Fact-finding mission reveals HR violations in Las Navas barrios
By KATUNGOD-Northern Samar
August 9, 2006
http://www.samarnews.com/news2006/aug/f755.htm
CATARMAN, Northern Samar – Marlon Parani is barely 12 years old. His being a child, however, does not exempt him from being harassed by the military.
Parani was about to go to school on the morning of July 5 when two soldiers approached and forced him to admit that he knows of a certain Kumander Pigaw. When he denied the allegations, one of the soldiers threatened to kill him right on the spot and coerced him to go with them to the military camp.
His case was only one of the human rights violations documented by the fact-finding team organized by the small farmers’ organization PESANTE, and the human rights group KATUNGOD (Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights) in Northern Samar. The group conducted a fact-finding mission in the farming villages of Imelda, Quirino and San Francisco in Las Navas (a town in Northern Samar about 232 km away from Tacloban City) from July 24 to 28.
Harassment, physical assault
Jonathan Calades, Secretary-General of KATUNGOD-Northern Samar, described the human rights violations in the three communities as “grave” and “alarming.”
“We documented 55 cases of human rights violations with 288 victims. Considering that the mission covered only three barrios, this is already alarming,” he said. Calades added, “This figure does not even include those violations, which the victims refused to divulge to the fact-finding team for fear of possible reprisal.”
The fact-finding team documented cases of arbitrary detention, attempted killing, destruction of property, harassment and threat, involuntary disappearance, physical assault, strafing, torture and other violations. Of these violations, harassment and threat accounts for 26 cases with 26 victims, which included seven minors (13 years and below). Physical assault and attempted killing come next with 5 victims each. The violations, which affected 120 minors, happened between May and July this year.
The victims pinpointed the military elements belonging to the 63rd Infantry Battalion under the command of Col. Felemon Santos as the perpetrators. The military unit has its camp in Brgy. Opong in Catubig, a neighboring town of Las Navas.
Calades noted a rise in the number of human rights violations in the villages after government troops under the command of 2nd Lt. Tizon ran over an alleged NPA camp situated about 1 km away from Brgy. Imelda on July 6.
Fifty of the 55 violations were committed after the clash, according to Calades. Among these was the forced evacuation of 204 villagers in Brgy. Imelda and Brgy. Quirino, who told the team that they did it for fear that they might be the next target of military attack.
“The significant increase in the number of human rights violations after the clash showed the military’s brazen disrespect for human rights and international humanitarian laws. In their effort to stamp out insurgency, they also target civilians whom they suspect as NPA members or sympathizers,” he stressed.
Worse poverty situation
Although the rest of the residents in the three villages have not experienced the abuses themselves, the soldiers’ mere presence caused them anxiety and fear.
Mylene Ymata, Secretary-General of PESANTE, said the villagers’ fear of the military has disrupted their livelihood.
“The local folks revealed that many of them are now afraid to go out to their farm to
work. They are in constant fear that they might come across soldiers in combat operation. Consequently, their income dipped,” Ymata said. She added, “In normal situation, the villagers could at least earn a daily income of Php 77 from farming. Now, they could only earn between Php 40 to 50 a day.”
Ymata further said that those branded as NPA members had it worse.
She cited the case of the two Norcio families who were forced to leave their homes and farms in Brgy. Quirino after the military interrogated and accused them of being NPA members.
The victims are presently staying with their relatives in a nearby village. They make do with whatever support they get from their relatives and their small share from working on the latter’s farms.
More rights violations
Calades expressed alarm over the government’s all-out war against the communist rebels as this would take its toll on the poor civilians in the countryside.
“This move would only escalate the number of human rights violations and worsen the poverty situation of the peasant sector,” he said.
KATUNGOD-Eastern Visayas already recorded 42 cases of human rights violations with 4,203 victims from January to June 2006 in the region. The human rights group also recorded one case of harassment done against 3 progressive partylist and organizations.
Calades further said, “Instead of intensifying military operations in the countryside, the government should rather improve the delivery of basic social services to the peasant communities and concentrate on alleviating poverty which is the root cause of the long-running insurgency.”
