2006年11月19日 |
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For Life and Liberties |
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We were just asking for a little wage. 19th November, 2006 These are dark days for Filipino workers as their ranks are continually attacked with the unabated spate of human rights violations in the Philippines. We, trade unionists, migrant workers, community organizers, and human rights advocates in Hong Kong are outraged by such attacks. We are even more outraged that not a single case has been solved and not a single perpetrator has been brought to justice. As of June this year, 64 leaders, members, organizers and supporters of trade unions and associations of informal workers have been killed. This is on top of the 982 cases of trade union and human rights violations victimizing 77,028 workers documented by worker s rights advocates. Most notable of the cases are the Hacienda Luisita massacre where seven farm workers were killed and scores more were wounded; the murder of Diosdado Ka Fort Fortuna, president of the worker s union in Nestle, and; the killing of Ricardo Ramos, chairperson of the CATLU one the striking unions at Hacienda Luisita. They were just asking for a wage increase that has long been denied. Farm workers in Hacienda Luisita are receiving a slave wage of P9.50 a day (HK$1.50). In the national level, the call for a P125 (HK$20) across the board nationwide wage hike has not yet been granted. They were just asking for better employment conditions. They were just fighting for their rights. Most importantly, they were struggling for the betterment of the condition of the majority of Filipinos who are poor and oppressed. Yet they were killed and silenced. In the interest of profit, of multinational corporations, and the powers that be in the Philippine government and big businesses, workers and militant trade unions are now branded as terrorist of factories and thus are targeted in the all-out war of the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo government. Even known unionist and now member of Parliament, Rep. Crispin Beltran of the KMU and Anakpawis Partylist did not escape the harassment and persecution of the government as he continues his forced incarceration without any legitimate charges. On the International Day of Action against Trade Union Repression and Political Killings in the Philippines the very day that Hacienda Luisita massacre happened two years ago we, people of Hong Kong reiterate our support to the demand for justice for the victims and the end of the extrajudicial killings. On November 19, hundreds of us will march to the Philippine Consulate General to express our indignation in a major national action for the defense of the rights of workers and of the Filipino people. We call for the Hong Kong people to come out and be counted. Our march is for life, our action is for liberties, and our support is for human rights. Signed: Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM) |
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