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Human Rights Day and the political killings

Fifty-seven years ago on December 10, 1948, the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. The instrument contained various rights ranging from civil and political, to sectoral and peoples’ rights. It called all parties – the member states - to adopt progressive measures to secure the recognition and observance of the different rights.

Since that period however, these rights have been violated continuously by the states who are supposed to ensure their protection. Regardless of the status of these states, they are involved in the systemic violations of rights – collective or individual. Take note for example, that the US transformed Iraq into ruins when it bombed and occupied that country without blessings from the United Nations. Many of the victims were innocent civilians. They are now suffering because of an illegal war waged by George Bush.

Even in the Philippines, human rights violations recorded at present are among the worst in Philippine history. Note that these rights are among the inalienable rights contained in the UDHR and other UN instruments. These are also found in the Bill of Rights of the 1987 constitution. Among these are the rights to life and liberty.

The state’s violations of the right to life were manifested just recently in the Cordillera and IIocos regions. In a span of 11 hours on November 28 to 29, alleged military elements killed church worker Pepe Manegdeg and DAR employee Albert Terradano. Both had been active in human rights advocacy. Pepe and Albert were among the active human rights advocates in Northern Luzon. They belonged to legitimate organizations and their advocacy was within the bounds of the law. They are among the 122 killed political activists since January this year.

The assassination of these political activists allegedly by the military is condemnable. The killings are extra-judicial and without due process. No person shall be deprived of life without due process of law, states the constitution, but the so- called protector of the people turns out to be the oppressor and executioner

Most of the people who had worked with Pepe and Albert believe that their deaths were aimed to silence them from their advocacy. From the legal angle, they said, legal cases that may be filed against advocates or activists will not prosper. And sending them to jail will not silence their advocacy. They cited the cases of 14 PO, NGO, and Church workers in Ilocos charged by ISAFP and CIDG with the killing of former priest Conrado Balweg. They were all dropped from the case as it was a concocted one. It was only meant to harass and silence them on their advocacy. But it furthered their struggle. In fact, Romy Sanchez, one among those charged, was killed by alleged military agents.

These state agents, acting according to an unwritten national policy, choose to totally silence activists through extra-judicial killings. And this policy by the present administration is ongoing - it equates legitimate political dissent with the armed group revolution.

These state atrocities and non-respect for human rights are a means for the administration to keep itself in power. And they will continue, as they have it in the ISAFP’s “Knowing the Enemy.” Unless the people will unite for the removal of the despot whose mandate is questionable anyway, this grim situation will go on.

As we commemorate Human Rights Day, let us remember these martyrs who sacrificed their lives for a just and humane society. #

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