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The front yard of Cologne Cathedral in Germany, the site of a protest mounted by members of the civil rights NGO philippinenbüro. Photo courtesy of philippinenbüro
MANILA, Philippines – Civil rights activists and human rights defenders gathered in front of the Cologne Cathedral in Germany on Thursday to remember the victims of human rights violations in the Philippines.
To celebrate Human Rights Day, philippinenbüro, a German-based non-governmental organization, held a protest denouncing what they described as “the dire human rights situation in the Philippines under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.”
The group criticized the extrajudicial executions of political activists, lawyers, journalists, environmentalists, drug users and others suspected of being involved in drug trafficking.
The protesters also showed their dismay at the recently passed Anti-Terrorism Law of 2020.
Under the antiterrorist law, incitement to terrorism “through speeches, proclamations, writings, emblems, banners or other manifestations” will be classified as a crime.
Various groups and individuals have filed various petitions with the Supreme Court since the law was signed. This makes the law the most contested since the Cybercrime Prevention Law.
“We are very concerned about what is happening there,” said Bernhard, who was among the protesters.
“Unlike our friends and relatives in the Philippines, we can allow ourselves to express ourselves freely, without being afraid of becoming victims of state-sponsored and incited repression or worse,” he said, adding that he worked in the Philippines as a development. expert for about ten years.
According to the group, some people who were present at the protest knew personally the legal assistant and activist Zara Álvarez, who lives in Negros and was killed in August by unidentified gunmen.
“When I found out about Zara’s murder, my first reaction was denial,” said Kathrin, one of the activists who asked not to reveal her full name.
“I could not accept the terrible truth that this kind and caring woman who had dedicated her life to working for the poor and downtrodden had been mercilessly ambushed and murdered. What a cowardly act! “
Alternative answers
“After more than four years in the Duterte administration, most participants agree that any new call to the Philippine government to immediately stop human rights abuses will once again be futile,” said philippinenbüro in a statement.
“They prefer to pin their hopes on more effective responses, such as the one launched by the German government and the EU just a few days ago,” the group added.
The group belonged to a global rights sanctions regime adopted by the EU on Monday.
The framework strictly imposes a travel ban on those responsible for or involved in serious human rights violations or abuses. The authorities will also freeze the funds of the suspects.
The sanctions will apply to those who have committed acts such as genocide, crimes against humanity and other serious violations or abuses of human rights (for example, torture, slavery, extrajudicial executions).
Apart from the protest by philippinenbüro, members of the Philippine diaspora in Berlin also held a vigil. An online memorial service was also organized for Filipinos living in Hamburg.
EDV
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