International

The Supreme Court final decision declaring the constitutionality of the US-PH Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement reaffirms the need for the Filipino people to continue asserting Philippine sovereignty and an independent and nationalist foreign policy," Cristina Palabay, Karapatan secretary general, said in reaction to the recent SC decision on EDCA.

The main provisions of EDCA on agreed locations for US personnel rotational basing and for US facilities and war materiel will strengthen US influence and control in the Philippines," Palabay said. 

At the 31st Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Switzerland

Geneva, Switzerland - Bread for the World, the Social Service Agency of the Protestant Church in Germany, through its Human Rights Adviser Sieglinde Weinbrenner, delivered an oral intervention on the continuing killings and attacks against human rights defenders in the Philippines and the non-arrest of the perpetrators of the Lianga massacre at the 31st United Nations Human Rights Council Sessions in Geneva, Switzerland. 

At the 31st Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Switzerland

March 4, 2016, Geneva, Switzerland - Michelle Campos, daughter of slain Lumad leader Dionel Campos, and Karapatan human rights workers Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay and Karapatan-Caraga coordinator Dr. Naty Castro, met United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders Michel Forst in the sidelines of the 31st UN Human Rights Council sessions in Geneva, Switzerland on March 2. 

Karapatan Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights - Philippines strongly condemns the atrocious practices and treatment of the Israeli occupation entity to Palestininan political prisoners. We particularly call for the immediate release of prisoner Mohammed al Qeeq, a journalist on hunger strike for 85 days now. He has lost his eyesight and hearing, and is reported to be close to death in the hospital bed of HaEmek in Afula.  

Photo credits: Samidoun Political Prisoners Network; PinoyWeekly 

“The Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) is BS Aquino’s ex-deal for an increased US military assistance at the expense of our nation’s sovereignty,” Cristina Palabay, Karapatan secretary general, said today as they supported groups which filed the motion for reconsideration on the Supreme Court’s decision stating that EDCA is constitutional.

​Gleeza Joy Belandres (right) 

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We, in Commission 3 (Defense of Human Rights at the Collective and Individual Levels in the Civil. Political, Economic, Social and Cultural Fields) of the International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS), vehemently condemn the continuing persecution of Palestinian parliamentarian Khalida Jarrar, former executive director and current vice-chair of the board of directors of Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association. 

The BS Aquino government is all set for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit Economic Leaders Meeting on November 18-19. 

photograb: http://www.telesurtv.net/ 

Karapatan at the Berlin human rights confab

In a conference organized by German human rights advocates and church workers in Berlin, Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay called on the international community to support the call for justice for the 282 victims of extrajudicial killings in the Philippines, including the 49 Lumad killed under the Aquino administration.

AMP coordinator Johannes Icking, German Parliamentarian Angelika Glockner and Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay