The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) confirmed the deaths of 10 people in the bombing of a New People’s Army camp by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Christmas Day in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon.
In a statement Thursday, December 28, the CPP said it condemns the AFP for dropping scores of 250-pound bombs and firing Israeli-made 155 mm/52 caliber artillery rounds at the target that lasted until December 26.
“The aerial attack, which was carried out for several hours, constitutes a brazen violation of international humanitarian law and the civilized conduct of war as it is involves an disproportionate use of force relative to its target,” CPP information officer Marco Valbuena said.
“The bodies of some of fatalities were grossly mangled, while others were dismembered during the vicious overkill,” he added.
Valbuena said the bombs, over-flight of drones and fighter jets, and firing of howitzers caused widespread fear and trauma among the tens of thousands residents in various nearby barangays.
“It also caused the destruction of large masses of forest resources which are source of livelihood of people,” he further said.
Valbuena added that the use of massive 250-pound bombs against guerrilla fighters shows the blood lust of the AFP, unleashing firepower without respecting reason and the principles of laws of war.
The CPP said it declares the victims of the December 25 bombings as martyrs of the Filipino people.
In a press statement, the AFP said its attack was a pursuit operation by the 403rd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army’s 4th Infantry Division after receiving information about the guerrillas’ presence in Barangays Can-ayan, Kibalabag, Kulaman and Mapulo.
Major General Jose Maria Cuerpo, commander of the 4th ID, said there were three women among the NPA fighters killed.
A similar carnage happened in Balayan, Batangas last December 17 where eight NPA fighters and civilian supporters were killed by combined Philippine Army, Philippine Air Force and Philippine Navy troopers.
Local human rights groups also reported that the victims were mangled beyond recognition by government soldiers.
The Malaybalay incident happened at the start of a two-day unilateral ceasefire declaration of the NPA over Christmas and the CPP’s 55th founding anniversary last December 26.
The Ferdinand Marcos Jr. government refused to reciprocate the CPP-NPA ceasefire declaration despite announcing last November ongoing dialogues for the possible resumption of formal peace negotiations with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
https://kodao.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/malaybalay.png338650Kodao Productionshttps://kodao.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/kodao.pngKodao Productions2023-12-29 19:25:492023-12-29 19:29:06CPP confirms 10 NPA casualties in Christmas Day carnage in Bukidnon
United Arab Emirates–There are no halls decked with boughs of holly; Christmas trees with lights, garland, and tinsel ornaments; or Yuletide stockings and other decors on the wall in some houses of UAE residents this Christmas. Some Christians are not keen on celebrating Christmas or will have a muted celebration because of what’s happening in Gaza.
But churches will be full and homes filled with prayers. There will still be gatherings with friends and family as they ponder on the “meaning and celebration of Christmas.”
Khaleej Times spoke to some Christians living in Dubai and they said: “There’s no denying that this year has been harder than usual on many people – especially the Palestinians in Gaza.”
“In lieu of the usual festive celebrations, we decided to mainly focus on contemplation and prayers to convey our message of solidarity with the victims of this atrocious war,” they added.
Lebanese expat Suzan Kazzi said: “Christians’ true celebration of Christmas is very spiritual and modest. At church, we will be praying for Gaza and all people in war zones.”
Suzan Kazzi. Photo: Supplied
Evgheni Pogonii, from Moldova, added: “This year, Christmas for me is not just a time for joy and celebration, but also for contemplation and compassion. The situation in Gaza is tragic, and I cannot remain indifferent.”
Evgheni Pogonii. Photo: Supplied
“My prayers encompass a wish for peace and well-being for all those suffering from conflicts and disasters worldwide, especially the residents of Gaza. During this special time of Christmas celebration, I focus on hope for peace and assistance for those in need,” he added.
The pain is very evident among Palestinians, bordering on despair. A Palestinian mother who asked not to be named said: “Christmas is my kid’s favourite holiday, and our family – that is considered a bit on the religious side – would go to mass and have a typical Christmas day. But this year we aren’t excited or even merry.
“Christmas doesn’t feel like a holiday but it’s forced. It’s kind of like no one deserves to celebrate because of the martyrs in Gaza. Bethlehem cancelled Christmas celebrations and Ramallah will most likely too.