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Amnesty International tells RP: Shame on you
Amnesty Int’l tells RP: Shame on you
Slays traced to state of emergency, war vs Reds
By Norman Bordadora
Inquirer
Last updated 01:59am (Mla time) 08/16/2006
Published on Page A1 of the August 16, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer
THE UNABATED killing of leftist activists constitutes a pattern of political executions that should be a source of “deep embarrassment” to the Philippine government, according to Amnesty International (AI).
In a 51-page report released yesterday, the London-based human rights group said the threat of more such murders had intensified this year along with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s declaration of a state of emergency in February, the arrest and threatened arrest of militant party-list lawmakers, and the administration’s all-out war against communist insurgents.
The group raised concerns about “credible reports” that security forces were involved in the killings, or at least tolerated or had knowledge of them.
AI documented a steep increase in the incidence of extrajudicial killings this year, recording 51 cases in the first semester. It pointed out there were 66 such killings in the entire 2005.
“No one deserves to die for their political affiliation. It should be a deep embarrassment to the government that people in the Philippines cannot freely exercise their rights of political __expression and association,” said AI’s Southeast Asia researcher Tim Parritt.
In its report that included case studies of the killings and of warrantless arrests, AI listed these key recommendations: Reassertion of respect for human rights; guarantee of the administration of justice; compliance with the human rights agreement in the peace process, and action by other human rights institutions.
UN mechanisms
AI called on the Philippine government to seek the expertise of the United Nations’ “relevant special mechanisms” by inviting the Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Executions, the Special Representative on Human Rights Defenders and representatives of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention to visit the Philippines.
It also called for an independent oversight body that would ensure that all investigations of political killings -- including those by the Philippine National Police’s Task Force Usig -- were backed by effective coordination between the PNP, National Bureau of Investigation, Department of Justice and Department of National Defense.
Asked yesterday to comment, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said: “Let us be very clear: These killings are appalling and the President condemns them in the strongest possible terms. She has taken a number of actions. She has offered rewards, brought in the police and directed the [DoJ] to stop at nothing in bringing the perpetrators to justice. She is determined to bring these breaches under control and to mete out the harshest punishments to the offenders.”
Culture of impunity
In her State of the Nation Address last month, the President said she was condemning the political killings. But she also heaped lavish praise on Major General Jovito Palparan, who has been tagged the “butcher” of leftist activists for the cases of extrajudicial killings and rights abuses in areas where he has been posted.
“The common features in the methodology of the attacks, the leftist profile of the victims and an apparent culture of impunity shielding the perpetrators has led AI to believe that the killings are not an unconnected series of criminal murders, armed robberies or other unlawful killings,” the group said.
“Rather, they constitute a pattern of politically targeted extrajudicial executions taking place within the broader context of a continuing counterinsurgency campaign,” it said.
It cited motorcycle-riding death squads preying on leftist activists as well as cases of militant politicians and activists being labeled as communist cadres.
AI called for a renewed commitment from both the government and the Communist Party of the Philippines to respect human rights, noting that the New People’s Army, the armed wing of the CPP, had announced the formation of “retaliatory hit squads” against government forces.
“With the political will necessary to revive peace negotiations currently appearing absent, [AI] believes it essential that all sides urgently reassert respect for human rights in order to prevent
Slays traced to state of emergency, war vs Reds
By Norman Bordadora
Inquirer
Last updated 01:59am (Mla time) 08/16/2006
Published on Page A1 of the August 16, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer
THE UNABATED killing of leftist activists constitutes a pattern of political executions that should be a source of “deep embarrassment” to the Philippine government, according to Amnesty International (AI).
In a 51-page report released yesterday, the London-based human rights group said the threat of more such murders had intensified this year along with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s declaration of a state of emergency in February, the arrest and threatened arrest of militant party-list lawmakers, and the administration’s all-out war against communist insurgents.
The group raised concerns about “credible reports” that security forces were involved in the killings, or at least tolerated or had knowledge of them.
