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Statement for life — for peace
On the occasion of GMA’s 6th SONA

Taripnong ti Kappia

July 24, 2006

“Remember Yahweh what has befallen us. Look and see our disgrace, our home handed over to strangers, our inheritance to foreigners.” Lamentations 5:1-2

In the midst of 706 unsolved political killings of church people, media persons, government employees, youth, women, indigenous peoples, lawyers, human rights workers, activists, peasants and workers, WE GIVE THANKS … for their selfless offering of their precious lives, for martyrdom, for peace. For life is not measured by the length of our lives, but by the gift we made of our lives for others. For the cause for which they gave their lives, their deaths were not a triumph of darkness but mighty explosions of light, that guide the winding paths of our nation’s pilgrimage to freedom. Our fallen friends and companions in the struggle can never be forgotten. Their every act of integrity, compassion, courage, and sacrifice has encouraged thousands to emulate their example. And as all of us must come to terms with inescapable death, they have inspired us to courageously struggle toward abundant life for all. Our hearts are filled to the brim with gratitude for their shining examples. For Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away.

In the midst of more than a hundred missing, and more than a hundred civilians traumatized from frustrated political killings, and thousands more harassed, violated, and displaced by an insane war, WE CELEBRATE… Even as Yahweh long defined the nothingness of darkness when He confounded all peoples with the accuracy and inevitability of the sunrise. These are but rehearsals of people’s sacrament and stories of the struggle for life, of seed surfacing from inhospitable rocks, of a child birthing against the deepest womb, of the Son of Man rising from the dead. YES the darkest night is our very assurance that dawn is sure to come.

In the midst of charges and counter charges against even bishops, businessmen, patriotic soldiers, imprisonment, persecution and betrayal of the people’s trust, tyranny and repression of basic freedoms and rights in the form of EO 464, PP 1017, etc …..against a backdrop massive corruption and poverty, WE REJOICE... For the oppressors are besieged in the chaos of their own making, as they are digging their very own graves in sinfulness and deceit. And even as they celebrate their own petty victories in the killings of the freedom loving civilians, we rejoice, for it is in the silencing of the just that their sublime cause is magnified a thousand times. And the love of the just is always stronger than death.

In the midst of the stalled peace negotiation between the government panel and the National Democratic Front, the maturation of anti-insurgency scheme is being implemented and the US-led war on terror is escalating as it is being waged in the country side and giving justification to the indiscriminate attacks on militant organizations who are critical to the administration. WE HEAVE A SIGH … may the God of freedom and Lord of history listen to our cry for justice! One ay soon our God shall act through the people – even as He is acting now – and the lowly shall be lifted up while the proud and haughty shall be crushed.

In the midst of the outright sell-out of our nation’s patrimony through the Mining Act, betrayal of truth through Charter Change, the promise of more war to suppress the people’s longings, and use of various laws in furtherance of tyranny, WE RAGE EVEN AS WE FERVENTLY PRAY… That hope may triumph over experience as it always does. For the people’s patience is now being stretched to its snapping point, and soon our cries of anguish will eventually turn into shouts of struggle. The force of conscience and humanity dictates— that we must obey God rather than men.

Bishop Desmond Tutu once said, “Goodness is stronger than evil. Love is stronger than hate. Light is stronger than darkness. Victory is ours through Him who loves us.”

We urge all freedom loving Filipinos to break silence into song and transform fear into a people’s movement for justice. Only then will today’s crisis be a tomorrow’s masterpiece created by our unity and solidarity. Let us all do this for LIFE——For PEACE!

We forward the following calls: No to Charter Change! Resume the Peace Negotiations! Stop the Killings! Uphold our Human Rights! Turn bombs into bread!

“The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” — Edmund Burke

A tyrannical government is not just, because it is directed, not to the common good, but to the private good of the ruler, as the Philosopher states. Consequently there is no sedition in disturbing a government of this kind, unless indeed the tyrant’s rule is disturbed so inordinately, that is, subjects suffer great harm from the consequent disturbance than from the tyrant’s government. Indeed, it is the tyrant rather that is guilty of sedition… — St. Thomas Aquinas in Summa Theologiae #

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