“So, we decided not put up a Christmas tree to at least show respect and love to Gazans. To be honest we’re still thinking whether or not we want to get the kids gifts or not this year. Obviously we don’t want to upset them but we need to teach them to respect their families in Gaza. Some families also decided not to put their Christmas trees but instead focus on praying for the martyrs and suffering Palestinians,” she added.
Another Palestinian expat living in Dubai added: “There are no Christmas tree or decorations or celebrations this year. I will be with my mom, brothers and sister-in-law at home, praying for the rest of our family in Gaza who are seeking shelter in Latin and Orthodox churches.”
Born on a pile of rubble
The scene of baby Jesus not in swaddling clothes but wrapped in Palestinian keffiyeh and born not in the manger – as traditionally depicted in the Nativity scene – but on a pile of rubble, is a stark symbol of destruction in Gaza for Filipino expat Michelle Oribello. She said she had seen so many pictures on social media of young children being pulled out the rubble, lifeless.
The photo was tweeted by Rev. Munther Isaac, Evangelical Lutheran Pastor in Bethlehem, who said: “We did this to emphasise that Jesus is in solidarity with those who suffered… This is our message to the world that this is what Christmas looks like in Bethlehem. This is what Christmas looks like in Palestine, with occupation, with destruction, with the bombardment of children. While the world is celebrating, our children are under the rubble. While the world is celebrating, our families are displaced and their homes are destroyed. So this is Christmas to us in Palestine.”
“This year, Christmas celebrations are cancelled in Bethlehem, and for obvious reasons. It’s impossible to celebrate while our people in Gaza are going through a genocide, when children are being massacred in such a brutal manner. All the heads of churches in Jerusalem decided that Christmas celebrations will be mainly prayers with no festive celebrations,” he added.
Prayers and solidarity
A Nigerian expat is deeply affected by the war. Kenneth Chinonye Chukwuleta said: “There seems to be nothing to celebrate because of the crisis and bloodshed this year. I pray not only for people in Gaza but also in Nigeria.”
Kenneth Chinonye Chukwuleta. Photo: Supplied
Sudanese expat Sarah A. Latif added: I prefer to have a muted Christmas celebration in solidarity with the difficult situation in Gaza. I find it hard to rejoice while people, especially kids, are being killed. I will always keep the people in Gaza in my prayers and instead of spending money on Christmas parties, I will send them for donation to the Gaza people.
Sarah A. Latif. Photo: Supplied
Estheisy Peña, from Dominican Republic, is also offering her solidarity and prayers for people in Gaza. “My heart aches,” she said, adding: “I include them (Palestinians) in my prayers. My wish this Christmas is for ceasefire in Gaza and freedom of its people. Above all, I wish for peace worldwide, hoping for an end to conflicts ravaging countries globally.”
Estheisy Peña. Photo: Supplied
Indian couple Jennifer and Clifford Mendonsa noted: “Jesus was born in Bethlehem, in Palestine. Christmas is the feast of peace. We will be including both Palestine and Israel in our prayers for peace to reign on their land.”
Jennifer and Clifford Mendonsa. Photo: Supplied
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This article is original to The Khaleej Times where the author is senior deputy editor.
https://kodao.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/KT.jpg506900Kodao Productionshttps://kodao.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/kodao.pngKodao Productions2023-12-21 17:26:222023-12-21 17:26:23Dubai: Why some Christians are cancelling Christmas celebrations this year
Human rights groups accused the Armed Forces of the Philippines of desecrating the remains of seven alleged New People’s Army (NPA) members killed in a firefight in Balayan, Batangas last Sunday.
In a series of alerts, Karapatan-Southern Tagalog and Tanggol Batangan said the faces of some of the casualties could no longer be identified by family members at a funeral parlor.
“A grieving mother, in between sobs, identified her daughter only by her distinct stitch marks from a previous caesarean delivery. Half of her daughter’s face was broken as if smashed and banged,” Karapatan said.
The groups also accused the AFP and the Philippine National Police of violating International Humanitarian Law and the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines by not allowing the corpses to be put inside freezers or embalmed.
They said the corpses already started to rot as these were made to lie on the floor of Romy’s Funeral Parlor for two days.
The groups said the government troopers did not only violate the IHL but the Department of Health’s sanitary protocols.
