PHILIPPINES — With drums and bugles, about 90 activists under the Free Burma Coalition-Philippines today held a rally in front of the Thai Royal Embassy in Makati City in time for the 14th Asean Summit.

Organizations present during the rally were: Alliance of Progressive Labour (APL), Sanlakas, Partido ng Manggagawa (PM), Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP), Coalition Against Trafficking in Women-Asia Pacific (CATW-AP), KPML, Bagong Kamalayan, ZOTO and the Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID).

Activists urged ASEAN member states to put on the summit’s agenda the human rights issue in Burma saying that the summit should serve as a “hot seat” for the Myanmar delegate.

“The military regime of Burma has a lot to answer. Its human rights record is not showing any degree of significant improvement and the ASEAN Summit ministers and delegates should not take a blind eye into this issue,“ Rasti Delizo FBC-Phils Convenor said during the rally.

AS IMPORTANT AS THE ISSUE OF FINANCIAL CRISIS

The group said ASEAN should come up with mechanism to “monitor human rights record” of Burma as the country’s ruling regime remain secretive and intransigent to the international clamor for political reforms in the said territory.

Delizo stressed, “The issue of continued human rights violations in Burma is as important as the issue of global financial meltdown. In the face of this financial crisis, you have here one member in the ASEAN that treats Burma’s coffers as its personal purse. The peoples of Burma are suffering politically and economically because their government doesn’t care even if millions will die in extreme hunger.”

ASEAN slogan brags about achieving a caring and sharing ASEAN community and one of the ASEAN Charter’s key pledges is to set up a regional human rights body.
“If this is true,” Delizo continued, “we challenge the ASEAN to begin monitoring the human rights situation in Burma; schedule a visit to Burma’s labour camps, detention centers, and try to see and feel the atmosphere of dictatorship there. Right now, ASEAN should go beyond its usual rhetoric and act concretely.”

RELEASE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS!

From the Thai Royal Embassy, the group proceeded to the Burma Embassy. With a replica of a “prison cell” with “prisoners” tied in shackles, the group dramatized the plight of political prisoners in Burma.

Unimpressed over the release of prisoners in Burma last week, FBC-Phils dubbed the move as an “old trick” by the military regime to deodorize the awful smell of its dismal human rights record.”

The group said that all political prisoners including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi must be released unconditionally.

“Torture, rape and murder are normal occurrences inside Burmese prisons. The junta cannot hide the fact that political prisoners suffer torture day and night and their families are even prohibited from visiting them. The entire country is like a huge garrison—there is no rule of law,” FBC-Phils explained.

Recently, prominent leaders of the popular Saffron revolution including their lawyers were sentenced by the military court to serve 65 years in prison.

“Burma is a dangerous place not just for activists but also for lawyers. Protection and promotion of human rights which is a very basic duty of the state is not happening. It is in this case that the international community has the obligation to act,” Delizo concluded.

- Free Burma Coalition-Philippines

More than 100 members of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women – Asia Pacific (CATW-AP), People’s Global Action on Migration, Development and Human Rights (People’s Global Action), Alliance of Progressive Labor – Women (APL), World March of Women – Pilipinas and PREDA Foundation gathered this afternoon in front of the House of Representatives to mark the International Day of No Prostitution (IDNP) and call for the immediate passage of House Bill 970 or the Anti-Prostitution Bill.

As the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) to be held in Manila comes closer, the alliance of organizations lambasted the sexist and racist exploitation of women here and abroad. “Worse,” Jean Enriquez, Executive Director of CATW-AP said, “this sexual exploitation of Filipino women is normalized and reinforced by shows such as BBC’s Harry and Paul. Worst, our government’s inaction on the unemployment problem relegates our women precisely to situations of sexual exploitation.”

Holding placards asserting that prostitution is not work, the APL criticized the toleration by the government of the prostitution industry. According to the labor center, even the International Labor Organization, in its report entitled The Sex Sector: The economic and social bases of prostitution in Southeast Asia normalized prostitution by stating that “adults can choose prostitution as work”, naming it as sex work.

