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It’s heartbreaking to see unarmed saffron-robed monks kicked,
clubbed, beaten, tortured, imprisoned and killed in Tibet simply
because they want religious freedom and dignity. They sacrifice
themselves for their beliefs. Only months ago, hundreds of Burmese
Buddhist monks marched in defiance of the military dictatorship to
demand religious freedom, human rights and dignity for all. They
were shot, beaten, hunted and killed, too. Is there a separation of
church and state? Yes, for sure, especially when the state is the
oppressor of the rights of the people and becomes a despot.
That’s when we all have to take a good look at
ourselves and our beliefs and ask, what do we believe and live for?
Do we have values and convictions to share with others, are we
convinced of our own inalienable rights to be free to think, speak
and choose our own way of life, our own religion and practice it, to
have it respected? Is it not natural to resist being conquered,
occupied and dictated to by a more powerful nation? That’s what
Buddhists, Muslims, Christians and people of all faiths want and
have a right to.
It’s time for us to put those beliefs and
convictions into action, take a stand and speak for the oppressed
and the God-given rights of all. The journey of the Olympic flame is
a very political gesture, it was first started by the oppressive,
human rights violating Nazi regime to try and symbolize its hold on
power and justify its self- proclaimed superiority over others. Is
that how both sides see it, as a symbol of power and dominance in
the world?
While the monks fall under the jackboots and
rifle butts of the occupation troops in Tibet and Burma, in the
Philippines, pastors, community leaders, union organizers, church
and political activists, leaders of the indigenous people, even a
bishop have all been gunned down and murdered week after week in the
past few years. Besides four convictions for the killers of
journalists, no assassin is on trial. This has driven the
Philippines to the bottom of the pit of nations with bloodstained
hands. There has been an international outcry and strong warnings
from the United Nations and the European Parliament to bring the
killers to justice—but to no avail.
This week the United Nations Human Rights
Council will review the Philippine government’s compliance with
their international obligations to protect the human rights of
Filipinos. A few years ago, I represented children’s rights groups
at the Human Rights Committee (now the Human Rights Council).
I showed the council members a quick-slide show
on my laptop over lunch. The pictures of hungry, emaciated, sickly
children behind bars in subhuman conditions shocked some members. It
made the point and spoiled their lunch. They were extremely annoyed
and unusually aggressive during the afternoon session when they
questioned the Philippine government representatives on individual
cases of torture, arbitrary detention and killings. Since then the
situation in the Philippines only got worse. Today, even the UN
Human Rights Council can only embarrass and shame a few
tough-skinned officials behind closed doors and record it in thick
folders no one reads.
The media hardly ever report the litany of
horrific abuses. There are no sanctions for the violators no matter
how many innocent people get tortured and assassinated. So the
hearings have no effect whatsoever on government policy and its
practice of eliminating all opposition and silencing dissent to stay
in power and to plunder the national treasury as long as it can.
This week the government will be challenged and quizzed on the
hundreds of disappearances and summary executions and it will change
nothing. The UN is a toothless organization with no power to change
anything or stop the pain of those being tortured and abused. Only
people of conviction have to do it and the more united we are, the
more effective we will be. May the flame of oppressive pomp and
power be extinguished and may the light of justice and truth shine
out.
preda@info.com.ph
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