PRESS RELEASE

June 19, 2007
Reference:    Marie Hilao-Enriquez, Secretary General (Mobile No. 09178176274)
                        Ruth Cervantes, Public Information Officer (Mobile No. 09189790580)

Karapatan to EU: Generals' disclosures on killings reinforces complicity of Arroyo government

The Philippine human rights alliance KARAPATAN today issued a statement to ask the six-member Mission of the European Union to take heed of the disclosures made by another general that proves the complicity of the Arroyo government in the killings.

The EU Mission is in the country to do a 'needs assessment' to help the government address the problem of extrajudicial executions.  But in its letter to the EU sent on Saturday, Karapatan said "No amount of technical or whatever assistance will end the killings unless this government is compelled to stop this policy.

Karapatan believes that the extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances are results of an ongoing state policy contained in the administration's counter-insurgency program called Oplan Bantay Laya (Operation Plan Freedom Watch) that is within the US government's "war on terror" campaign. 

In March of this year UN expert Philip Alston said that there are two underlying causes for the violations (1) "(I¡Ä(Bthe characterization of most groups on the left of the political spectrum as 'front organizations' for armed groups(I¡Ä(B" (2) "the extent to which aspects of the Government's counter-insurgency strategy encourage or facilitate the extrajudicial killings of activists and other 'enemies' in certain circumstances."

On Saturday (23 June 2007), Karapatan and other non-governmental organizations (NGOs) had a dialogue with the EU delegates and asked them to support the families of victims and to "ask the Philippine government to immediately stop the extrajudicial killings, abductions and forced disappearances, torture and other forms of human rights violations, including the revocation of all hit lists that target civilians and progressive people's organizations."

They likewise made an appeal to EU to support, among others, the call for the resumption of peace negotiations between the parties to the armed conflict to pave the way in addressing and resolving the roots of the conflict and contribute to the achievement of a just and lasting peace.

Karapatan Secretary General Marie Hilao-Enriquez made an appeal for the EU consult with the victims.  She told the members of the EU, "We believe that a meaningful program to end the killings and other violations must address the plight and give justice to the victims and survivors. Moreover, we think that more than anyone else, the very first ones to be assisted are the victims and their relatives as they are the ones rendered not only violated but vulnerable to further risks to their lives."###
KARAPATAN is an umbrella organization of human rights advocates, organizations and desks established in 1995.   It monitors and documents cases of human rights violations, assists and defends victims and conducts education, training and campaign.

Address 2/F Erythrina Bldg., No. 1 Maaralin cor. Matatag Streets, Brgy. Central, Diliman Quezon City 1100 Telefax 4354146  Email karapatan.pid@gmail.com
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