“Kitang kita sa mga labi ng biktima ang mga bakas ng pambababoy, na hindi gagawin ng sinuman na may makataong pag-iisip,” Karapatan said.
(Signs of desecration are clear, an act that will not be committed by someone humane.)
The seven still unidentified alleged NPA members were slain after soldiers from the 59th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army, augmented by Philippine Navy and Philippine Air Force troopers, attacked their encampment last December 17.
A government trooper, reportedly the commanding officer of a light reaction company of the Philippine Army, was also killed in the firefight, Kodao sources said.
Lt. Col. Hector Estolas, 2nd Infantry Division Public Affairs Office chief, said three other army troopers were wounded in the clash, The Manila Times reported.
Karapatan and Tanggol Batangan also accused the military and police for harassing family members and paralegals who tried to recover the corpses from the funeral parlor.
The wake of one of the casualties was also visited by the military to interrogate the family Karapatan said was an act of intimidation.
The groups said some of the NPA corpses are schedules for autopsy by experts. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
From the UAE to Uganda, more than 300 cities are standing up for Palestine, the activists say
By Angel L. Tesorero / Khaleej Times
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (UAE)–About 2,000 climate activists attending the ongoing COP28 in Dubai have joined the global action on Saturday — demanding climate justice and protection of human rights.
Carrying a huge black banner emblazoned with “Ceasefire Now” in bold letters, written in English and Arabic, the protesters shouted their call while marching around the UN-controlled Blue Zone.
“We are coming together to march for climate justice to show solidarity with the people of Palestine and demand ceasefire now,” speakers at the protest said.
From the UAE to Uganda, more than 300 cities are standing up for Palestine for the Global Day of Action for Climate Justice, COP28 Coalition, an alliance of more than 350 climate civil society organisations from 75 countries, told Khaleej Times.
Here’s a video:
“It is up to the peoples of the world to call not only for a ceasefire but for the end of decades of settler colonialism and apartheid. The climate justice movement echoes the call being made by social movements everywhere,” the coalition added.
COP28 has two zones – first is the Blue Zone which is under the jurisdiction of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) while the climate summit is underway. It is open only to UN-accredited participants and it is where formal climate negotiations are taking place. The other one is Green Zone, which is open to the general public and is under the UAE.
Largest demonstration
The protest on Saturday, approved by the UNFCC, was the largest demonstration yet at the UN Climate Summit in Dubai which concludes on Tuesday. The number of demonstrators was tenfold than the previous sit-down rally held on December 3, which turned emotional as climate activists teared up when names of Palestinians who died in Israeli bombing were read out.
The organised march on Saturday that lasted for two hours was louder and more defiant. Numerous protesters wore keffiyehs, waved watermelon banners and carried placards that say ‘Land back; Stop the occupation; Right of return’ as loud chants of ‘Ceasefire now!’ ‘Hey, hey, ho, ho, the occupation has to go’ and ‘The people united will never be defeated’ reverberated around the UN-controlled Blue Zone at COP28.
Photo by Angel Tesorero
There were also calls for immediate climate action and equitable financial support to communities highly impacted by climate change.
Speeches focused on the key demands for climate justice and outright end of violence in Gaza as Israel’s bombardment, according to Palestinian Health Ministry, has killed more than 17,000 people – with 70 per cent of them women and children, and also injured more than 46,000 individuals.
Storytelling, singing at the protest
Chants and agitations were constantly made but there were also storytelling, humming, and invocations conducted by Indigenous people who also came in solidarity with the people of Palestine.
Protesters also sang a song for peace, which is also a “prayer for healing, justice and a cry for liberation.” Part of the lyrics say “May this body be a bridge for the healing of this land… teach us oh Great Mother to bring peace to this land.”
Global actions
Meanwhile, the Asian Peoples’ Movement on Debt and Development (APMDD) shared with Khaleej Times pictures of protest actions simultaneously held across Asia, including cities and towns in the Philippines; Katmandu, Nepal; Manipur and several states in India; and various locations in Pakistan.
Philippines (Photo supplied by APMDD)
Kathmandu, Nepal (Photo supplied by APMDD)
Kathmandu, Nepal (Photo supplied by APMDD)
Manipur, India (Photo supplied by APMDD)
Pakistan (Photo supplied by APMDD)
They said: “We are making it clear: Climate advocates stand for victims of genocide. We fight for the oppressed as we stand for the environment.”