Marlene Sindayen of the APL was indignant, emphasizing that “government policies should be towards creation of local work with dignity, full employment for all Filipino people and not contractualization, nor promotion of a labor export policy that results in intensified vulnerabilities of women to trafficking and sexual exploitation.”

IMF, in today’s news, warns that migrants will be affected by the financial crisis as companies in host countries start laying off employees. This makes the call for full employment in the country of origin even more urgent, the group said. Based on the labor force survey of 2007, it is evident that the government’s major job generation design is not for local employment, rather it is for sending workers overseas, targeting 1 million annually.

“The government keeps on sending Filipinos abroad for profit. However, it is neglecting its primary duty to prioritize the protection, welfare and human rights of the migrants” according to Ellene Sana, representative of the People’s Global Action, a collaboration of various local and international groups and activists that challenges the GFMD.

It is very ironic and shameful that the Philippines is viewed in the global arena as the model in labor migration even as it fails to address the human rights violations, gender oppression and discrimination confronted by our women migrants.

Meanwhile, survivors of prostitution joined the rally to call for the immediate passage of the anti-prostitution law that seeks to eliminate sexual exploitation in the long term, and decriminalize the victims therein. “We immediately need the anti-prostitution law that will protect the victims from further abuse” declared by Liza Gonzales, a survivor of street prostitution and an officer of Bagong Kamalayan Collective, Inc. (BKCI), a survivor’s group that organizes prostituted women in Quezon City area. According to BKCI’s data, from August and first week of September alone, they were able to rescue almost 70 women who were arrested using the recent SB Discipline Zone. This new project introduced by QC Mayor Belmonte together with QC Police District and Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) was launched April of this year. The intent of the project is to “clean the major thoroughfares from illegal terminals, vendors, jaywalkers, traffic violators and street toughies.” However, this new policy is also being applied to prostituted women, especially in the Cubao area.

“We, prostituted women, are not trashes that should be swept out of the streets just for the purpose of beautification. What we need are protection and alternatives, not further abuse!” Gonzales added.

“Criminalizing prostituted women using the Vagrancy Act and policies like “Discipline Zones” are unconstitutional and constitute human rights violation,” added Enriquez. If the local and national governments are really committed to do their jobs, they should allocate their energies and resources in solving the root cause of the problem and not in doing the easy work of covering up the symptoms, the women’s coalition’s Executive Director said.

A delegation went inside the House of Representatives to lobby for the immediate passage of the House Bill 970 to House Speaker Prospero Nograles, Representatives Pablo Garcia and Nanette Daza, Chairs of the Committees on Revision of Laws and Women, respectively.

A street presentation was delivered by the members of the theater group of PREDA foundation portraying the lives of the victims/survivors of trafficking and prostitution.

“The two UK comedians and BBC owe Filipino people especially women, a sincere apology” the group said. “Exploitation is not entertainment and will never be. BBC’s Harry and Paul (video sketch) encourages trafficking of women – the delivery of women abroad as domestic workers, to put them in situations of sexual exploitation.”

The action ended with chants of “Women & Migrants are not Commodities! Provide work with dignity and full employment to all, not prostitution! Pass the Anti-Prostitution Bill!

Lawyer Bernard Gregorio of the non-government Initiatives for Dialogue and Empowerment through Alternative Legal Services, said abused OFWs often remain quiet about the alleged impoliteness of the said officials.

“OFWs simply charge the whole thing to experience,” Gregorio told GMANews.TV on Monday.

Although Filipino migrant workers have every right to complain and even sue discourteous Philippine authorities under the Civil Service Rules, OFWs often do not file a case because they think it will cause them major inconvenience, according to Gregorio.

“They would normally ask the media’s help but they won’t file formal complaints in the Civil Service Commission. Well, one, because it is such a hassle,” Gregorio said.

