Week-long activities set for remembering Human Rights Day in EV

By KATUNGOD-SB
December 1, 2012

TACLOBAN CITY  –  Katungod Sinirangan Bisayas, an umbrella organization of rights defenders in the whole Eastern Visayas region has set an array of activities for the week before the commemoration of the 64th anniversary since the signing of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UDHR) on December 10, anchored in raising the awareness of the people regarding human rights, and violations perpetrated by the supposed state ‘protectors’ turned violators.

“The Aquino administration which has offered itself an alternative to the Gloria regime, proves no difference but rather, a so far worse record on violations of human rights. Aquino and his lapdogs in the AFP are attempting to mask themselves as sincere rights protector through hiring pop stars, photo-ops, and the likes, while behind the media mileage they are spreading terror,” said Rev. Irma Balaba, Regional Coordinator of KATUNGOD.

It can be remembered that President Aquino while he was campaigning for Presidency and on the first day of his office, pledged swift delivery of justice to those victims of rights violations and the end of such. Similarly, on the occasion of the 62nd Anniversary rites of the UDHR, President Aquino reiterated his ‘commitment’ on the issue. However, cases of extra-judicial killings, abductions, illegal arrests, and other forms of rights violations are still witnessed based on reports of KATUNGOD and even the New York-based rights group, Human Rights Watch.

In line with the commemoration, KATUNGOD, in partnership with the END IMPUNITY Alliance, a network of rights advocates in Tacloban City is to have the annual cultural camp dubbed “DESODE” at the University of the Philippines Visayas Tacloban College (UPVTC) Oblation grounds.

Peasants, workers, youth and students, faculty members, environmental activists, church people, media, and other sectors are to converge at the UPVTC Multi-Purpose Building (MPB) on December 04, for the opening of the week-long activities which includes a free-for-all nightly film showing of rights-related movies at the MPB, a Photo Exhibit of the glaring cases of extra-judicial killings in the region, also to last for the whole week, and a rummage sale which is aimed in raising funds for the assistance of the families left by those killed extra-judicially.