AI documented a steep increase in the incidence of extrajudicial killings this year, recording 51 cases in the first semester. It pointed out there were 66 such killings in the entire 2005.
“No one deserves to die for their political affiliation. It should be a deep embarrassment to the government that people in the Philippines cannot freely exercise their rights of political __expression and association,” said AI’s Southeast Asia researcher Tim Parritt.
In its report that included case studies of the killings and of warrantless arrests, AI listed these key recommendations: Reassertion of respect for human rights; guarantee of the administration of justice; compliance with the human rights agreement in the peace process, and action by other human rights institutions.
UN mechanisms
AI called on the Philippine government to seek the expertise of the United Nations’ “relevant special mechanisms” by inviting the Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Executions, the Special Representative on Human Rights Defenders and representatives of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention to visit the Philippines.
It also called for an independent oversight body that would ensure that all investigations of political killings -- including those by the Philippine National Police’s Task Force Usig -- were backed by effective coordination between the PNP, National Bureau of Investigation, Department of Justice and Department of National Defense.
Asked yesterday to comment, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said: “Let us be very clear: These killings are appalling and the President condemns them in the strongest possible terms. She has taken a number of actions. She has offered rewards, brought in the police and directed the [DoJ] to stop at nothing in bringing the perpetrators to justice. She is determined to bring these breaches under control and to mete out the harshest punishments to the offenders.”
Culture of impunity
In her State of the Nation Address last month, the President said she was condemning the political killings. But she also heaped lavish praise on Major General Jovito Palparan, who has been tagged the “butcher” of leftist activists for the cases of extrajudicial killings and rights abuses in areas where he has been posted.
“The common features in the methodology of the attacks, the leftist profile of the victims and an apparent culture of impunity shielding the perpetrators has led AI to believe that the killings are not an unconnected series of criminal murders, armed robberies or other unlawful killings,” the group said.
“Rather, they constitute a pattern of politically targeted extrajudicial executions taking place within the broader context of a continuing counterinsurgency campaign,” it said.
It cited motorcycle-riding death squads preying on leftist activists as well as cases of militant politicians and activists being labeled as communist cadres.
AI called for a renewed commitment from both the government and the Communist Party of the Philippines to respect human rights, noting that the New People’s Army, the armed wing of the CPP, had announced the formation of “retaliatory hit squads” against government forces.
“With the political will necessary to revive peace negotiations currently appearing absent, [AI] believes it essential that all sides urgently reassert respect for human rights in order to prevent
Monday, August 14, 2006
Repression a testiment to how truly strong the National Democratic Movement is at this time
a letter from a friend
I have to write this last communique alone cause, as you all know, Adam is already home in the Bay. In the last week since Adam left the Philippines, the most important update I have from the time I spent with workers and peasants is the fight against the political repression, disappearances and killings of the mass leaders in every sector of the moment under GMA.
Originally, I was scheduled to go to Baguio for four days to do an exposure with Gabriella and Lesbond in the area. just two days before i was going to leave, a doctor, who is a leader of the Bayan Muna party list near Baguio City, and his wife were shot in front of their 7 year old daughter. He survived the shooting, but his wife did not. Because of this and other threats to mass leaders in the area, my exposure there was cancelled. (I will send an article about the shooting of Dr. Constancio Claver, known as Chandu, and his wife Sandy right after this update.)
The reality throughout our trip is that unarmed mass leaders were killed abducted almost every single day in different regions across the country. The situation escallated dramatically after SONA, when GMA said that political killings must end, but praised the work of General Jovito Palperon, the number one suspect and known arhitect of the counter-insurgency strategy of "extrajudicial killings." This blanket approval from GMA, gave a green light to an already epidemic crisis. The wave of killings and abductions that followed immediately the week after SONA caused even the mainstream newspapers to run 4 to 5 stories a day about political killings of Leftists and targetting GMA for her lack of action to stop this humanitarian crisis.
