MANILA, Philippines – More than 900 days after activist Jonas Burgos was abducted, his mother went on a speaking tour in Europe to bring her son’s case, and that of many others like him, to the attention of foreign human rights organizations.
Dr. Editha Burgos, chairperson of Desaparecidos, an organization of families and loved ones of victims of forced disappearances in the Philippines, marked the 38th birthday of her son on Oct. 27 by speaking in London, United Kingdom; and in Cologne, Bonn and Berlin in Germany about their experiences in dealing with their loved ones’ disappearance.
She also went to the Netherlands on Oct. 29 then to Bologna and Milan in Italy. She is now headed to Belgium, to meet with European parliamentarians and human rights organizations in Brussels, Gent and Antwerp.
“I hope that I can help people realize what is happening to good people like my son and many, many others in the Philippines,” she said.
JL Burgos, Jonas’ brother and head of the Free Jonas Burgos Movement, presented films and art works to the audience. Proceeds from the sale of artworks would help fund the activities of the movement.
Jonas, an agriculturist and land rights activist, was abducted, in broad daylight in Quezon City, by armed men on April 28, 2007.
He is the son of the late anti-Marcos newspaper publisher Jose Burgos. Jonas trained San Miguel, Bulacan farmers in organic farming. The farmers he had been helping were members of Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Bulacan (AMB, Alliance of Peasants of Bulacan), a branch of the militant peasant organization Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP, Peasant Movement of the Philippines).
Desaparecidos claim that suspected security forces of the Arroyo administration are responsible for the disappearance of more than 200 people who expressed opposition to the policies of the government.