The Global Day of Action for Climate Justice also condemned the US veto on Friday of the UAE-led UN resolution demanding immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The vote in the 15-member council was 13 in favour of the resolution while one (US) was against, while UK abstained. #
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This report is original to the Khaleej Times where the author is a senior deputy editor.
https://kodao.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/cop.jpg506900Kodao Productionshttps://kodao.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/kodao.pngKodao Productions2023-12-13 16:09:372023-12-13 16:09:38WATCH: Calls for Gaza ceasefire ring out in Dubai as 2,000 protesters march on COP28 grounds
The worsening conflict in Palestine’s Gaza amid Israel’s unrelenting offensives indicates a humanitarian crisis of global concern.
Since October 7, military operations between Israel and Palestinian armed group Hamas have killed over thousands of Palestinians and injured many more in the Gaza Strip. Compounding the conflict is a total Israeli blockade of food, fuel, and other necessities to millions of people in the occupied territory in what is grounds for an international war crime.
Now, an information crisis threatens to further distort the conflict’s causes and consequences. Gaza is experiencing a near information blackout with internet and phone services cut. Israel is to blame for cutting the communications, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent.
Independent journalists like members of the Altermidya Network urge the United Nations and other human rights bodies to immediately intervene by doing everything possible to restore access to communications in Gaza.
In the same vein, we express deep concern for our fellow media workers who are covering the ongoing conflict from the front lines.
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, at least 29 journalists were killed in such operations. Most of these were Palestinians, as well as three Israelis and one Lebanese. This is on top of dozens of journalists who are injured, detained, or reported missing. Addressing the information crisis necessitates that the safety of journalists is upheld and guaranteed.
We call on all involved parties to stop killing and targeting civilians, including media workers based in Gaza. By extension, entities within the UN such as the Special Rapporteur to immediately investigate such brazen killings and attacks in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1948.
Protecting the media would serve to aid them in their job to report and explain the decades-long Palestine occupation.
Tens of thousands have been killed, while millions have been displaced in this conflict rooted in colonial acts. Unfortunately, this historically drawn out narrative will be buried along with the bodies of innocent civilians, media included, if we all silently wait as this conflict continues. The time to act is now. Those in observance of the conflict must speak out, while those in power must do all to address the very roots of this systemic violence.
For the UN and all related rights entities, the urgency to restore communications in Gaza cannot be understated. # (October 30, 2023/Quezon City, Philippines)
AMARC Asia-Pacific Condemns the killing of media workers and civilians in Gaza
The World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters, AMARC (Asia-Pacific) strongly protests the ongoing indiscriminate killings of civilians and media workers in Gaza by US-backed Israeli forces. Records show that the period since 7th of October 2023 has been the deadliest period for media workers.
The genocide in Gaza is also one of the most terrible media crises in recent times. International sources estimate that approximately 48 journalists have lost their lives while reporting from Gaza. According to a report from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), 48 journalists and media workers have been confirmed dead including 43 Palestinian, 4 Israeli, and 1 Lebanese. According to sources, the deceased media workers include those representing media organizations as well as freelancers.
Since the 1940s, the political claims and cause of Palestinians has been subject to disinformation and distortion at the highest levels of international governance and law to justify violence in Gaza and West Bank. Since the recent Al-Aqsa Floods operation, there have been various kinds of moral obfuscations and disinformation on mainstream and social media platforms to justify genocide against the Palestinians. Free, independent, and critical-minded media organisations and journalists are one of the few factors that has helped mobilise large-scale protests against this genocide. It is no surprise that media workers are heavily under attack. Issuing this statement, Dr. Ramnath Bhat, President of AMARC Asia-Pacific has called the situation in Gaza as one of the gravest conditions for freedom of journalists and other media workers.
“Independent journalists reporting from the heart of the conflict in Gaza are the only source of any credible information that is received by the rest of the world. Targeting media workers is a clear sign of genocidal intent that does not wish to see itself exposed; creates an information blackout at the global level fostering disinformation; and finally lays the ground for further intensification of genocide”
AMARC Asia-Pacific deeply mourns the deceased media workers and condemns the mass killings going on in Gaza, specifically the blanket targeting of civilians. It calls upon all concerned, especially the Government of Israel and the US to immediately stop hostilities, affect a ceasefire and end the genocide.