When she finally came under this pressure and some increasing pressure from KARAPATAN Philippines, Amnesty International and other human rights watch dogs, GMA issued a memorandum last week calling for the police to resolve 10 cases in the next 10 weeks. The police claim that they cannot meet this deadline. Still to this date, the police have not produced a single arrest of any suspect for any of the more than 720 political killings that have occured since GMA took power 5 years ago.
Why? Because it had become increasingly open knowledge that it is the State itself that is sytematically carrying out a terror campaign against the Left. Even all the mainstream press in the Philippines are pointing repeatedly to the Philippine Armed Forces and National Police as the prime suspects in these extrajudictial killings and abductions of leftists. The National Democratic Front, as well as international human rights groups like Amnesty International, are now calling for an independent investigation of these cases.
The Military and the Police as the Prime Suspects
Just last Thursday, Sta. Rosa, a pastor of the United Methodist Church who was also a member of the peasant mass alliance KMP, was shot dead by about 10 masked gunmen outside his home in Barangay Malobago here Thursday night.
The incredible thing about this incident was that during the attack, he was that although he did not survive the attack, Pastor Rosa was able to obtain one of the guns of his attackers. In self defense, he shot and killed one of the ten men. This attacker was then positively identified in the newspapers as a member of Phippine National Army, and he was carrying orders to Pastor Rosa.
The same facts echo in nearly every story you hear. I was able to join one day of a fact finding mission during the International Peasant Solidarity Mission. I will share just two short brief excerpts of the families and victims from Central Luzon who I was able to meet during this mission:
1. The mother of Leodigario Dunzal
Leodigario was a sign painter by trade. He lived alone with his 71 year old mother in Central Luzon. He also volunteered his time to paint banners for the Anak Pawis Party List. Last September, 2005 he was was shot at 1pm, in broad daylight. His mother witnessed the shooting and yelled at the killer as he slowly walked away from the scene. He was shot while he was painting a banner for Anak Pawis. The police refused to even search for the killer. When they came to the scene, they told his mother that there was no way that anyone could be found. To this date, the police have refused to open the case, sighting a lack of evidense.
2. The mothers of Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeno, 2 UP students who were abducted with their classmate Mario Marino. Sherlyn, Karen, and Mario were abducted on June 27th, 2006 while they were conducting final work for their thesis on the peasant situation in Central Luzon. Karen was a member of Anak Bayan, Sherlyn was not a member of any political organizations. Sherlyn was two months pregnant at the time of the abduction. Sherlyn cried out repeatedly for help as they were being abducted, and she was then beaten very badly. Many members of the community did come out to see what was happening, and those witnesses to the incedent have now gone into hiding with the mothers of these two girls, so that they can continue to speak out and call for their release. Each of these witnesses has sighted that the men who abducted these students were wearing full military fatiques with their faces covered. The military has denied that they are in custody. The family just filed a case in the Philippine Supreme Court calling for the military to produce the bodies of these three young students.
There are so many stories just like these, literally every day.
Despite all of this evidense, and countless stories, GMA is not under nearly enough pressure. She is under more pressure from the cases of theft and corruption (which are serious as well) then she is for these horrendous murders.
Many people in the Philippines expressed to me that their greatest fear is that the people will somehow get used to this. That if GMA and General Palperon continue to act with impunity, the killing of Leftists and progressives will become accepted as the state of things, and this highly abnormal climate of Fascism will be somehow made normal. For this reason, they all issued such a strong plea to left activists and progressives in the U.S. to take action and get the story into the U.S. Media. They called on all of us to help expose the crisis internationally, and to show our outrage in our actions.
Sorry, if this update is coming across very intense. We all know that this repression is in fact a testiment to how truly strong the National Democratic Movement is at this time. The government is clearly affraid, and they are trying desperately to crush everyone sympathetic to the demands of the poor and of the workers. So now is also a time when our actions of international solidarity are even more important and carry even that much more significance.
