Filipinos in Japan Protest Against Continued Political Killings, Call for GMA’s Ouster

Filipinos joined by Burmese and Japanese human rights groups gathered in Nagoya and Tokyo on December 8 and 9 to protest against extra judicial killings, enforced disappearances and other violations of human rights in the Philippines which is � one of the serious crimes committed by the Arroyo regime against the Filipino people and against humanity�, says Migrante � Japan, one of the lead organizers of the protest.

Philip Alston, UN special rapporteur on extra judicial , summary or arbitrary executions earlier in his report to the UN Commission on Human Rights pinned the blame on the military for the killing and abduction of hundreds of political activists. Alston’s report confirmed what the world already knew all along. The Arroyo government must be held accountable for institutionalizing violence as a policy to contain political dissent, and for harboring criminals within the ranks of its armed forces, said Migrante Japan spokesperson Nestor Puno.

Until now, not even one of more than 850 cases of extra judicial killing and abduction since President Arroyo assumed the presidency in 2001 has been resolved, and no high ranking official in government and the armed forces has been made accountable to these violations. The culture of impunity continuous and the steps taken by the Arroyo regime are nothing but damage control to allay fears of foreign investors in the country, Puno said.

The human rights record of the Arroyo government is no doubt the worse since President Marcos, and the world knows about that. Now, with all these scandals of massive corruption and bribery hounding her government, GMA must rethink her options � either she steps down or be ousted by yet another popular people’s uprising�, Puno added.

Meanwhile, Migrante Japan said that the alleged November 29 siege in a Makati hotel a week ago which resulted in the arrest of more than 50 individuals including prominent political personalities and members of the media is just the tip of the iceberg. More of this kind will surely unfold as the Arroyo government continues with its failed governance and not until there is closure to numerous scandals that is crippling the nation today, Puno lamented.

Protesters in Nagoya numbering more than a hundred gathered at Hisaya Hiroba before marching around Sakae, Nagoya’s financial and entertainment district where they distributed copies of a prepared statement urging the Arroyo government to STOP human rights violations and to step down.

Meanwhile, Filipinos in Tokyo joined by Burmese and Japanese rights groups gathered at Ebisu Park for the traditional commemoration of International Human Rights Day. After a two-hour program where Filipinos and Burmese speakers took turns in lambasting their respective governments for violations of human rights, the Filipino contingent marched to the Philippine Embassy in Roppongi to further dramatize their protest. They were joined in by various Japanese human rights groups and leaders of the Burmese community in Japan. A candle light march from the Philippine Embassy to Roppongi station capped the day’s protest activity.

The protests will continue since justice remains elusive for hundreds of victims and their families. Also, harassment and intimidation of progressive organizations like GABRIELA is happening not just in the Philippines but even here in Japan. GBRIELA Japan through its coordinating body also joined the protest action because one Tokyo embassy official has openly and maliciously labeled the organization as ’subversive’ which is tantamount to placing the organization and other progressive groups here as ‘enemies of the state’. It endangers our members for all of us can be targets of repression too. We certainly cannot and will never allow this to happen.Puno said.

We hope more and more people and institutions will exert pressure on the Arroyo government to decisively end the policy of extra judicial killings, abductions, harassment and intimidation of legitimate organizations fighting for peace, justice, freedom and genuine social transformation in the Philippines he added.

Migrante Japan and its allies have lobbied the Japanese government to withdraw or stop foreign aid to the Arroyo government until these violations of human rights were resolved and justice rendered to all the victims and their families.