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Never Again!

Statement of Canadians in solidarity with the Filipino people
on the 33rd anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law in the Philippines

By British Columbia Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines Ontario Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines
Philippine Network for Justice and Peace-Toronto
Centre for Philippine Concerns-Montreal

September 22, 2005

As Canadian human rights advocates in solidarity with the Filipino people’s struggle for national and social liberation, we remember with horror the 14 years of martial rule by the U.S.-supported dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos.

On this 33rd anniversary of the declaration of martial law on Sept. 21, 1972, we honour the memory of the hundreds of martyrs of this period, as well as the thousands of human rights victims who are still awaiting their just compensation.

Today, martial law is again rearing its ugly head. The signs are all there - including the unprecedented number of human rights violations committed by the present regime of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her U.S. backers in the name of fighting terrorism. The recently concluded International Solidarity Mission (ISM) conclusively proved that Arroyo is guilty of crimes against her own people just as Marcos was.

Despite the unceasing demands for her resignation in the face of allegations of rigging the elections, corruption, poverty and other ills besetting the country, she is still hanging on to power, backed by the US, hoping that the voice of the Filipino people will die out.

But the struggle continues and we are one with the Filipino people today as they journey towards their ultimate liberation from the tyranny of the U.S.-Arroyo regime and the basic problems besetting the Philippines as a semi-colonial and semi-feudal country. We shall not stand idly by as the rampage goes on and the cries of the Filipino people for the ouster of the US-Arroyo regime grows stronger every day.

We recently joined the August 2005 International Solidarity Mission to the Philippines, which investigated the horrific human rights violations committed by the regime and deemed President Arroyo without power and authority to hold office. We will continue to educate Canadians on the economic and political crisis besetting the Arroyo regime and the clamor of the people for its ouster. We will heighten our campaign to demand that the Canadian government withdraw its support of the Arroyo government for its human rights record. We will also continue to inform

Canadian churches and trade unions that the Arroyo regime is killing human rights activists, church people and striking workers and others struggling for genuine peace and social change.

While we weep for the sufferings endured by the Filipino people during martial law, we also rejoice at their victory in toppling the Marcos dictatorship. We are confident that the Filipino people will not allow martial law to happen again. As Canadians, we stand in full solidarity with that struggle which not only seeks the Filipino people’s own liberation but contributes to the overall people’s struggle against imperialism and all reaction around the world in various nations.

As Canadians, we vow to do our part to support the Filipino people’s struggle by calling for the following:
1. Canada should immediately and unconditionally withdraw its support for the US-Arroyo regime as it has lost all power and authority to govern and as it continues to pursue anti-people policies and a strategy of state terror.
2. Canada should also support the formation of a transitional council that will promote unity, reform and work towards all-round progress and genuine social change for the Filipino people.

We call on the Arroyo government to resume the aborted peace talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines and remove Prof. Jose Maria Sison from the U.S.-initiated “terrorist” listing. We also demand that the victims of the human rights violations of the Marcos dictatorship be immediately compensated.

Never Again to Martial Law!

Stop the political killings!

No to state terrorism in the Philippines!

Long live the memory of the martyrs of Martial Law! #

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