Radio Interviews with Migrante and Solidarity groups

Human Rights in the Philippines and the 60th anniversary of the Ratification of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Worldwide Radio Interviews (streaming live via internet) aired from Workers Radio and Pinoy Radio, Sydney Australia:

In Sydney, Australia, the 60th anniversary of the ratification of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was remembered through 2 radio interviews with Migrante and solidarity groups.

On the evening of Tuesday 9 December, Jane Corpuz-Brock of Migrante Australia was interviewed by Ross Aguilar and Aldwin Alchico the hosts of Pinoy Radio 95.8 FM, streaming live worldwide via internet. The topics of the interview included –

■    Overseas Filipino workers in Australia, and responses to exploitation and violation of rights, and assistance rendered by Migrante;

■    The rising tide of violations of the rights of children and the rest of the families of human rights activists, by the Arroyo regime and the Armed Forces of the Philippines;
 

■    The distortion of the institutions of justice in the Philippines in cases like the Batasan 6 and the Southern Tagalog 72 whereby trumped up criminal charges are being used to intimidate and hopefully silence the people’s movement in that region.
 

■    The intensifying repression on rights of trade unionists, community workers and human rights activists while the US-GMA regime is pushing for Cha-cha (Charter Change)

 

Migrante’s commitment both to upholding the rights of overseas Filipinos in Australia and to defend the Philippine human rights workers and activists was a key theme of the interview.

On the following morning, Human Rights Day 2008, Peter Murphy [Philippine-Australia Union Links – PAUL] and Peter Brock [Action for Peace and Development in the Philippines – APDP] have had live interviews by broadcast journalist, Craig Bulley on Workers Radio-88.9 FM (Radio Skid Row) and streaming worldwide via internet.

The discussions highlighted how the enemies of human rights responded using brutal repression to the assertive defence of human rights by people’s organisation. It is ironic that the primary response of the US-Arroyo regime to the United Nations Special Rapporteur’s investigation of extra-judicial killings is expanding the weaponry of repression. Now the people’s organisations and human rights defenders are subject to trumped up charges to paralyse them and their supporters with fear.

The Inter-Agency Legal Action Group (IALAG) created by Pres. Arroyo through Executive Order 493 is a repressive mechanism undermining the rule of law and showing a cynical disregard of the basic civil and political rights of the Philippines. On the eve of Human Rights Day, the Arroyo regime’s repression expression it’s disdain of basic human rights. The interviewees acknowledged this brutal repression but emphasized the inspiration the resolute struggle of the Philippine people offered activists in Australia.