A Statement of Concern on the Killings of Political
Activists
In just a span of 15 weeks since January, 31
people, mostly identified with activist political
parties and organizations, have been
systematically gunned down in a series of
incidents across the country. In Central Luzon
alone, the center of the Hacienda Luisita dispute,
13 have been summarily executed and five are still
missing.
What wrong have these persons committed that
they should be silenced by a hail of bullets?
The victims of such diverse backgrounds as
Tarlac city Councilor and Bayan Muna Leader
Abelardo Ladera (March 3), radio broadcaster and
Bayan Ilocos Secretary General Romy Sanchez
(March 9), IFI priest and PCPR member William
Tadena (March 13), human rights lawyer and
Bayan Muna coordinator Felidito Dacut (March 14)
and Anakpawis and KMP peasant leader Ben
Concepcion (March 17) had one thing in common
other than their commitment to serving the people
and fighting for national sovereignty, genuine
democracy and social justice. They were affiliated
with legal organizations that have become the
object of vilification by those who invoke the
mantra
of national security to suppress the voices of
dissent.
How many more lives should be stolen before we
heed the cries of the widows and orphans?
Today, we speak out for all those who can no
longer speak for themselves and for ourselves
too, because we are all at risk. We remember the
lessons of martial law that whatever is done to
muzzle the voice of one is an act done to all; the
use of the gun to silence political dissent is an
attack on the basic freedoms that define a
democracy.
Is there an undeclared war on activists that has
rendered them open targets of attack?
Let the statistics speak for itself. Since 2001, 51
leaders and members of party-list Bayan Muna
have been killed and 14 are still missing.
Anakpawis: 17 killed, Gabriela Womens Party, 2
killed. The death toll is also mounting on other
progressive party-lists as well as militant peoples
and human rights organizations.
Just as alarming is the number of other civilians,
mostly peasant folk, slain on mere suspicion of
leftist links. The scale and enormity of repression
are further evident in the high number of cases of
frustrated murder, abduction and disappearance,
illegal detention and various forms of harassment.
Included here are prominent human rights lawyers
UN ad litem Judge Romeo T. Capulong and Atty.
Charles Juloya of Ilocos who survived
assassination attempts while helping their clients
seek justice.
Does government silence and inaction indicate that
it officially sanctions the scale of repression?
Military and police officials and their entire units
are
implicated in the concentrated campaign against
unarmed political activists and their supporters.
Not
one has been brought to justice; the most
notorious have even been promoted. Official
military
documents tagging militant organizations as
a national security problem further bolster
suspicions that there is an official policy of
sanction for the use of summary execution and
other human rights violations on political activists.
At any rate, the escalating crackdown on activists
is but part of a larger pattern of impunity in a
country where extrajudicial killings have become
the norm, victimizing even journalists and entire
Muslim communities.
We ask all concerned Filipinos to join us as we
thus demand:
Stop the killings and harassment;
Relieve all military, police and other state agents
implicated in the murder and enforced
disappearance of activists;
Bring the perpetrators to justice;
Scrap all policies and measure that curtail civil
liberties and human rights.
To be silent in the face of brazen acts of violence
will only multiply the injustices already committed.
(Please join us in a candle light service on
Thursday, May 12, 2005, 4-6 p.m. at the Hardin ng
mga Diwata, UP Diliman Faculty Center near
Vargas Museum. For information please contact
435-9151 or 435-6930)
[Signed by Church leaders, senators, about 130
House members, local government officials,
academe leaders, mass leaders from various
peoples organizations, individuals and groups
based overseas and hundreds other signatories.]
April 28, 2005