Statement issued by the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters, AMARC (Asia-Pacific), [email protected], November 22, 2023/Kathmandu, Nepal
https://kodao.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/journalists.jpg13652048Kodao Productionshttps://kodao.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/kodao.pngKodao Productions2023-12-04 11:40:352023-12-04 11:42:40Statements on the killing of journalists in Gaza
COP28: Protestors at UN-controlled Blue Zone read out names of Palestinians who died in Israeli bombing
By Angel L. Tesorero / Khaleej Times
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates–Their call was loud and clear: Ceasefire now! But they were also not able to help but sob and quiver as, one by one, the names of those who tragically died in Gaza were called in a poignant protest calling for justice and respect for humanity.
Wearing keffiyehs and waving watermelon banners, more than 200 environmental activists staged an organised demonstration at the ongoing COP28 in Dubai on Sunday, calling for an ‘unconditional and immediate ceasefire in Gaza’ as the number of deaths continues to rise following the expiration of a temporary truce.
The protest held inside the UN-controlled Blue Zone commenced by calling the names of those who died in Gaza due to Israeli bombing. “The long list is still being written as we hold this protest,” the emcee, Gina Cortes, a climate activist from Colombia and member of COP28 Coalition, said while protesters wept.
A young female environmentalist started calling out the names. Her voice immediately quivered as she uttered the name of a six-year-old victim, followed by more names of infants and toddlers who tragically lost their lives. Despite her evident emotional strain, she persevered, systematically naming more victims — from months-old babies to the elderly.
Listen to the names of some victims in the video above by Angel Tesorero.
Climate justice and human rights
Bringing global attention to one of the world’s longstanding conflicts in the Middle East has added another dimension to the UN Climate Summit. There is no climate justice without human rights, the protesters strongly chanted.
Their call was loud and clear: Ceasefire now! But they were also not able to help but sob and quiver as, one by one, the names of those who tragically died in Gaza were called in a poignant protest calling for justice and respect for humanity.
Wearing keffiyehs and waving watermelon banners, more than 200 environmental activists staged an organised demonstration at the ongoing COP28 in Dubai on Sunday, calling for an ‘unconditional and immediate ceasefire in Gaza’ as the number of deaths continues to rise following the expiration of a temporary truce.
The protest held inside the UN-controlled Blue Zone commenced by calling the names of those who died in Gaza due to Israeli bombing. “The long list is still being written as we hold this protest,” the emcee, Gina Cortes, a climate activist from Colombia and member of COP28 Coalition, said while protesters wept.
A young female environmentalist started calling out the names. Her voice immediately quivered as she uttered the name of a six-year-old victim, followed by more names of infants and toddlers who tragically lost their lives. Despite her evident emotional strain, she persevered, systematically naming more victims — from months-old babies to the elderly.
Climate justice and human rights
Bringing global attention to one of the world’s longstanding conflicts in the Middle East has added another dimension to the UN Climate Summit. There is no climate justice without human rights, the protesters strongly chanted.
“It will be the height of hypocrisy if we call for just transition to clean energy if people are actually dying in refugee camps and hospitals, or we see our lands laid to waste in ashes and painted by blood. People are dying, and whole lineages are being wiped out. This is genocide,” US-based Palestinian poet and activist Tariq Luthun said during his protest speech.
People first
Speaking to Khaleej Times, Luke Espiritu, a labour leader from the Philippines and member of the Asian Peoples’ Movement on Debt and Development (APMDD), said: “We are making it clear: Climate advocates stand for victims of genocide. We fight for the oppressed as we stand for the environment.”
“There is no climate justice without human rights. We do not simply hug trees or cry ‘protect the dolphins and sea turtles’. If preserving other life forms is linked to our survival as a species, then clearly, we see that keeping within 1.5 degrees Celsius to save humanity becomes hollow if we allow the slaughter and degradation of human life not by extreme weather events but by bullets and bombs,” Espiritu added.
Luke Espiritu. Photo: Angel Tesorero
No to oppression
Climate activists added they could never remain neutral when thousands of people die under the yoke of oppression.
