” Beltran -- veteran labor leader, May
First Movement (KMU) Chairman Emeritus and former Chairperson and current
Honorary Chairperson of the ILPS (International League of Peoples’
Struggles)--has also been illegally detained since he was arrested on
February 25, 2006, a day after Magapagal-Arroyo declared a “state of
national emergency”. He was arrested on trumped-up charges dating back two
decades ago that had been previously quashed by Philippine courts. Ka Bel
was in Vancouver in 1995 for the launching of SIKLAB-Vancouver and is a
dearly beloved trade union leader and symbol of inspiration for us as
migrant workers in Canada. We therefore call for his immediate and
unconditional release.
None of the perpetrators of the over 770 killings of trade unionists and
other activists have been brought to justice despite their families’
demands and the growing international condemnation of Arroyo’s fascist
regime, including in Canada.
There are an estimated 7 million overseas Filipino workers in over 186
countries worldwide. 3,000 Filipinos leave the Philippines everyday,
making the Philippines the number one source of migrant labour in the
world.
One of our destinations is Canada. But here in Canada, we still face many
barriers under programs like Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s Live-in
Caregiver Program (LCP). We are hailed as “modern-day heroes”, but in
fact, we are “modern-day slaves” working as live-in caregivers in Canada.
We receive little to no protection or services from the Philippine
government despite the $12 billion USD Overseas Filipino Workers remit
annually.
Thus we denounce the worsening state repression and continuing export of
human labour of the Arroyo government.
We are a part of the recently initiated Philippine-Canadian Task Force on
Human Rights, formed in response to the call for support and solidarity of
the Filipino people at this time when the human rights situation in the
Philippines grows more serious. This task force is leading the Canadian
Human Rights Fact-Finding Mission to the Philippines this November 13 to
23, 2006.
Today members of the task force will return to the gates of the Hacienda
Luisita to the site where the massacre occurred two years ago to call for
justice and a stop to the political killings of trade unionists and other
activists.
As Filipinos across Canada, we take this time to honour the fallen
worker/martyrs in the Philippines, especially on this day commemorating
our fellow fallen comrades at Hacienda Luisita. We also come together with
progressive Canadian trade unions and other supporters who demand the
Arroyo government be held accountable and for an end to the killing and
repression of trade unionists and other activists in the Philippines.
We also urge the Canadian government to suspend all foreign assistance and
trade while the killings continue and to seriously review its relations
with the fascist Macapagal-Arroyo regime.
Stop trade union repression!
Stop the Political Killings in the Philippines!
Free Congressman Crispin “Ka Bel” Beltran and all political detainees!
Support the Filipino people’s call to oust Philippine President Arroyo!
Stop Canadian aid to the repressive Arroyo regime! |
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