BISHOP BASTES CALLS FOR DEFENSE OF BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS – RIGHT TO LIFE AMIDST THE CONTINUING EXTRA-JUDICIAL KILLINGS IN THE COUNTRY

Bishop Bastes comforts Mrs. Julieta Caporal, mother of Bernardito Caporal who remains missing since Nov. 12, 2006, allegedly abducted by the military intelligence group (MIG) in Sorsogon City

Sorsogon City – Bishop Arturo M. Bastes, the Bishop of Sorsogon calls for defense of human rights in his homily at the opening salvo of human rights week organized by KARAPATAN ( Alliance for the Advancement of Peoples’ Rights) in Sorsogon. The families of the victims of human rights violations in the province gathered at the concelebrated mass in memory of their loved ones who were killed and/or remain missing until this day. According to KARAPATAN, 1 remains missing and 37 civilians have been added to the long list of extra-judicial killings in the country under the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Among these are farmers, journalists, member of militant organizations, women and even children.

“Life must be protected at all times for it is an inalienable right inherent to humanity. No one must be deprived of it even those who have different political thinking. All people have the right for food, shelter, education, decent living and work. Yet reality tells otherwise, peasants become landless, workers have meager income to survive and freedom of expression becomes too costly. Many people are being killed because they talked about peace and justice,” Bastes categorically stressed.

KARAPATAN also pointed that the “human rights situation is getting worse every day.” Many people are being killed amidst the overwhelming condemnation from the International Community against the worsening extra-judicial killings in the country. “Our country is becoming a military garrison wherein everyone becomes a moving target.” GMA as the defense minister can order to stop the killings yet it continues. It only means that the killings is a state-sponsored annihilative campaign against activists, journalists and priests who denounces injustices and works for peace”, KARAPATAN added.

The launching of Human Rights Week is held at the Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral, Sorsogon City , November 29, 2006. Present also were Social Action Center of the Diocese of Sorsogon and BAYAN (New Patriotic Alliance) and its member organizations.

Posted by Bicolnews

November 29, 2006

STATE REPRESSION VS. ACTIVISTS HINDERS ANTI-CORRUPTION EFFORTS,

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November 18, 2006

Repressive regimes and the lack of democratic space for people’s groups working against corruption are one of the reasons corruption continues to be a huge problem worldwide, according to civil society groups attending a global forum on corruption.

In the opening of the 12th International Anti-Corruption Conference (IACC) in Guatemala yesterday, anti-corruption group Transparency International pointed out that people’s groups and civil society organizations play an important role in combating corruption worldwide, but the problem of repression and lack of democratic space hinders anti-corruption work to prosper.

Transparency International board chair Huguette Labelle cited various anti-corruption activists and leaders from countries like Congo , Nepal , and Bangladesh who were imprisoned or repressed.

The IACC is an influential biennial global forum organized by anti-corruption network Transparency International. Since 1983, government officials, civil society groups and business people attend the IACC to exchange information and ideas about the fight against corruption, assess existing strategies, and develop new approaches.

For his part, IBON research director Antonio Tujan, who also chairs the International Initiative on Corruption and Governance (IICG) and a participant in the said forum, raised the issue of the Philippines where the number of journalists killed has exceeded that of Iraq , many of them caused by exposing and reporting corruption cases.

Tujan added that Pres. Gloria Arroyo, who is accused of large-scale corruption and is currently subject to a broad ouster campaign, has retaliated by killing hundreds of activists, many of them journalists and leaders of people’s groups engaged in anti-corruption work.

“The extreme manifestation of repression, which is the political killings, does not only hinder anti-corruption work, but is also meant to perpetuate anti-people practices including corruption,” said Tujan.

The opening plenary of the IACC made a resolution to improve mechanisms to defend whistleblowers and provide support to anti-corruption activists and civil society groups in various countries, including the Philippines (end)


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