Arnold Padilla, coordinator at Food Sovereignty Programme–PAN Asia Pacific and Global Peoples Caravan for Food, Land, & Climate Justice campaign, said: “We strongly stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people, whose lands, including for food production, have been forcibly grabbed by a Zionist regime long before the current bombings.
“We condemn the forced starvation that Israel has wreaked upon Palestine as part of its occupation and genocide campaign. These atrocities have made the Palestinian people even more vulnerable to the impacts of the climate crisis, something that we must also stress as the world gathers for COP28,” he added.
Lidy Nacpil, convenor of COP28 Coalition and Global Campaign to Demand Climate Justice, composed of civil society organisations from 75 countries, added: “We condemn the continued killing and destruction in Gaza. It is clear that we cannot let this catastrophe continue.
“We have to speak up in support of Palestinians who are suffering from disaster upon disaster due to longstanding occupation and the climate crisis. We call for a ceasefire, the lifting of the blockade and an end to the occupation of Palestine. We stand in solidarity with all people and communities in their struggle for climate justice and against oppression, exploitation, racism, apartheid and colonialism,” she added.
‘Please stop – that is too much’
Other climate activists from South America, Europe and Asia gave short but emotionally charged speeches before the one-hour protest ended.
The powerful message resonated with the crowd — observers, passersby, and some in the media were moved by the impassioned plea to halt aggression against Gaza. Attendees at the protest felt the weight as the names of the victims were disclosed, and towards the conclusion of the programme, a few voices were heard urging, “Please stop – that is too much.”
Following the speeches, a moment of silence was observed. Protesters raised their arms, fists clenched in a show of defiance. Their silence spoke volumes, mirroring the chants that echoed at the protest’s outset: “When human rights are under attack, what do we do? We stand and fight back!”
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This report is original to The Khaleej Times where the reporter is senior deputy editor.
https://kodao.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/crying.jpg600900Kodao Productionshttps://kodao.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/kodao.pngKodao Productions2023-12-04 08:24:572023-12-04 08:28:10UAE: Climate activists in tears as they stage protest, call for ceasefire in Gaza
Filipino health professionals and organizations called for an immediate stop to attacks on hospitals and civilians in Gaza as the Israeli siege of Palestinian territory enters its sixth week.
Fifty six doctors, nurses, other health workers and students in a petition said hospitals and other health facilities in the besieged territory must be spared from further attacks by Israeli military forces that started last October 7.
Officers and members of the Health Alliance for Democracy, Health Action for Human Rights, Council for Health and Development, Alliance of Health Workers, Community Medical Practitioners and Advocates Association, Filipino Nurses United, Philippine Medical Students Association (PMSA) and the Philippine Nursing Students Association called on Israel to uphold International Humanitarian Law that excludes hospitals from the list of military targets.
The petition was also signed by employees unions and associations of the National Children’s Hospital, the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Philippine General Hospital, Tondo Medical Center, Philippine Heart Center, San Lazaro Hospital, Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center and Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center as well as the Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center chapter of the PMSA.
“We denounce the November 15 raid of Israeli Defense Force in Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza. Thousands were affected, vulnerable patients trapped, staff and other civilians displaced as they run out of medical supplies and fuel,” the petitioners said.
The petitioners also said they strongly condemn the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital bombing on October 17 that killed around 500 people and injured thousands more.
The groups, citing United Nations (UN) reports, said hospitals in North Gaza suffer heavy strikes and forcing almost all health facilities in the area to cease operations.
Some 1,000 kidney failure patients as well as 2,000 cancer patients and 130 premature babies in incubators are at immediate risk of death due to the collapse of the health care system, the groups cited.
Israel also repeatedly issued evacuation orders to hospitals and other medical facilities in Gaza, which the World Health Organization said is a “death sentence to the sick and injured.”
“We grieve for the more than 11,078 people killed, more than 4,600 of whom are children. We sympathize with the 27,490 people injured, and 1.6 million internally displaced. During the first month of Israel’s onslaught on Gaza, over 300 Gazans died each day, bringing the death toll to more than 12,000,” the petition further said.
The petitioners also said they salute the doctors, nurses and other health and humanitarian workers who continue treating the wounded and sick amid Israel’s evacuation orders and attacks despite, deaths among their ranks and threats to their lives.
As of November 12, over 102 UN employees have been killed inside Gaza, alongside 182 health care workers.
