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Wednesday, December 10, 2003
Militants to commemorate rights day with mass action
By Allen S. Terencio
AROUND 7,000 militants are expected to crowd the streets of General Santos Wednesday to commemorate the 54th anniversary of the United Nation's International Declaration of Human Rights.
Ronan Ulanday, Bayan-Socsksargen spokesperson said the mass action would expose the dismal record of the Arroyo government in upholding the respect of human rights and in calling for the rejection of the "puppet, corrupt, and fascist regime of GMA."
Rights group Karapatan claimed the Arroyo government surpassed the record of its predecessors in human rights violations in her three years in power.
The group claimed it has documented 271 cases of extra judicial killings under the Arroyo government. Of this, 32 are reportedly members of the Bayan Muna partylist group, while 10 are minors.
Here in the region, Karapatan-Socsksargen also recorded a number of killings of civilians reportedly perpetrated by the military in the Socsksargen area.
It cited the case of a Dionisio Talingting, who was allegedly killed by elements of the Army's 7th Special Forces Battalion last March in Alabel, Sarangani.
The group further said there are two other victims in South Cotabato as a result of massive military operations following the ambush of an army official in Tupi town early this year.
Ulanday also warned about the resurgence of the insistent campaign of GMA to implement a National ID system, which the Supreme Court declared dangerous and unconstitutional because it violates the right to privacy.
"The proposed national ID system might be used by those in power as an instrument of oppression against groups and organizations critical to the government and will only exacerbates human rights violations," he added.
Ulanday urged the Filipino people to be vigilant in martial law-like measures, which he said never addresses the worsening economic crisis but only perpetuates suppression of civil and political rights.
(December 10, 2003 issue)
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