It was so so hard to leave after such an incredible experience. But I did leave yesterday. I am actually writing this from Seoul, Korea. Tonight, I will meet up with the KEEP delgation of Korean organizers from the U.S. I will get a chance to be with them in solidarity for the mass actions in the next four days led by the Pyongtaek farmers and left labor unions fighting against U.S. military expansion of bases in South Korea, and against the U.S -South Korea Free Trade Agreement. It's a huge blessing and opportunity to be here, and I hope some of the news from this week will break through the white out in U.S. press too. I'll document as much as possible to bring home very soon.
Looking forward to coming home soon.
p.s. Our kasamas from LFS and Babae San Francisco will also have even more information about the current fight against political killings in the Philippines, because many of them concentrated their time supporting the efforts of KARAPATAN in mouting the lastest stage of the fight against human rights abuses in the Philippines. I will send out an announcement of thier report backs as soon as I have them.
I have to write this last communique alone cause, as you all know, Adam is already home in the Bay. In the last week since Adam left the Philippines, the most important update I have from the time I spent with workers and peasants is the fight against the political repression, disappearances and killings of the mass leaders in every sector of the moment under GMA.
Originally, I was scheduled to go to Baguio for four days to do an exposure with Gabriella and Lesbond in the area. just two days before i was going to leave, a doctor, who is a leader of the Bayan Muna party list near Baguio City, and his wife were shot in front of their 7 year old daughter. He survived the shooting, but his wife did not. Because of this and other threats to mass leaders in the area, my exposure there was cancelled. (I will send an article about the shooting of Dr. Constancio Claver, known as Chandu, and his wife Sandy right after this update.)
The reality throughout our trip is that unarmed mass leaders were killed abducted almost every single day in different regions across the country. The situation escallated dramatically after SONA, when GMA said that political killings must end, but praised the work of General Jovito Palperon, the number one suspect and known arhitect of the counter-insurgency strategy of "extrajudicial killings." This blanket approval from GMA, gave a green light to an already epidemic crisis. The wave of killings and abductions that followed immediately the week after SONA caused even the mainstream newspapers to run 4 to 5 stories a day about political killings of Leftists and targetting GMA for her lack of action to stop this humanitarian crisis.
When she finally came under this pressure and some increasing pressure from KARAPATAN Philippines, Amnesty International and other human rights watch dogs, GMA issued a memorandum last week calling for the police to resolve 10 cases in the next 10 weeks. The police claim that they cannot meet this deadline. Still to this date, the police have not produced a single arrest of any suspect for any of the more than 720 political killings that have occured since GMA took power 5 years ago.
Why? Because it had become increasingly open knowledge that it is the State itself that is sytematically carrying out a terror campaign against the Left. Even all the mainstream press in the Philippines are pointing repeatedly to the Philippine Armed Forces and National Police as the prime suspects in these extrajudictial killings and abductions of leftists. The National Democratic Front, as well as international human rights groups like Amnesty International, are now calling for an independent investigation of these cases.
The Military and the Police as the Prime Suspects
Just last Thursday, Sta. Rosa, a pastor of the United Methodist Church who was also a member of the peasant mass alliance KMP, was shot dead by about 10 masked gunmen outside his home in Barangay Malobago here Thursday night.
The incredible thing about this incident was that during the attack, he was that although he did not survive the attack, Pastor Rosa was able to obtain one of the guns of his attackers. In self defense, he shot and killed one of the ten men. This attacker was then positively identified in the newspapers as a member of Phippine National Army, and he was carrying orders to Pastor Rosa.
The same facts echo in nearly every story you hear. I was able to join one day of a fact finding mission during the International Peasant Solidarity Mission. I will share just two short brief excerpts of the families and victims from Central Luzon who I was able to meet during this mission:
1. The mother of Leodigario Dunzal
Leodigario was a sign painter by trade. He lived alone with his 71 year old mother in Central Luzon. He also volunteered his time to paint banners for the Anak Pawis Party List. Last September, 2005 he was was shot at 1pm, in broad daylight. His mother witnessed the shooting and yelled at the killer as he slowly walked away from the scene. He was shot while he was painting a banner for Anak Pawis. The police refused to even search for the killer. When they came to the scene, they told his mother that there was no way that anyone could be found. To this date, the police have refused to open the case, sighting a lack of evidense.