“Filipino workers who remain in the custody of the Philippine Embassy keep quiet about their ordeal with these officials in fear that their petition to return home might not be approved,” the lawyer added.

He said Filipino migrants also believe that their complaints will be dismissed anyway, thus they just regard discourtesy and indifference as “normal attitude” among embassy officials.

Gregorio cited the case of a former domestic helper in Singapore who asked a Filipino official’s help after her Singaporean employer failed to give her monthly salary of $400.

Instead of hearing the OFW’s complaint or at the very least recording the incident, the Philippine official reportedly insulted the domestic helper, Gregorio said.

According to Gregorio, the consular official reportedly told the woman: “Eh inilagay lang naman sa kontrata ‘yan para tumaas ng konti ang tingin sa inyo (That salary rate was only put in your contract so that they would not think so lowly of you).”

Josua Mata, secretary-general of Alliance of Progressive Labor, a union-forming organization, echoed Gregorio’s view.

“These officials have an attitude problem toward migrant workers, especially domestic helpers” Mata said.

This is also the view of Jean Enriquez of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women. “Just look at how OFWs see Philippine officials abroad and that’s your gauge of their service.”

According to Enriquez, Filipino officials need to undergo more training in human relations to better equip them in dealing with various complaints from OFWs.

Labor Undersecretary Rosalinda Baldoz in an earlier report urged OFWs to expose discourteous Philippine embassy and labor personnel in their work sites so they could be punished.

Baldoz, who had worked in the overseas labor sector for several years, said errant and discourteous Filipino officials could face disciplinary actions that range from warning to permanent dismissal.

She also said the two-month immersion period of Foreign Service officers under the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and labor and welfare officers under the Labor department should require an intensified human resource component. – MARK JOSEPH H. UBALDE, GMANews.TV

After their rally yesterday in front of the Myanmar (Burma) Embassy, activists under Free Burma Coalition-Philippines today held another rally outside the Thai Royal Embassy in Makati City and urged Thailand government, the next Chair of the ASEAN to also echo the demand for the immediate postponement of National Referendum in Burma. FBC-Phils is urging the ASEAN to likewise help in monitoring safe delivery of goods and services in disaster struck areas of the said cyclone-devastated country.

Holding banners with slogans “DO NOT POLITICIZE RELIEF DISTRIBUTION!”, said rally was attended by women activists from Coalition Against Trafficking in Women-Asia Pacific, Partido ng Manggagawa and the Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID).

FBC-Phils said that the junta should postpone the National Referendum set on May 10 not just on cyclone affected areas. The military regime of Burma already made an official announcement that it would postpone the referendum but only on affected areas of Burma.

The group reiterated that it is “improper and untimely” to pursue the referendum considering that the entire country is in distress. “Relief before Referendum is the main call of the FBC-Phils.

Egoy Bans, the FBC-Phils spokesperson said, “After ensuring safe delivery of food, medicine, water and other forms of assistance to the victims, Burma should still undergo a period of rehabilitation. The people especially women and children, the most vulnerable and marginalized in times of disaster, were traumatized by the effects of the cyclone. Right now, the people are more concerned on their own survival than voting on May 10.”

While it has been reported that ASEAN is also ready to send emergency aid, FBC-Phils stressed that the role of the regional grouping should not end in sending aid to Burma. The ASEAN should monitor delivery of goods to the victims and it is just timely for the ASEAN to convince Burma to postpone the planned referendum nationwide, the group added.

DEPOLITICIZE RELIEF DISTRIBUTION!

The group however warned that the military regime may politicize aid distribution and the junta may use this to further their own agenda on May 10.

Bans explained, “We are in a situation where the junta is hell-bent to pursue the referendum and the people right now are desperate to survive. To be blunt about it, everybody including the ASEAN and aid workers should be watchful for the “goods” not to be bartered for a “YES” vote on May 10″.

THERE HAVE BEEN SIGNS!