“We call for the protection of all civilians, medical and humanitarian personnel, and unimpeded access to essential humanitarian supplies, including food, water, shelter, medicine, fuel and electricity,” the groups said, adding they stand with the Palestinian people in their struggle for peace and freedom in Palestine. # (Raymund B.Villanueva)
https://kodao.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/head.jpg9981686Kodao Productionshttps://kodao.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/kodao.pngKodao Productions2023-11-17 17:15:432023-11-17 17:15:43‘Stop bombing Gaza hospitals!’ Filipino health groups tell Israel
About 120 rights advocates from over 30 organizations across the globe committed to continuing solidarity with the Filipino people for a just and lasting peace in the Philippines in a conference in Bangkok, Thailand from November 7 to 9.
The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) said it condemns the United States-backed counterinsurgency program of the Ferdinand Marcos Jr. government that continues to commit human rights and international humanitarian law against the people.
In the conference, Philippine and international experts and leaders said the counterinsurgency program is implemented through ongoing extra-judicial killings, disappearances, suppression of civil liberties, filing of trumped-up charges using the Anti-Terror Act (ATA), and the relentless red-tagging of activists, progressive organizations, and solidarity activists by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict
Karapatan National Council member Edith Burgos saidthe Marcos government is, “responsible for the steadily deteriorating human rights situation in the Philippines and escalating violations of International Humanitarian Law directed against the Filipino people.”
Burgos said human rights atrocities committed by the Philippine military and police are not only abetted by US military and is made worse by the presence of nine US military bases in the country.
The US has given the Philippine government over 1 billion US dollars in military said since 2015, she revealed.
Suzanne Adely, President of the National Lawyers Guild of the US, said the American government has employed “the organized use of subversion and violence to seize, nullify, or challenge political control” of the Philippines since 1898.
She pointed out the governments’ use of the term “insurgency” attempts to delegitimize people’s resistance, including armed resistance, as “terrorism.”
National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers president Edre Olalia meanwhile explained that contrary to US counterinsurgency doctrine, armed resistance movements in response to the severe oppression of peoples is legal under the Geneva conventions.
He emphasized the importance of the protection of civilians and non combatants in the context of civil war.
ICHRP chairperson Peter Murphy said international solidarity is critical in supporting the Filipino people’s aspirations for a just and lasting peace as well as a nation free from poverty, landlessness, and state repression.
“The devastating number of attacks that continue under the Marcos regime in the Philippines – the many disappearances, the forced surrenderees, and the killings of NDFP peace consultants, are all violations of international humanitarian law done in the guise of US-designed counterinsurgency programs. The international community must oppose these,” the group said.
ICHRP said its member organizations from four continents have again committed to strengthening solidarity support for the Filipino people.
It added it shall continue to conduct broad education and information dissemination on the situation in the Philippines, lobby their respective government bodies, and oppose foreign support for war crimes in the country.
“The struggle for a just and lasting peace in the Philippines is not a struggle isolated from the people of the world; we will continue to fervently campaign until the demands of the Filipino people are met and activists no longer live in fear of reprisal,” ICHRP said. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
https://kodao.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/peter.jpg15002000Kodao Productionshttps://kodao.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/kodao.pngKodao Productions2023-11-10 15:21:212023-11-10 15:22:45Global rights coalition commit to continuing solidarity with Filipinos
Hundreds of Filipinos joined the largest pro-Palestine rally in United States of America (USA) history held in Washington DC last Saturday, November 4, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN USA) reported.
Over 300 Filipinos for Palestine members and allies participated in the historic National March on Washington for a Free Palestine event attended by over 300,000 protesters as Israel’s punitive action against Gazans enters its second month.
The Filipino-Americans said they demand an immediate ceasefire between Hamas and the State of Israel, for the latter to end its siege on Gaza, and for the US and the Philippines to end its support for Israel.
“As Filipinos, we know what it’s like to struggle against foreign occupation and domination, what it is like to fight for national liberation across generations,” BAYAN USA said.
“Long Live Gaza!” Filipinos for Palestine participants to the US|National March on Washington for a Free Palestine shout. (Photo by Malaya Movement-New Jersey)
“Philippine and Palestinian liberation are inextricably linked because we have a common enemy. So let us rise up and link arms across our movements and build anti-imperialist solidarity,” the group added.