2. The mothers of Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeno, 2 UP students who were abducted with their classmate Mario Marino. Sherlyn, Karen, and Mario were abducted on June 27th, 2006 while they were conducting final work for their thesis on the peasant situation in Central Luzon. Karen was a member of Anak Bayan, Sherlyn was not a member of any political organizations. Sherlyn was two months pregnant at the time of the abduction. Sherlyn cried out repeatedly for help as they were being abducted, and she was then beaten very badly. Many members of the community did come out to see what was happening, and those witnesses to the incedent have now gone into hiding with the mothers of these two girls, so that they can continue to speak out and call for their release. Each of these witnesses has sighted that the men who abducted these students were wearing full military fatiques with their faces covered. The military has denied that they are in custody. The family just filed a case in the Philippine Supreme Court calling for the military to produce the bodies of these three young students.
There are so many stories just like these, literally every day.
Despite all of this evidense, and countless stories, GMA is not under nearly enough pressure. She is under more pressure from the cases of theft and corruption (which are serious as well) then she is for these horrendous murders.
Many people in the Philippines expressed to me that their greatest fear is that the people will somehow get used to this. That if GMA and General Palperon continue to act with impunity, the killing of Leftists and progressives will become accepted as the state of things, and this highly abnormal climate of Fascism will be somehow made normal. For this reason, they all issued such a strong plea to left activists and progressives in the U.S. to take action and get the story into the U.S. Media. They called on all of us to help expose the crisis internationally, and to show our outrage in our actions.
Sorry, if this update is coming across very intense. We all know that this repression is in fact a testiment to how truly strong the National Democratic Movement is at this time. The government is clearly affraid, and they are trying desperately to crush everyone sympathetic to the demands of the poor and of the workers. So now is also a time when our actions of international solidarity are even more important and carry even that much more significance.
It was so so hard to leave after such an incredible experience. But I did leave yesterday. I am actually writing this from Seoul, Korea. Tonight, I will meet up with the KEEP delgation of Korean organizers from the U.S. I will get a chance to be with them in solidarity for the mass actions in the next four days led by the Pyongtaek farmers and left labor unions fighting against U.S. military expansion of bases in South Korea, and against the U.S -South Korea Free Trade Agreement. It's a huge blessing and opportunity to be here, and I hope some of the news from this week will break through the white out in U.S. press too. I'll document as much as possible to bring home very soon.
Looking forward to coming home soon.
p.s. Our kasamas from LFS and Babae San Francisco will also have even more information about the current fight against political killings in the Philippines, because many of them concentrated their time supporting the efforts of KARAPATAN in mouting the lastest stage of the fight against human rights abuses in the Philippines. I will send out an announcement of thier report backs as soon as I have them.
Where Have All the Soldiers Gone?
“They always say let’s make the military apolitical, let’s make the military apolitical,” Pulido said. “But the military is but a part of society, and when the military man goes home, he faces the same problems we all face: he lacks money for his children’s food and tuition, the Meralco bill is so high, water and fare rates are so high, everything is expensive. So of course it pushes him to question himself: ‘Why am I risking my life every day I go into the field for a government that does not even allow me to feed my family?’ So they may have crushed whatever it is that they say they’ve crushed, but certainly they have not crushed dissent.”Click here to read the entire article
Aug 12: 30,000 fill the streets around the White House
The country's largest protest against the U.S.-Israeli assault
30,000 fill the streets around the White House
More then 30,000 demonstrators filled the streets around the White House today chanting, “Stop the US-Israeli war against Lebanon and Palestine.”
The New York Times reported today that the demonstration's “diverse crowd included many Arab-Americans and Muslims, college students and families, as well as veterans of prior demonstrations against the war in Iraq.” The NY Times goes on, “thousands of people rallied near the White House on Saturday to protest what they described as Israeli aggression in Lebanon and the United States’ unwavering support for Israel …At the rally on Saturday, the prevailing sentiments were expressed in signs held aloft by marchers: “Occupation is a crime — Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine.” “Stop Israeli terrorism.” “No justice, no peace.’’