“We are just worried because there have been signs. First, the UN and other agencies are complaining about restrictions in mobility of aid workers, and some cannot assess the victims’ needs because of tight control in communications.” explained the FBC-Phils spokesperson.

The group said that knowing the junta that is fond of dirty tricks, it can do everything even playing on the emotions of its own people.

Free Burma Coalition-Philippines
Coalition Against Trafficking in Women-Asia Pacific
Bagong Kamalayan
Partido ng Manggagawa
Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID)

Previous honorees include Lea Salonga, Maria Ressa, Emily Abrera, Gaita Fores, Lizzie Zobel, Gilda Cordero-Fernando, Cheche Lazaro, Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, Angel Aquino, Luchi Cruz-Valdes, and Laura Verallo de Bertotto, among others.

We are proud that our own Jean Enriquez is chosen as one of the ten incredible women.

On May 26, 2003 in the Philippines Senate, the Anti-Trafficking Law in the Philippines was finally passed. “My co-advocates and I cheered heartily, especially since CATW-AP started our work on the bill eight years earlier,” Jean recalls. These days, what keeps Jean inspired are the constant dialogue, consulataion and “strenght-sharing with partners or co-equals in the Coalition.” Jean is proud of what she calls “an endless list of collective sucesses.” “When we release women victims of prostitution from jail after dialoguing with law enforcers; when I heard of the first conviction against traffickers in Zamboanga City where a CATW-AP project was piloted; and when the young women start standing up against violence aginst women.”

Jean attributes the secret of her successes to dedication. “I chose my work because it comes from my heart, and I give my heart to it. That leaves no room for ‘mistakes.’ It is working with God/Goddess within,” she shares with conviction. She credits part of the fulfillment to her family. “In my personal life, I’m happiest about having affected my family profoundly. I found out that my own daughter embodies the same consistency in principles, in taking the side of those marginalized. My partner, a labor leader, has himself started changes in the labor center he leads by integrating work on gender issues. Those were my daughter’s and partner’s achievements, but I [am] proudest to have made an effect on them.”

Anna and Lina were recruited to work as “chambermaids” in Saudi Arabia in January, 2005.  During the processing period, they were made to “model” various hairstyles and were photographed and videoed.  Their ages in their passports were changed, such as Anna’s, from 19 to 23.  Before they left, they were accompanied to shop for expensive clothes – including make-up and t-back underwears – by their local recruiter.

When they arrived at the airport, officials noticed the inconsistency in their documents as their passport indicated that they will work as janitress, their employment contract cited ‘chambermaid’, and their POEA papers indicated ‘nurse’.  A man, known to the local recruiter assisted them and facilitated their exit, towards Saudi Arabia.

Arriving in Dammam in April 2005, they were fetched and brought to an enormous house.  They were not made to work for a week.  When they asked the ‘caretaker’ inside the house as to what their work will be, Lina was told that they will be sex slaves.  Anna and Lina were very scared and wanted to go home to the Philippines immediately but they could not leave the villa.  The following day, a man referred to as the Prince or Chairman by the caretaker arrived and the women were ordered to enter his room and immediately take their clothes off.  The two were shaken and begged the Prince to allow them to go home, as they cannot do what is being asked of them to do.  They stated that they don’t like that kind of job, but the Prince was enraged and raped Anna first.  Lina, who was sobbing uncontrollably and had difficulty breathing, was made to leave the room.

The next day, the Prince came back to use Lina this time.  He also used Anna.  The two were then forced to perform sexual acts, before money was thrown to their faces.  When the Filipino recruiter called, the two young women narrated what were done to them but the recruiter allegedly did not believe them.  They were called liars.

