Death by Democracy

This is a sample letter that you may want to use when contacting the organizations, political figures, the media, or anyone else for that matter.

Dear _______________,

I am writing you in regard to the ongoing and unabated killings and abductions of journalists and political activists in the Philippines. According to Karapatan, a Philippine-based human rights group, since Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assumed the presidency of the country in 2001, 740 Filipinos have been murdered in extra-judicial killings. Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo’s program of wiping out opposition in two years’ time has brought about this orgy of killings. The victims of these brazen acts of violence were all unarmed citizens: lawyers, judges, journalists, medical practitioners, members of cause-oriented groups, priests, church-workers, human rights advocates, laborers and farmers. According to the New York- based Committee to Protect Journalists, the Philippines is fast becoming “the most murderous place in the world for journalists”. It is widely believed – and the country's own Human Rights Commission's findings support this belief – that state security forces are complicit in these crimes. The political killings will further be bolstered with the recent allocation of P1 billion to the military budget for counter-insurgency. Gen. Jovito “the butcher” Palparan, Jr., who is implicated in the recent abduction and disappearance of two female university students, and for most of the more than 700 killings as commander of the 7th Infantry Division, has just been appointed to the country’s National Security Council by Pres. Arroyo.

No amount of condemnation from the Philippine media, the Catholic Church and the general public is making the Arroyo rethink its all-out war policy and stop the slaughter of unarmed civilians.

The Arroyo government has abolished the death penalty. Bishop Emeritus Julio Xavier Labayen of the Roman Catholic however had this to say,” The all-out war declared by Pres. Arroyo is a contradiction of her own actions. She has abolished the death penalty but the all-out war promotes death.”

This is therefore an appeal to your organization, to look into the present human rights situation in the Philippines.

If you require more information, you may want to visit the following site: http://deathbydemocracy.blogspot.com

I also invite you to go to the Asian Human Rights Commission's petition to stop extra-judicial killings in the Philippines: http://www.pinoyhr.net


Sincerely yours,
________________________________



References:
Amnesty International Philippine Reports
http://web.amnesty.org/library/eng-phl/reports
United Methodist bishops urge Bush to press Philippines to curb violence
http://www.umc.org/site/c.gjJTJbMUIuE/b.2027463/k.41E7/Bishops_urge_Bush_to_press_Philippines_to_curb_violence.htm
United Church of Canada calls for Canada and the United Nations to take action
http://www.united-church.ca/action/philippines/060724.shtm
Arroyo hitmen Make Farce of Melo Commission - opinion piece by Amando Doronila
http://opinion.inq7.net/inquireropinion/columns/view_article.php?article_id=16720
Our Very Own Dirty War - opinion piece by Walden Bello
http://opinion.inq7.net/inq7viewpoints/columns/view_article.php?article_id=10363
Human and Right - opinion piece by Conrad de Quiros
http://opinion.inq7.net/inquireropinion/columns/view_article.php?article_id=15469
Rage against the Dying of the Light - opinion piece by Patricia Evangelista
http://opinion.inq7.net/inquireropinion/columns/view_article.php?article_id=16249
Left-Wing activist shot in the Philippines
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/asiapacific/detail.asp?GRP=C&id=88627
Church groups worldwide air concern on killings in RP
http://www.mb.com.ph/issues/2006/08/24/MAIN2006082472492.html