This was the largest demonstration in the US since the commencement of the Israeli bombing campaign of Lebanon and Gaza in mid-July.
The demonstration was initiated by the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition, Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation and the National Council of Arab Americans. More then 150 buses brought demonstrators from, MI, IL, NY, MD, FL, VA, MA, NJ and 25 other states.
In San Francisco 15,000 people marched in one of several other August 12 actions timed to coincide with the Emergency March on Washington. In Los Angeles 5,000 demonstrated. Smaller actions of about 600 people in Seattle and 300 people in Orlando Florida were also held.
August 12 a Global Day of Action
August 12 emerged as a day of coordinated worldwide protests. Street demonstrations were held in Mombasa and Nairobi, Kenya; Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, Canada; Madrid, Spain; Paraguay; Damascus, Syria; Santiago, Chile; Mumbai, India; Istanbul, Turkey; Mogadishu, Somalia; Dhaka, Bangladesh; Karachi, Pakistan; Jakarta, Indonesia; Sydney, Australia; Nablus, Palestine; Sao Paulo, Brazil; and many others.
Speakers at the Washington D.C. demonstration included, former Attorney General Ramsey Clark; Mahdi Bray the Executive Director of the Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation; Mara Verheyden-Hilliard an attorney and co-founder of the Partnership for Civil Justice; Brian Becker the National Coordinator of the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition; Dr. Mounzer Sleiman of the National Council of Arab Americans; Osama Siblani Publisher at Arab American News; Peta Lindsay Howard University student and Coordinator ANSWER Student and Youth; and Dr. Clovis Maksoud the Former ambassador from the Arab League to the U.N, Arab-American Anti Discrimination Committee (ADC), and others.
Crimes against Lebanon and Palestine Continue
The U.S.-Israeli war against Lebanon and Palestine has created immense suffering for the people but it has also created widespread resistance. The Bush administration and the Israeli government believed that this massive bombing campaign would force all of Lebanon into a new U.S. sphere of influence. Just the opposite has happened. This same fantasy has backfired in Iraq as well.
Overwhelming military power has inflicted unimaginable human suffering but failed in achieving its political objectives of transforming the entire oil rich region into a virtual colony. The effort to achieve the “new” colonialism by brute force has and will inspire continued resistance by the Lebanese, Palestinian, Iraqi, Syrian and Iranian people and all the peoples of the area.
The August 12 Emergency Demonstrations were an important step in forging the kind of U.S. anti-war movement in the United States that embraces the just cause of the peoples’ in the Middle East who are rejecting domination by the new imperial Empire. Instead of having the people of the United States pitted against the Arab people our message is one of solidarity.
People in the United States must struggle for jobs, justice, education, and in opposition to racism at home rather than be dragged along by the war makers in Washington D.C. Their chauvinistic campaign against those in the Middle East who are seeking to freely determine their own destiny is a calculated propaganda effort by the Bush administration -- and all those Republicans and Democrats alike -- who support its program of endless war. It is not the people of the United States but the big transnational corporations and banks, and especially the largest oil monopolies, who are the real beneficiaries of the Bush program.
Help take the next steps and stay involved as an activist or supporter of the anti-war movement. Congratulations to all the thousands of volunteers and supporters who made the August 12 demonstrations such an important step in continuing to build this movement. Contact one of the A.N.S.W.E.R. offices listed below and come out to the next volunteers and organizers meeting. If there is not a close A.N.S.W.E.R. office to your area but want to stay involved, contact the national office below.
http://www.internationalanswer.org
Click here to see the New York Times coverage of the protest.
Click here to see the Washington Post coverage of the protest.
30,000 fill the streets around the White House
More then 30,000 demonstrators filled the streets around the White House today chanting, “Stop the US-Israeli war against Lebanon and Palestine.”
