Statement of the PWNPS on the Maguindanao Massacre


The Philippine Women's Network for Peace and Security (PWNPS) condemns in the strongest possible terms the perpetrators of what is now referred to as the Maguindanao Massacre. Never in the most recent history of this bloodied nation have we seen this brutality of carnage, all for a possibility of a three year term as an official of this land!

As the figures continue to rise as bodies continue to be unearthed from the wasteland called Sharif Aguak, the municipality where more than 60 maimed and dismembered bodies of women, men and children have been recovered, we grieve and clench our fist in solidarity with the families and friends of those who died in this unbelievable massacre. As Fr. Jun Mercado (OMI) wrote:

"November 23rd is now etched in the history of the province as the day of shameless ignominy. On that day, a convoy of the women folks of the Mangudadatu clan accompanied by media people and their women lawyers on their way to the Capitol of the Province in Sharif Aguak municipality was stopped by PNP forces with hundreds of armed civilian volunteer organizations (under the command of the PNP) along the national highway in Ampatuan municipality. The convoy was directed to take the farm road leading to a deep hole meant to be the mass grave of the entire members of the convoy and also the other vehicles that happened to follow the convoy...

"... This COMELEC decision [to transfer its satellite office in Sharif Aguak and the requirement to file the certificates of candidacy in the `capitol' ] has forced the Mangudadatu to go into the heartland of the Ampatuan clan. The Vice Mayor Toto Mangudadatu decided to go and file his certificate of candidacy. But he was prevailed upon by the mother to let the women do the filing… The mother and the religious leaders believed that an all-women delegation accompanied by media people and women lawyers would be respected. Islam strongly enjoins believers to respect women and children even during times of war."

We were all wrong. Even in "peace time", women are not given dignity. In Islam where women and children are supposedly not to be harmed even in war, the massacre showed us that the murderers had no heart, no soul to follow this revered moral and religious tradition.

To date, except for the supposed "voluntary surrender" of one Ampatuan guy, which was done in the most civil, kids' gloved manner, no one has been charged. Despite all the bravura of announcements upon announcements from Malacañang calling for justice for the victims, no one has been able to tell the Filipino people who masterminded the massacre. Despite the presence of the backhoe officially traced to the local government offices. "Circumstantial evidence", says our officials and probers. Cannot hold water in court, they say in haste even before any proper and genuine investigation could happen. How could they think that all Filipinos are naive or stupid!

It appears, as eyewitness accounts slowly come out, that the "grave" meant to hold people and vehicle, had been dug days before.
More than 20 journalists were killed. Women and children from the Mangudadatu clan are dead. Two women lawyers, Concepcion “Connie” Brizuela 56, and Cynthia Oquendo 35, died. How many more bodies does Malacanang want to have to begin in earnest, and with deep respect for the victims' families and the entire nation, arresting the mastermind and the implementers of this crime!

On November 29th, women's organizations and human rights group commemorate the fourth International Day for Women Human Rights Defenders and anniversary of the First International Consultation on Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs), organized in 2005 by several human rights organizations in SriLanka. From November 25 to December 10 is the global commemoration of the “16 Days of Activism Campaign to Eliminate Violence against Women and Children”. On December 10, the world celebrates International Human Rights Day.

With the Maguindanao Massacre, these commemorations are more deeply felt and assume greater significance. These in fact are not simply events to remember; these are the gruesome reminders that despite the modernity of our civilization, uncivilized evil reside in our midst.

The GMA Administration must take full responsibility for the Maguindanao Massacre. The blood of the victims lay on the doors of Malacañang.

Justice for the victims of the Maguindanao Massacre!
Justice for our journalists and media people!
Justice for our Women Human Rights Defenders!
Justice for the Filipino people!

