MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
24.4.2007
pursuant to Rule 115 of the Rules of Procedure
by Tobias Pflüger
on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group
on human rights situation in the Philippines
B6‑0176/2007
European Parliament resolution on human rights situation in the Philippines
The European Parliament,
- Having regard to articles 3 and 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
- Having regard to the Convention against Torture of 1984, as ratified by the Philippines on 18 June 1986,
- Having regard to the First and Second Optional Protocol of the UN Convention Against Torture, allowing respectively for individual complaints and fro visits to detention facilities by independent bodies,
- Having regard to the UN Convention on Enforced Disappearances,
- Having regard to the preliminary report of the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Executions Philip Alston,
- Having regard to Rule 115 of its Rules of Procedure,
A. Whereas although the death penalty has been repealed, the human rights situation is continuing to deteriorate,
B. Whereas according to the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA), abductions and extrajudicial killings continue,
C. Whereas the setting up of two investigatory bodies and the invitation to the UN Special Rapporteur indicate a first, but insufficient step in the process of recognition by government of the gravity of the situation and whereas a member of the Bayan Muna opposition party, that assisted the UN Special Rapporteur in his mission in the Philippines, was shot dead on 10 March 2007;
D. Whereas most of these extrajudicial killings have not been prosecuted and its authors have not been identified by the police and brought to justice;
E. whereas according to several reports more than 830 left-wing political activists, journalists, lawyers, judges, human rights activists, priests and trade unionists have been killed in extrajudicial executions since Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's government took office in 2001 and whereas this situation has recently been strongly criticised by the UN special rapporteur Philip Alston;
F. Whereas the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of FIDH and OMCT, is requesting urgent action to end all forms of harassment and ill- treatment in the Philippines,
1. Strongly condemns all abductions allegedly by members of military elements, and is immensely concerned about the physical and psychological integrity of those concerned as well as of the future of their families, emphasising the grave fears that they will be subjected to torture and degrading treatment, or potentially extrajudicial executions;
3. Condemns all abductions and killings which are politically motivated and according to different sources are perpetrated by members of the military, the police and groups linked to them; several of these cases of abductions and extrajudicial killings of farmers, in 2006, were connected to the agrarian reform;
4. Emphasises that in 2006, 206 killings of civilians were reported, among whom 165 were affiliated to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), to workers' organisations such as the fishermen and teachers' associations and trade unions, as well as to human rights organisations;
5. Recalls that all related police investigations were extremely flawed and calls upon the government of the Philippines to take all necessary measures, not only to locate missing people and order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of their abductions, but to also stop immediately all practices that cause a state of fear in the country;
6. Calls upon all the parties involved to guarantee the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with international human rights standards;
7. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Chairman of the UN Commission on Human Rights, the government and President of the Philippines, as well as to the House of Parliament of the country.