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Another international group hits GMA on political killings
Slay of Pamalakaya leader in Bulacan shocked global fisherfolk group

The international group World Forum of Fisher People (WFFP), a worldwide alliance of fish worker and small fisherfolk organizations was the latest foreign association to condemn the spate of political killings in the country.

The WFPP member countries include the Philippines as represented by Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, New Zealand, Kenya, Mauritania, France, Spain, Canada, Honduras, Uganda, Mali, Senegal and partner networks in Brazil, Mexico, Portugal, The Netherlands, Switzerland, South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Vatican City, United Kingdom, Algeria, the United States, Madagascar, Italy, Norway, Bangladesh, Jordan, Germany, Chile and Columbia.

“ We were shocked to hear and extremely worried about the killings of fisherfolk leaders and activists in the Philippines. The killing of Pamalakaya leader Orlando Rivera by alleged military elements in Obando, Bulacan and the marking of “x” of the house of Sonny de Armas, another Pamalakaya official in the same fishing village is highly condemnable,” said Herman Kumara, WFFP general secretary.

“ We are now very much concern about the life of de Armas and 11 other fisherfolk leaders in Obando, Bulacan. We are in solidarity with the victims and we want to convey our message against the present situation involving political killings in the Philippines,” Kumara said.

On August 16, four bonnet-wearing assassins, armed with .45 caliber pistols, barged into the house of Rivera and shot the victim dead, while de Armas’ house in the same fishing village was marked “X” confirming report that he too was also included in the military’s order of battle. “ The political killings are going on in every corner of the Philippines. We cannot accept these killings and we do not want to hear such killings anymore. We urge President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to take every possible step to protect the life as well as the welfare of the fisherfolk and other sectors involved in advocacy work like Pamalakaya and other groups in the Philippines,” Kumara added.

The WFFP also noted that while the Philippines is a democratic country, the government has no space for the voice of the people. The international fisherfolk alliance said the government should allow the people to take a strong stand against issues, which are detrimental to the lives and livelihood of poor sectors like the fisherfolk.

“ We hope Mrs. Arroyo would allow the fisherfolk and the people to stand up against the issues, which they want to change for the benefit of the people. The killings of leftwing activists, leaders and members of social movements in the Philippines is not the right response and we will not tolerate such action of the Philippine state,” WFFP added.

Meanwhile, Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said the issue of Rivera and other fisherfolk leaders killed since 2001 will be brought to the WFFP International Coordinating Committee meeting in Basque, France this coming November.

Hicap said aside from Rivera’s case, they would also report the case of Pedro Gonzales, Pamalakaya national vice-chairperson, who survived an ambush last May 2004, the brutal killings of Roger Perez, Pamalakaya-Quezon vice chair and Bayan Muna coordinator in Quezon in post-May 2004 elections, Isaias Manano Jr., Pamalakaya-Southern Tagalog-Secretary General who was killed in Calapan City in Mindoro Oriental in April 2004, and the summary executions of Anthony Martinez, Oscar Sacdalan and Vidal Lalong Isip, all Pamalakaya-Puerto Galera leaders in September 2003.

“ We will ask the WFFP to support and endorse the filing of war crimes and grave human rights violations against the Republic of Death Squads headed by President Arroyo, National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales, Army Major Gen. Jovito Palparan and other top defense and military officials before the United Nations Human Rights Council,” Hicap said. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 05:45 | link | comments |

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