The New York Times reported today that the demonstration's “diverse crowd included many Arab-Americans and Muslims, college students and families, as well as veterans of prior demonstrations against the war in Iraq.” The NY Times goes on, “thousands of people rallied near the White House on Saturday to protest what they described as Israeli aggression in Lebanon and the United States’ unwavering support for Israel …At the rally on Saturday, the prevailing sentiments were expressed in signs held aloft by marchers: “Occupation is a crime — Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine.” “Stop Israeli terrorism.” “No justice, no peace.’’
This was the largest demonstration in the US since the commencement of the Israeli bombing campaign of Lebanon and Gaza in mid-July.
The demonstration was initiated by the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition, Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation and the National Council of Arab Americans. More then 150 buses brought demonstrators from, MI, IL, NY, MD, FL, VA, MA, NJ and 25 other states.
In San Francisco 15,000 people marched in one of several other August 12 actions timed to coincide with the Emergency March on Washington. In Los Angeles 5,000 demonstrated. Smaller actions of about 600 people in Seattle and 300 people in Orlando Florida were also held.
August 12 a Global Day of Action
August 12 emerged as a day of coordinated worldwide protests. Street demonstrations were held in Mombasa and Nairobi, Kenya; Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, Canada; Madrid, Spain; Paraguay; Damascus, Syria; Santiago, Chile; Mumbai, India; Istanbul, Turkey; Mogadishu, Somalia; Dhaka, Bangladesh; Karachi, Pakistan; Jakarta, Indonesia; Sydney, Australia; Nablus, Palestine; Sao Paulo, Brazil; and many others.
Speakers at the Washington D.C. demonstration included, former Attorney General Ramsey Clark; Mahdi Bray the Executive Director of the Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation; Mara Verheyden-Hilliard an attorney and co-founder of the Partnership for Civil Justice; Brian Becker the National Coordinator of the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition; Dr. Mounzer Sleiman of the National Council of Arab Americans; Osama Siblani Publisher at Arab American News; Peta Lindsay Howard University student and Coordinator ANSWER Student and Youth; and Dr. Clovis Maksoud the Former ambassador from the Arab League to the U.N, Arab-American Anti Discrimination Committee (ADC), and others.
Crimes against Lebanon and Palestine Continue
The U.S.-Israeli war against Lebanon and Palestine has created immense suffering for the people but it has also created widespread resistance. The Bush administration and the Israeli government believed that this massive bombing campaign would force all of Lebanon into a new U.S. sphere of influence. Just the opposite has happened. This same fantasy has backfired in Iraq as well.
Overwhelming military power has inflicted unimaginable human suffering but failed in achieving its political objectives of transforming the entire oil rich region into a virtual colony. The effort to achieve the “new” colonialism by brute force has and will inspire continued resistance by the Lebanese, Palestinian, Iraqi, Syrian and Iranian people and all the peoples of the area.
The August 12 Emergency Demonstrations were an important step in forging the kind of U.S. anti-war movement in the United States that embraces the just cause of the peoples’ in the Middle East who are rejecting domination by the new imperial Empire. Instead of having the people of the United States pitted against the Arab people our message is one of solidarity.
People in the United States must struggle for jobs, justice, education, and in opposition to racism at home rather than be dragged along by the war makers in Washington D.C. Their chauvinistic campaign against those in the Middle East who are seeking to freely determine their own destiny is a calculated propaganda effort by the Bush administration -- and all those Republicans and Democrats alike -- who support its program of endless war. It is not the people of the United States but the big transnational corporations and banks, and especially the largest oil monopolies, who are the real beneficiaries of the Bush program.
Help take the next steps and stay involved as an activist or supporter of the anti-war movement. Congratulations to all the thousands of volunteers and supporters who made the August 12 demonstrations such an important step in continuing to build this movement. Contact one of the A.N.S.W.E.R. offices listed below and come out to the next volunteers and organizers meeting. If there is not a close A.N.S.W.E.R. office to your area but want to stay involved, contact the national office below.
http://www.internationalanswer.org
Click here to see the New York Times coverage of the protest.
Click here to see the Washington Post coverage of the protest.
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