Philippines churches appeal to UN on human rights abuses

-28/08/06

Philippine churches


Philippines churches appeal to UN on human rights abuses

-28/08/06

Philippine churches are documenting all killings of clerics and church lay workers, and other human rights violations, so they can file these before the United Nations and other international human rights’ bodies, according to a church-based human rights group ñ writes Maurice Malanes for Ecumenical News International.

“We are professionally documenting cases of killings, threats and harassments of church people so we can file complaints before the United Nations, Human Rights Watch, and the Permanent People’s Tribunal,” Lei Garcia, executive director of the Church Office for International Network in the Philippines, or CONTAK Philippines, told ENI.

She said CONTAK Philippines is coordinating its documentation work with the National Council of Churches in the Philippines and the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, or the UCCP.

In the United States, the head of the United Methodist Council of Bishops has urged US President George W. Bush, himself a Methodist, to press Philippines President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to take steps to reduce violence throughout the Southeast Asian country.

In a letter to Bush, bishops’ president Janice Riggle Huie of Houston cited the 3 August 2006 murder of Isaias Santa Rosa, a Methodist local pastor, the United Methodists News Service reported. He was one of 21 church worker killed in the Philippines since 2001.

“United Methodists in the Philippines and the United States are deeply troubled by the growing violence of the military under President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,” Huie wrote in her letter on 22 August to Bush. “We ask you to communicate to President Macapagal-Arroyo our deepening concerns, concerns which we expect you in your office share.”

CONTAK Philippines said it had documented the killing of at least 21 pastors and church workers since 2001, the year Arroyo assumed power. Nine of them have been killed in 2006, and 14 belonged to the UCCP. Rosa was the latest from the village of Malobago in Albay province, south of Manila.

Rosa, aged 47, was also a member of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Bicol (Farmers’ Movement in Bicol), which the military has identified as a leftwing organization.

With acknowledgements to ENI. Ecumenical News International is jointly sponsored by the World Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and the Conference of European Churches.

[Also on Ekklesia: United Methodists ask Bush to help stop Philippines killings 23/08/06; Methodist missionaries call for end to Philippines killings 19/08/06; British MP shocked at mining destruction in the Philippines 15/08/06; Church worker killings continue in the Philippines 10/08/06; Catholic bishops accuse Philippines government of ‘dirty tricks’ 27/07/06; Churches seek investigation into Philippines killings; Church leaders call for change in the Philippines; Catholic bishops in Philippines speak of imprisonment fears; Da Vinci code provokes debate in traditional Philippines; Call to catch killers of Philippines church workers; Philippines ceasefire a sign of hope, say aid and mediation groups; Methodists call for end to killings in the Philippines; Christian charity says children still illegally imprisoned in the Philippines; Act on civilian deaths, churches ask Philippines government; Asian churches to challenge violence against children; Ecumenical loan fund backs Philippines small businesses]


Philippines churches appeal to UN on human rights abuses

-28/08/06

Philippine churches are documenting all killings of clerics and church lay workers, and other human rights violations, so they can file these before the United Nations and other international human rights’ bodies, according to a church-based human rights group ñ writes Maurice Malanes for Ecumenical News International.

“We are professionally documenting cases of killings, threats and harassments of church people so we can file complaints before the United Nations, Human Rights Watch, and the Permanent People’s Tribunal,” Lei Garcia, executive director of the Church Office for International Network in the Philippines, or CONTAK Philippines, told ENI.

She said CONTAK Philippines is coordinating its documentation work with the National Council of Churches in the Philippines and the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, or the UCCP.

In the United States, the head of the United Methodist Council of Bishops has urged US President George W. Bush, himself a Methodist, to press Philippines President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to take steps to reduce violence throughout the Southeast Asian country.

In a letter to Bush, bishops’ president Janice Riggle Huie of Houston cited the 3 August 2006 murder of Isaias Santa Rosa, a Methodist local pastor, the United Methodists News Service reported. He was one of 21 church worker killed in the Philippines since 2001.

“United Methodists in the Philippines and the United States are deeply troubled by the growing violence of the military under President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,” Huie wrote in her letter on 22 August to Bush. “We ask you to communicate to President Macapagal-Arroyo our deepening concerns, concerns which we expect you in your office share.”

CONTAK Philippines said it had documented the killing of at least 21 pastors and church workers since 2001, the year Arroyo assumed power. Nine of them have been killed in 2006, and 14 belonged to the UCCP. Rosa was the latest from the village of Malobago in Albay province, south of Manila.

Rosa, aged 47, was also a member of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Bicol (Farmers’ Movement in Bicol), which the military has identified as a leftwing organization.

With acknowledgements to ENI. Ecumenical News International is jointly sponsored by the World Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and the Conference of European Churches.

[Also on Ekklesia: United Methodists ask Bush to help stop Philippines killings 23/08/06; Methodist missionaries call for end to Philippines killings 19/08/06; British MP shocked at mining destruction in the Philippines 15/08/06; Church worker killings continue in the Philippines 10/08/06; Catholic bishops accuse Philippines government of ‘dirty tricks’ 27/07/06; Churches seek investigation into Philippines killings; Church leaders call for change in the Philippines; Catholic bishops in Philippines speak of imprisonment fears; Da Vinci code provokes debate in traditional Philippines; Call to catch killers of Philippines church workers; Philippines ceasefire a sign of hope, say aid and mediation groups; Methodists call for end to killings in the Philippines; Christian charity says children still illegally imprisoned in the Philippines; Act on civilian deaths, churches ask Philippines government; Asian churches to challenge violence against children; Ecumenical loan fund backs Philippines small businesses]