Lina decided to call her family and told them that she has become homesick and would want to go home, not disclosing what happened so as not to make her parents worry.  Lina’s parents immediately went to the agency, and talked to the Filipina recruiter.  In May 2005, they were able to return to the Philippines.  After a week, the nightclub owner for whom the two women were made to work before going to Saudi Arabia, brought Lina to a doctor for medical examination.  When Lina inquired on the medical results, the nightclub owner mentioned that she indeed was raped.  Lina was suffering from deep humiliation but decided to keep the matter to herself.  The nightclub owner and the recruiter promised Lina that they will give her a vehicle as long as she doesn’t reveal her experience to her parents.  Lina still opted to file cases with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and the Department of Justice against her traffickers. She states, “Nagpumilit akong umuwi dahil hindi ko masikmura o hindi ko kaya ang maging prostitute.”

“I insisted on going home because I couldn’t stand being a prostitute.”

In March 2006, Anna was offered P25,000 by the recruiter to submit a statement countering Lina’s charges.  In the same year, Anna was given an affidavit to memorize for the POEA hearing.  Anna decided to take Lina’s side.

Both pray that justice will be served, even as at least ten libel and estafa suits have been filed against them and Lina’s mother to harass the two victims.  Anna herself stayed overnight in jail after having been served an arrest warrant for estafa, filed by her recruiters against her.  DOJ Secretary Raul Gonzales even blamed Lina’s parents for allowing their daughter to leave.

After having approached various government agencies, the victims came to Kanlungan Center Foundation, Inc., an NGO helping migrant workers who then sought the help of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women – Asia Pacific (CATW-AP).  Two legal groups are now helping the victims pro-bono, these are WomenLEAD, a member organization of CATW-AP and the Quisumbing Torres Law Office.

“The Anti-Trafficking Law understands the vulnerability of victims to trafficking, given dire poverty, thus the statement of the DOJ Secretary reveals lack of understanding not only of the law but the pervading situation of Filipinos who are desperate for a living,”

states Jean Enriquez, Executive Director of CATW-AP.  Lina’s father is a driver, while Anna’s father is a janitor.  The mothers of both are unemployed.

Loida Bernabe, lauds the victims’ courage, saying, “we hope that their brave disclosure will stop further victimization of Filipinas to sexual slavery, particularly in Saudi Arabia.”

Organizations such as WomanHealth, Bagong Kamalayan, the Women’s Crisis Center PREDA in Olongapo City, IMA Foundation, BUKLOD, SALIGAN, and other organizations fighting trafficking, came to the Press Conference to support the victims.

The Coalition is also pushing for the passage of the anti-prostitution bill, to complement the anti-trafficking law, as they mark today the International Day of No Prostitution.  The bill intends to punish not only the business who profit from the system of prostitution but also the buyers.

Walden Bello, Director of the Focus on the Global South, and Josua Mata, Secretary-General of the Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL), were also on the frontlines and were pepper-sprayed. However, they marched on in what was dubbed as the funeral march for the WTO, led by Via Campesina, the biggest international coalition of peasants.

“The international mass movement delivered a strong message against the WTO! Through the discipline and determination of Korean farmers, students and workers, we managed to breach several police blockades,” stated Mata.

Hong Kong people lined up along the route and gave food, water and even handed flowers. They cheered and chanted “down, down WTO!” The police guarding the convention panicked and used rubber bullets. Arrests of at least 71 protesters were made, among them Filipinos.

Filipino women from the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women – Asia Pacific (CATW-AP) and Kanlungan were also part of the protests. “While we choked from the tear gas, none of us were hurt,” reported Jean Enriquez, Deputy Director of CATW-AP. Enriquez mentioned that they united with the farmers and workers in protesting the WTO as it caused the impoverishment of women and outmigration of thousands of Filipinas for precarious jobs. The groups also lobbied the official delegation for the rejection of Annex C of the Ministerial text that contains provisions for the liberalization of services, including energy and tourism. “Liberalization of tourism will spell loss of jobs in fishing and agriculture, and aggravate sexual exploitation of women in developing countries,” she added.

Dozens of Koreans suffered head injuries, however, yet sat in vigil in the streets of Wan Chai through the dawn. The arrests were brutal, according to Focus and CATW who witnessed the events. Some unionists were beaten up, they were strip-searched, and were not even allowed to go to the toilet.

