Links tying these abuses to the Arroyo government have been clearly
established by many international organisations, including Amnesty
International and the United Nations. Earlier this year, Professor
Philip Alston, an Australian human rights academic and the United
Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary
executions, spent 10 days investigating the murders and abuses in the
Philippines. In recent media statements he criticised the armed forces
of the Philippines for remaining ‘in a state of almost total denial of
its need to respond effectively and authentically to the significant
number of killings which have been convincingly attributed to them’.
In his preliminary report, he concluded that ‘the executive branch of
the Philippine government, openly and enthusiastically aided by the
military, has worked resolutely to impede the work of party-list
groups and to put in question their right to operate freely’.
The role of the opposition in any democratic society is clear: it is
to provoke discussion, to provide scrutiny and to develop an
articulate alternative agenda to the government of the day. Without
the ability for the people to organise and follow their beliefs and
convictions free of the threat of persecution, a true democracy cannot
exist. However, Gloria Arroyo’s government is seeking to deny the
citizens of the Philippines this right and has continued to use the
apparatus of the state against parliamentarians who promote opposing
view points.
Despite international pressure from bodies such as the United Nations
and Amnesty International this cycle continues today. As members of
the Australian parliament, we have a moral obligation to stand up in
this place and let the Filipino government know that we are aware that
these things are happening, and we need to continue to push the case
for human rights reform. The Filipino government has a long history of
working with the Australian government through APEC. They are two
countries that in alliance have chorused long and loud about the fight
against global terrorism. Yet, when it comes to the worst form of
terrorism —that is, state sponsored terrorism—the silence of both
governments is deafening.
The Howard government has argued for years that the war on terror is
about the promotion of human rights, the affirmation of democratic
values and making people’s lives better. Yet the irony is not lost on
me that our government’s dedication to these values is selective at
best. Time and time again, it has failed to stand up for these issues
in our own region. As regional neighbours, we have a responsibility to
stand up for the oppressed in the Philippines and to ensure that
democracy and human rights in our region are not suppressed. I have
written to the Minister for Foreign Affairs seeking further
clarification about the situation of Representative Ocampo, and I am
looking forward to his response.
The challenge also lies with President Arroyo to act on the advice of
the international community, such as the United Nations and the
European Union, to stop silencing her opponents and restore the
fundamental elements that underpin a democratic system—that is,
freedom of association and freedom of speech. She needs to show the
world that she has a commitment to democratic values by bringing an
end to the violence, killings and abductions, releasing Crispin
Beltran and ensuring Representative Satur Ocampo is not denied access
to due legal process and the rule of law. The eyes of the world will
be on the Philippines and the government of Gloria Arroyo in the
lead-up to their elections, to ensure that justice is afforded to the
victims of violence and harassment, that the citizens of the
Philippines can participate in the election process freely and without
fear and that true democracy in the Philippines prevails. ###
