International Mission to Probe Labor Killings
Alarmed
by the unabated killing of political activists, world labor leaders will
visit the country next month to investigate killings of labor leaders and
organizers and repression of the labor sector.
BY ABNER
BOLOS
Gitnang
Luson News Service
Posted by
Bulatlat
San Fernando, Pampanga—Alarmed
by the unabated killing of political activists, world labor leaders will
visit the country next month to investigate killings of labor leaders and
organizers and repression of the labor sector.
Angie Ladera, Workers’
Alliance in Region III (WAR3) chairperson, said some 30 delegates from 12
countries including the United
States, Belgium, Denmark, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Bangladesh and
Nepal will fan-out to Central Luzon, Southern Tagalog, Negros island
and the southern
Mindanao region.
Dubbed the International
Labor Solidarity Mission (ILSM), the delegation will conduct fact-finding
missions on specific cases and work areas from May 2-5 and will present
their finding to the public on May 7.
Ladera, a former president of
the 3,000-strong International Wiring Systems Employees Unions (IWSEU),
told GLNS that in Tarlac, the murder of Ricardo Ramos, former Central
Azucarera De Tarlac Labor Union (CATLU) president, the recent killing of
United Luisita Workers’ Union (ULWU) leaders Tirso Cruz, as well as the
killing of Bayan Muna-Tarlac secretary general Florante Collantes and
Tarlac City councillor Abelardo Ladera will be given special attention.
In Bulacan, the mission will
investigate the murders of Federico de Leon, provincial chairperson of the
Anakpawis (Toiling Masses) party, Rogelio Concepcion, union president of
Solid Development Corp. and Francisco Paraon, who was illegally detained,
interrogated and tortured on Christmas day last year, Ladera said.
“To date not
a single perpetrator of the 71 murders and abductions that occurred since
last year have been arrested and brought to justice,” Ladera said. “But it
is clear to our people that the Arroyo government and his henchman in
Central Luzon, Gen. Jovito Palparan are to be blamed for the killing of
civilians and leaders of people’s organizations.”
The mission is organized by
the Ecumenical Institute for Labor Education and Research (EILER), Center
for Trade Unions and Human Rights (CTUHR) and the Alliance of Concerned
Teachers (ACT).
Mission organizers said that
the delegates who will visit the CALABARZON (Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Rizal-Quezon)
growth area in Southern Tagalog will interview community leaders and
workers.
The killings of Nestle
Philippines union president Diosdado Fortuna, Alliance of Concerned
Teachers (ACT) national council member Napoleon Pomasdoro and Honda
Workers’ Union president Romeo Legazpi, among others will be investigated,
mission organizers said.
In Negros island and southern
Mindanao, the mission will study the plight of sugar and banana plantation
workers, respectively. They will also look into the killing of at least
four (4) leaders of the National Federation of Sugar Workers, a KMU
affiliate in the sugar industry.
The country ranks 5th
among the world’s biggest banana producers and 66,561 has. are planted to
banana in southern Mindanao. Giant transnational corporations such as
Dole, Del Monte and Unifrutti operate in the region.
The
mission will investigate reported cases of militarization and human rights
abuses in the region. Gitnang Luson News Service / Posted by Bulatlat
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