The question at hand is not whether Pakistan is on the verge of a takeover by reactionary religious extremists from Afghanistan. It is not. Conflating the situations in Afghanistan and Pakistan only confuses people. Pakistan is, however, experiencing an extraordinary upheaval of popular discontent. In a word, it’s the emergence of democracy. Left on its…
Day: May 9, 2009
Rights, Not Raids
Even with a legalization program, millions of people will remain without papers. For them, work without “authorization” will still be a crime. And while employer sanctions have little effect on migration, they will continue to make workers vulnerable to employer pressure. BY BILL ONG HING AND DAVID BACON The Nation edition of May 18, 2009…
‘Big Brother’ Regional Roles for India?
Two new challenges on the foreign policy front await the newly elected government of India to be installed soon – in heaven-turned-hell Sri Lanka and the Himalayan state of Nepal. BY J. SRI RAMAN Truthout INTERNATIONAL Posted by Bulatlat Two new challenges on the foreign policy front await the newly elected government of India to…
Amnesty International Says Arroyo Gov’t Condones Rights Abuses
The world is worried about the progress of the Philippine government’s compliance on human rights, this, despite President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s offer to raise P25 million as reward for witnesses to testify in order to solve the 1,013 cases of extrajudicial killings under her administration.
Prosecutor Opposes Executive Clemency for Rights Worker’s Killer
Supporting the plea for justice by the victim’s kin, an Assistant City Prosecutor objected to the Board of Pardons and Parole’s (BPP) consideration to propose executive clemency for one of the convicted killers of human rights worker Christopher L. Batan. BY ARTHUR L. ALLAD-IW Northern Dispatch Posted by Bulatlat BAGUIO CITY (246 kms north of…
The Comics Wars
For decades the Roces clan of publishers monopolized the comics industries in the Philippines – even as they “warred” among themselves for the biggest share of the market. Their enterprises shut down, however, toward the end of the previous century. BY NOEL SALES BARCELONA Correspondent CULTURE Bulatlat GASI or the Graphic Arts Services, Inc. is…
Palparan in Congress: Spending People’s Money Against the People
The recent statement of Gen. Jovito Palparan to revive the Republic Act No. 1700 or the Anti-Subversion Law in order to stop progressive party-list representatives from using their Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) for the New People’s Army (NPA) is added proof that General Palparan does not deserve to be a representative of the poor…
De Facto Entourage
De Facto Entourage. When boxer Manny Pacquiao returned to the Philippines after winning his bout with England’s Ricky Hatton, he was accompanied by a de facto entourage of politicians who did not have to be with him in Las Vegas. (By Flon Faurillo/Bulatlat.com)
Migrant Group Gearing for Tough Fight to Free Alcaraz
Migrante International, an alliance of Filipino migrant organizations, thinks that Cecilia Alcaraz will most likely serve her sentence of life imprisonment in Taiwan unless the Philippine government genuinely exerts efforts to have her freed. Migrante also earlier expressed its dismay over the decision of the Taiwan Appellate Court saying that Alcaraz should not be jailed…
Picnic
Picnic.A family takes their lunch by the side of the road in Quezon City. (Photo by Raymund Villanueva/Bulatlat.com)
Work-Related Injuries, Illnesses Claim Millions of Lives, Dollars Yearly
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labor Office (ILO) warned the governments of the world over the cost of occupational-related diseases and injuries. BY NOEL SALES BARCELONA Correspondent LABOR WATCH Bulatlat Annually, 1.1 million people die because of unsafe and unhealthy work environments, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International…