The latest conflict began after Palestinian group Hamas conducted military strikes against Israel last October 7 that also killed civilians, including four overseas Filipino workers.
Hamas took as prisoners hundreds of Israelis they said they shall be freed in exchange for thousands of Palestinian political prisoners held in Israeli prisons.
The State of Israel responded with massive air and ground strikes against all 2.2 million Gazans.
The Palestinian health ministry reported that at least 9770 people, 4,008 of whom were children, have been killed in nearly a month of Israeli strikes.
The massive rally in Washington came after the US government last October 18 vetoed the Brazil-led resolution at the United Nations (UN) calling for a ceasefire in Palestine.
The Philippine government abstained from voting on the resolution, the only Southeast Asian government that did not support the proposed measure.
This prompted BAYAN in the Philippines to spearhead a protest action at the Israeli Embassy in Manila last Tuesday, October 31.
At the Manila rally, BAYAN president Renato Reyes revealed the Philippines had been the third largest buyer of Israeli weapons from 2018 to 2022 used among others in former president Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody drug war that is under investigation by the International Criminal Court in The Hague, The Netherlands.
In Manila, pro-Palestine independence advocates protested at the Israeli Embassy last October 31. (Photo by Altermidya)
In Washington DC, BAYAN USA stated they demand an immediate end to the purchasing of weapons from Israel it said funnels hundreds of millions of dollars toward death rather than the needs of Filipinos.
“The Marcos administration’s silence on Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people is unacceptable. It is also a death sentence for the tens of thousands of overseas Filipino workers in occupied Palestine, who are also seen as ‘collateral damage’ by Israel in its attacks against Palestine,” BAYAN USA said.
The Filipinos for Palestine contingent was organized by BAYAN USA, Malaya Movement, Kabataan Alliance, Anakbayan USA, and GABRIELA USA that were among the over 500 endorsers of the march. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
https://kodao.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/pasted-image-0.png13652048Kodao Productionshttps://kodao.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/kodao.pngKodao Productions2023-11-06 13:22:382023-11-06 13:25:40Fil-Ams join largest pro-Palestine rally in US history
The country’ biggest alliance of progressive organizations called on the Filipino people to stand behind Palestine in the latest act of genocide by the State of Israel.
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) in a statement said more than 8,000 Palestinians, 3,500 of whom were children, have died since Israeli retaliation started after the October 7 attacks of Hamas.
“Israeli bombs have indiscriminately destroyed Palestinian homes, schools, hospitals and places of worship. Electric, water, internet and phone services had been cut off and food and other aid could not enter Gaza,” BAYAN said.
The group said the Israeli siege against the entire Palestinian people actually begun 75 years ago when Zionists started taking over vast territories of what used to be Palestine under the Ottoman Empire.
“The Israeli occupation of the Palestinians had been cruel. The looting of land and killing and imprisonment of Palestinians are nonstop. These are what drive them to resist with both unarmed and armed means,” BAYAN said.
BAYAN said the Palestinian resistance is similar to the revolution led by the Katipunan against Spanish colonialism or the struggles of Macario Sakay and General Antonio Luna against American colonialism in the Philippines.
The alliance added that the Western-backed Israeli genocide in Palestine violates international humanitarian law, a rule United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres appealed should be observed in full measure.
In a public briefing in Egypt this weekend, Guterres also said a 20-truck convoy is awaiting permission to be allowed into the besieged territory, noting the irony that just across the border, Palestinian children, women and elderly are starving while food aid awaits to be delivered.
In its appeal, BAYAN noted the deaths of at least four Filipinos since Hamas attacked and others who may be held hostage in Gaza are in danger from Israeli bombs raining daily into the territory.
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan also called for humanitarian aid to be allowed into Gaza. (BAYAN photo)
“There are many similarities between Filipinos and Palestinians. We both have a history of resistance against colonialism,” BAYAN added.
The alliance called on the Filipinos to join the call to end the bombing of civilians in Gaza and for the Palestinians to be allowed to return to their ancestral lands as the long-term solution to the war. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
https://kodao.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/gaza-2.jpg5301170Kodao Productionshttps://kodao.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/kodao.pngKodao Productions2023-10-29 15:00:322023-10-29 15:03:35BAYAN calls on Filipinos to stand with Palestinians
