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07432
July 18, 2007
Stop killings of activists, says Philippines Christian youth group
by Maurice Malanes
Ecumenical News International
MANILA — The Philippine government under President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo must immediately stop the killings and disappearances of perceived “enemies of the state,” especially young activists, an international youth solidarity fact-finding mission has urged.
“We call on the Arroyo government to immediately stop the extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances in the Philippines, particularly young activists,” said those who took part in the mission, which acted under the auspices of the World Student Christian Federation, and included young people from 15 Asia-Pacific countries.
The mission’s members visited the regions of Central Luzon and Bicol from June 23-26 in an attempt to uncover human rights violations in the Philippines. Some participants reported that they themselves had been intimidated by the police and subjected to surveillance during their visits.
Citing figures from Karapatan, a local human rights advocacy group, the investigators noted that some 21 young political activists, including 53 minors, had been killed in the Philippines since 2001. Eight other youth activists, including four minors, had disappeared. Those killed or who had disappeared are said to include outspoken critics of the government or supporters of farmers’ rights.
“It is clear to us that most, if not all, of the extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances of youth activists are coordinated by the armed forces and state agents,” the investigators said. Police and military officials have claimed that the killings were “communist purges.”
The students’ group met victims of human rights violations, student and youth activists, human rights groups, religious leaders, officials of the Philippine national police, and members of the armed forces. Group members also studied documented human rights violations, and searched for missing youth activists at a military camp in Balanga, Bataan province.
“We found insufficient action on the part of the police, who have neglected to follow up on cases of human rights violations and have interfered with the justice process. They have failed to keep correct documentation, such as the preservation of crime scenes, custody of evidence, photo documentation and full autopsy reporting,” the mission participants said.
Their statement demanded justice for victims and their families, as well as for activists who have been killed, and a prompt resolution of several pending cases involving activists. |
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