KARAPATAN
Southern Mindanao Region
2nd floor Diakonia Center , Iglesia Filipina Independiente Compound, F. Torres St., Davao City
Telefax number: (082) 305-0824
Email address: karapatan_smr@yahoo.com, karapatan.smr@gmail.com

For Reference:

Pipo Sambalud                                         Kelly Delgado
Media Officer                                                Secretary General
Karapatan SMR                                            Karapatan SMR
09217927124                                              09203500069


Press Release
July 25, 2007

STATE OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS: Death toll now 885, disappearances now 183 says Karapatan

DAVAO CITY -- Human rights group Karapatan in Southern Mindanao condemned in the highest terms today the continued spate of killings in the wake of the efforts of the Supreme Court-led summit to work measures that would defend and protect human rights.

According to the rights group, since Gloria Macapagal Arroyo assumed office in 2001, the victims of extrajudicial killings has reached 885 while enforced disappearances or desaparecidos now stand at 183.

"The escalation of human rights abuses shows only that the government and its state security forces not only have no respect for existing humanitarian laws but are also bent in keeping a political atmosphere where dissent and redress of grievances can cause one's life or liberty," Karapatan-SMR Secretary general Kelly Delgado said.

He added that victims and families of the killings and disappearances may not see justice any time soon, as Arroyo has consistently made no effort to resolve the alarming rights abuses. "Even in her SONA, she has not recognized the fact that the country has become the second most dangerous country for journalists and perhaps even to oppositionists. Worse, there was no mention of or how the government can put an end to the escalating number of victims,"

"Of course, Gloria Arroyo will never take an active stance to resolve these human rights violations because it is her administration that is the main perpetrator. She needs to silence dissent and rid all critics of her anti-people administration in order to continue to perpetuate herself in power," Delgado said.

 The rights group lambasted also Arroyo's statement that the so-called "development" particularly here in Mindanao could only be achieved if and only if the people will give chance and support the full implementation of Human Security Act as what her administration and minions' bragging.

 "This declaration of her is just a desperate, deceptive and defective effort to win over the sympathy of the people to easily give Human Security Act a chance. It is hard to believe by saying so to a president which has no credibility at all and no further political will to resolve extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances," Delgado said. ###