November 28, 2009
WeDpro, Inc.
PWNPS Secretariat
Ref: wedprophils1989@yahoo.com; admin.wedprophils.org

Here is a petition that lists demands for justice for the Ampuatan massacre!  
Sign Strike against impunity, Strike for Peace and Democracy Petition here:


Obama's Denuclearization Policy in N. Korea

Sung-Hee of No Base Stories of Korea shares information on President Obama's policy regarding North Korea's denuclearization.

http://nobasestorieskorea.blogspot.com/2009/11/text-fwd-obama-warns-n-korea-of.html
Friday, November 13, 2009
Text Fwd: Obama warns N. Korea of continued sanctions unless it denuclearizes

But, I just want to remind us how Obama has threatened the North Korea and the world.

http://nobasestorieskorea.blogspot.com/2009/09/text-fwd-us-braces-for-possible-nuke.html
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Text Fwd: 'US Braces for Possible Nuke War With NK'

http://nobasestorieskorea.blogspot.com/2009/11/text-fwd-print-conversation-print-open.html
Friday, November 13, 2009
Text Fwd: Obama to Retain "Nuclear Overkill" Capacity

http://nobasestorieskorea.blogspot.com/2009/11/video-fwd-who-threatens-peace-north.html

And  how about his pressure to South Korea(re-dispatch) and Japan (fund) for the war in Afghanistan?  Koreans had a rally yesterday. Even though I need more compensation in it.

http://nobasestorieskorea.blogspot.com/2009/11/koreans-protest-no-re-dispatch-to.html

Otherwise, I was informed the excellent video today. It is a must-see video! A Gift from Malaysia!

http://nobasestorieskorea.blogspot.com/2009/11/video-fwd-war-crimes-multimedia.html

Healing from the Center: Decolonizing the Self and our Communities.

Healing is a process of taking back control for our selves, our communities and the land. This conference is a way for participants to deal with different forms of violence that are the results of colonization and to move forward. Real healing begins from the center of each individual and is created through dialogue that changes how we relate to one another while working to decolonize our selves in hope of a better world. 


Keynotes: Monisha Das Gupta, Ha`aheo Guanson, Kaleo Patterson
Workshops featuring women activists: Terri Keko`olani, Angela Cruz, Kisha Borja, Grace Caligtan, Jennifer Rose, and many, many more!
Workshop Topics: (see below)

Featuring Workshops as follows:
1) Pacific Women and Demilitarization Struggles
--Perspectives from women activists on organizing strategies, political analysis, personal and spiritual insights on demilitarization and decolonization work at various sites in the Pacific, especially with respect to environmental, economic, political, and cultural sovereignty and justice.

2) Strategic Storytelling
--Situating and practicing the use of narrative and the sharing of our personal/political stories in order to create social change and foster intergenerational, multidimensional levels of healing, reconciliation, recovery of genealogies, and the creation of new possibilities.

3) Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Human Trafficking: Transnational Perspectives on Violence Against Women
--Creative, locally-based, grassroots analyses and strategies of social change and the transformation of social norms impacting gender-based violence, and violence against women as it manifests within and between national/international borders.

4) Race, Poverty, and the Law
--Critical perspectives identifying the intersections of race, class, and gender subordination in specific communities, especially with respect to the role of the state, the law, and other institutions of power in exploiting these intersections in ways that concretely and severely affect women in communities of color in very specific ways.

5) Environmental Justice

--Context-specific analysis and strategies on achieving environmental justice in the midst of conditions of pervasive militarism and a highly unequal capitalist economic system in illegally occupied Hawaii.
"Healing from the Center: Decolonizing the Self & Our Communities"
Conference hosted by the Collective for Equality, Justice & Empowerment
Saturday, November 14, 2009
9 am - 2 pm
Lunch Provided!!!
Location: UH Manoa, Hemenway Courtyard (a.k.a. Manoa Gardens, or Ba-le)
Website at http://sites.google.com/site/cejesite/ 
Email: ceje@hawaii.edu 
Below are videos of the "I Maga`Haga" Conference which was held on Guahan a while back in response to the U.S. military buildup. This particular conference was composed of a group of Chamoru women, i maga`haga of Guahan. We should all become more aware about what's happening in our islands and to our people and know what some of our people are doing in speaking out against this injustice - Kisha

The parallels that the women speaking draw between health, economics and environmental impact is the shared story of our Pacific Island brothers and sisters -Hawai`i, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Belau and Republic of the Marshall Islands. - Anghet

 

Musas Desprovistas

Women in Puerto Rico resist the privatization of their government, which is cutting public services, such as the Office of Women's Affairs