Two young women, aged 19 and 20, came out today to speak of their tragic experience in the hands of an Arab royalty.  Having been harassed with suits of libel and estafa by their own perpetrators, the two women decided to disclose to the public the sexual abuse they suffered in a press conference organized by the Kanlungan Center Foundation, Inc. and the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women – Asia Pacific (CATW-AP).

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.

Starting peacefully at around 3 in the afternoon at Victoria Park in Hong Kong, the march of thousands of farmers, workers, women and migrants ended in violence at around 9:30 last night, a few meters away from the Hong Kong Convention Center where the 6th Ministerial Meeting of the World Trade Organization is being held. Riot police fired water cannons and threw tear gas cannisters at the marchers at different points, breaking their lines. When the marchers made it close to the Convention Center, more tear gas exploded and rubber bullets were fired pointblank at the Korean farmers on the frontlines.

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.

Members of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women – Asia Pacific (CATW-AP) remain vigilant as a second and final hearing of the rape case of the 22-year-old Filipina is set on Nov. 29 at 2 PM. Women from the survivors’ groups Buklod in Olongapo City, Bagong Kamalayan and Bukal, supported by the Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL) and Partido ng Manggagawa (PM), gather today in front of the City Hall of Justice and called for the immediate resolution of the case for trial. The women wore vests as a symbol of protection from violence against women. The vests bore slogans “Gahasa sa Pinay, Gahasa sa Pinas!”

“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!

Around 200 women from various parts of Luzon, including Baguio, Angeles City and Metro Manila are marching today to the Olongapo Hall of Justice to support the 22-year old victim of rape, as the preliminary investigation of the rape complaint filed against 6 US servicemen opens today.

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.”