Founding Conference of International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines-Canada Held in Ottawa
On May 11 and 12, activists from Canadian organizations
working in the Philippines, along with human rights activists and
social justice advocates gathered in Ottawa to launch the
Canadian chapter of the International Coalition for Human Rights
in the Philippines (ICHRP).[1]
On the first day, the conference was addressed by
several
guest speakers from front-line human rights organizations,
as well as religious leaders and human rights lawyers active in the
Philippines. The speakers addressed the main theme of the
Conference, "Supporting Voices at Risk: Defending Human Rights in
the Philippines."
In their presentations, the speakers shared their own
experiences of the situation in the Philippines and the
dangerous circumstances faced by the people. Human rights
defenders and government critics and all those working to improve
the lives of Filipinos are more and more in grave danger. Every
day the situation is worsened with new measures by the Duterte
regime to oppress, harass and murder social and human rights
activists.
 
In the afternoon, the Conference broke into five
workshops to involve all the participants in discussing the
issues raised in the morning session. The workshop themes were:
1) War on Drugs;
2) War on Human Rights Defenders, Martial
Law and the Rise of Tyranny;
3) Political Prisoners;
4)
Mining, Environment and Resource Development; and
5) Peace
Talks.
The second day of the conference received reports from
the
thematic workshops and deliberated on a Draft General
Program of Action, as well as a proposed Constitution and
Structures.
Following this a successful Conference to establish the
Canadian
Chapter of ICHRP it was announced the Third General Assembly of
ICHRP is to be held in Hong Kong, June 27-29, 2019.
Notes
1. The ICHRP was
founded in 2013 as a global alliance of human rights advocates
raising international visibility of the ongoing violation of
peoples' rights in the Philippines and generating political
pressure on the governments of the Philippines, the U.S., Canada,
Europe and other parties with interests in the Philippines.
Subsequently, national and regional chapters have been organized
in the U.S., Europe and Canada.
This article was published in
Volume 49 Number 19 - May 25, 2019
Article Link:
Founding Conference of International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines-Canada Held in Ottawa
Website: www.cpcml.ca
Email: editor@cpcml.ca
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