December 28, 2015

THERE SHALL BE NO PEACE

UNLESS WE ALL WORK FOR JUSTICE
This Christmas portrayed as a season of joy and abundance was called by Pope Francis
as acharade because the whole world is at war.
Its all a charade. The world has not understood the way of peace. The whole world is at
war, Pope Francis said
What shall remain in the wake of this war, in the midst of which we are living now?
Pope Francis asked. What shall remain? Ruins, thousands of children without education,
so many innocent victims, and lots of money in the pockets of arms dealers.
The Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA)-Karapatan takes the message of the Pope
as a concrete reality in the Philippines. Oplan Bayanihan, other political and economic
policies and agreements including the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement
(EDCA) with the United States of America and increased military aid from the same
clearly demonstrates this charade with the economic and political persecution of the
Filipino people for profit and the interests of the few ruling class.
Meanwhile, the peace talks between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the
National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) that is supposed to tackle the roots
of the civil war in the Philippines with the second substantive agenda on the peace
negotiations the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Rights (CASER)
is at a standstill. The Government of the Philippines has been consistently violating the
previous agreements both parties have signed especially the Comprehensive Agreement
on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Laws (CARHRIHL),
the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) for the consultants of
the peace talks with the incarceration of 19 NDFP consultants including Kennedy
Bangibang detained in Tabuk, Kalinga and 536 other political prisoners. Alternative
schools in Mindanao are under attack by State security forces and paramilitary groups.
Human rights and international humanitarian law violations continue to this day. The
GPH even declared The Hague Declaration which defined the process of the peace talks
as a document of perpetual division.
As the year comes to an end, we enjoin everyone to work for the peace that is meaningful
the peace that is based on justice where the needs and welfare of the people
especially the peasants, workers, and the middle class are placed as the most important
priority - that Christmas will never be a charade.#
For reference:
Imelda Tabiando, Secretary General
Cordillera Human Rights Alliance, Mobile number: 09189199007