15-nation Int’l Youth Solidarity Mission seeks end to political slays in Philippines

International Youth Solidarity Mission Statement
28 June 2007

We, the participants of the International Youth Solidarity Mission
(IYSM), representing 15 Asia-Pacific countries1, held a human rights
workshop and subsequently conducted fact-finding missions in the
regions of Central Luzon and Bicol from 23-26 June 2007. Our aim was
to express solidarity and support for the victims and their families,
as well as to conduct actual investigation, documentation and
reportage of human rights violations in the Philippines to the
international community, especially in the case of youth and student
victims.

We would like to recognise the ongoing work of youth and student
activists in the Philippines, as defenders of human rights who are
persevering in the face of harassment and severe threat to their
lives. We also honour and pay homage to those who have given up their
lives in the fight for human rights, and hope that their sacrifice
will be a beacon of light in these troubled days.

The IYSM teams went to the Bicol and Central Luzon regions and met
with the survivors, families of victims, student and youth activists,
a human rights NGO, religious leaders, officials of the Philippine
National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). We
also studied documents of human rights violations and tried to conduct
a search of the military camp in Balanga, Bataan.

We are extremely alarmed at and very strongly condemn the rate of
extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances in the
Philippines, and particularly of youth and student activists, as well
as the suppression of progressive social movements. Apart from our
overall observation, our findings refer to in-depth examination of the
cases of Sherlyn Cadapan, Karen Empeno, Juancho Sanchez, Roberto
Bagasbas, Ronilo Brezuela and Farly Alcantara II.

From our expedition it is clear to us that most, if not all, the
extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances of youth activists
are coordinated by the AFP and state agents. We found insufficient
action on the part of the PNP, who have neglected to follow up on
cases of human rights violations and also have interfered with the
justice process by failing to keep correct documentation, such as
preservation of crime scenes, custody of evidence, photo documentation
and full autopsy reporting. Government bodies, including the Melo
Commission, Task Force USIG and the Special Court set up by the
Supreme Court, have had no significant effect on the rate of youth
targeting. They have neither prevented further violations nor assisted
in serving justice to any of the victims and their families. Rather,
these serve as mere appeasement to the international community’s
demand for action regarding the growing numbers of extra-judicial
killings and enforced disappearances. One human rights group has
documented that the number of youth killed from 2001 to date is 21
with an additional 53 minors, and that youth disappearances stand at
8, plus 4 minors.

There is a lack of real and effective victim and witness protection
programs. We also observed an extreme lack of confidence in the
existing government mechanisms for protection of human rights on the
behalf of victims’ family members, witnesses, Human Rights groups and
student activists. During the IYSM we faced difficulties due to
witness and family members of victim’s fear of further harassment and
threats from state agents if they were to speak out. Even the IYSM in
the Bicol region encountered security issues in the form of police
intimidation and surveillance.

In addition, we express our grave concern regarding the Human Security
Act due to be implemented on July 14th, the increased militarisation
of urban areas and in universities, and vilification of progressive
youth groups as “enemies of the state” by the AFP, as these could
further aggravate the human rights violations.

We call on the Philippines government under President Gloria Macapagal
Arroyo to:

* Immediately stop the extra judicial killings and enforced
disappearances in the Philippines, in particular of young activists.
We demand justice for the victims and their families, and prompt
resolution of the cases pending in court, such as those of Sherlyn
Cadapan and Karen Empeno and specially the cases that have not
received media attention such as the cases of Ronald Intal
* Recognise the right of Human Rights groups and families to
search military camps and secret detention centres for abducted
persons.
* Ensure ongoing security for victims, their families and witnesses.
* Act in accordance with its constitutional mandate and exercise
political will to reign in the military and police action effectively.
* End the criminalization of progressive movements and groups who
hold dissenting views from the government, and the labelling of them
as “communist front organizations” and “enemies of the state”.

We ask for honesty and integrity on the part of the PNP and Commission
on Human Rights, to live up to their mandate and carry out independent
investigations of reported human rights violations.

We recognise that governments have the right to address acts of
terrorism, however any such actions should be according to
international human rights and humanitarian law. We affirm that if
someone has done something wrong, they can be dealt with according to
the rule of law but not by extra-judicial killings and enforced
disappearances.

We affirm the UN Declaration on human rights defenders, which in
Article 1 states that all people have the right to work for the
protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
This should not lead to the persecution of those involved. The rights
of all human rights defenders should be recognised by the government
institutions. This should be addressed by the Philippine government,
which is a member of the UN Human Rights Council anad has an
obligation to act in accordance with the international human rights
treaties that it has ratified.

Finally we commit ourselves to continue to support the efforts of
Human Rights groups, victims and their families and call on the all
Filipino peoples and the international community to support their
work, in particular the work of youth activists in the Philippines.

Long live international solidarity!

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