As today is the last day of the negotiations, NGOs are reportedly banned from attending the closing ceremony. The Filipino groups, as part of the umbrella organization Our World is Not For Sale (OWINFS), condemned the brutal dispersal and demanded the immediate release of the protesters. “Release those fighting to save their livelihood from the WTO,” was the call from the OWINFS letter to Donald Tsang, Chair of the Ministerial Meeting and to Pascal Lamy, WTO Director General.

Migrant workers, under the banner of the Migrants Forum in Asia, will lead today’s marches to the Convention Center.

“We hope that our calls to stop violence and abrogate the VFA will resonate among our brothers and sisters throughout the country as this action also marks the 16-day campaign against violence against women,” says Jean Enriquez, Deputy Director of CATW-AP). The campaign is being conducted worldwide, beginning on November 25th, the day when the Mirabel sisters, three political activists in Dominican Republic were assassinated, and culminating on Dec. 10, International Human Rights Day.

“The rape case is but one of many criminal offenses by US servicemen in our country. We also hope to charge them soon with the anti-trafficking law, which penalizes the buying of trafficked persons,” says Alma Bulawan, President of Buklod ng Kababaihan, a group of survivors of trafficking and prostitution in Olongapo. The number of prostituted women in Olongapo grew when the Visiting Forces Agreement entered into force in 1999.

Minda Pascual, President of Bagong Kamalayan, added that “Whereas before, the American servicemen will go to the bars, now upon orders, pimps deliver the women to the ships docked on our shores.” The groups are documenting cases of violations by American soldiers.

The groups also deplored the ongoing war in Sulu, where American soldiers are reportedly seen involved in clashes. The military operations have displaced women and children. “The presence of American soldiers spell not only war, but also sexual exploitation of our women and children. Our documentation of cases has shown that the American soldiers frequent massage parlors in Zamboanga City,” stated Enriquez.

The labor groups APL and PM joined the women survivors in calling for immediate filing of charges in court and punishment of the accused. In upcoming mass actions on Nov. 30, both are condemning the Arroyo government for selling out the case to the Americans. The groups also carried placards containing slogans “Gonzales at Arroyo, Alis Diyan! VFA, Alis Diyan!

Led by the Coalition against Trafficking in Women – Asia Pacific (CATW-AP), Bukluran ng Kababaihan sa Olongapo (Buklod), EBGAN, WomenLead, Bagong Kamalayan, Samaritana, WomanHealth, Sinag Kababaihan, Batis Aware, WELGA, Women’s Crisis Center, PKKK, Women Rage and Kakammpi, the organizations called for the hasty resolution of the case for immediate trial.

In a statement, the group also condemned the refusal of the Department of Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales to transfer the preliminary investigation (PI) of the case to the Manila office. The presence of the group in the PI, they hope, will put pressure on the local prosecutor to find probable cause in the rape complaint and recommend filing of charges.

“We are astounded by Sec. Gonzales’ statements that he sees no need for addressing the issue of custody, and that transfer of custody to the Philippines will cost the government a lot,” says Jean Enriquez, Deputy Director of CATW-AP. “This is the height of indifference to gross violation of women’s human rights. Although we are pretty aware that the Arroyo government, as insinuated by the President’s call to Gonzales, is conscious of belittling the issue and doing its utmost so as not to strain its ties with the big white brother.”

Enriquez added, “Gonzales might be acting ignorant of the implication of leaving the custody of the accused with the US Embassy, and yet he might actually be, but we also know how much this has become a dangerous issue for President Arroyo herself.” The group asserted the request for custody should be done immediately, despite the default already made by the DOJ, since the rape case, if to proceed to trial, is not likely to be decided upon within one year, which is the time frame set by the Visiting Forces Agreement.

The group also denounced the VFA, as an essentially anti-Filipino treaty, laying the ground for American soldiers to access “our land, women and children, and for inherent inequities within.”