Group denounces utter disregard for human rights

CEBU, Philippines - As Karapatan-Central Visayas prepares for the commemoration of the 61st United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, the group condemns the government for “deliberately not paying attention and caring for human life and basic human rights.”

Victims of human rights violations opened a week-long commemoration with a press conference here in the city at past 10 a.m. yesterday to present rights reports as well as announce activities lined up for the celebration.

The organization pointed out that the government under President Gloria Arroyo consistently notches up the body count of assassinated activists, critics, perceived political enemies and even ordinary concerned citizens year after year.

Dennis Abarrientos, secretary-general of Karapatan-CV, said that since 2001, they have documented 1,119 victims of political killings, excluding those killed in the recent Maguindanao massacre.

Abarrientos said that 74 of the victims of political killings fell this year alone and among them are eight peasant activists in Negros Oriental making the province as the worst place for human rights in Central Visayas.

In the whole, there are 94 documented incidents of human rights violations in the region this year. While it is down from the 153 documented incidents of last year, there is however a leap in the number of killings from last year’s only two.

The group, in their press statement, pointed at the Armed Forces of the Philippines as the one which largely committed the incidents during counter-insurgency operations when activists are allegedly treated as combatants and military targets.

“Under such gloom, it is but necessary to demand from the government accountability and responsibility for the senseless degradation of human rights. As the government celebrates homage to human rights, it must be slapped with its own bloody hand for the culture of lawlessness and impunity reigning over our land,” they added. – Niña G. Sumacot/MEEV   (FREEMAN NEWS)