Women's Gathering for Justice

A gathering for justice and a call to end impunity held December 11, 2009 at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani shrine in Quezon City.

UMC Davao Episcopal Area Pastoral Statement on the Infamous Maguindanao Massacre

Philippines ‘massacre’ must spur reform, say UN rights experts

2 December 2009 – The recent killing of 57 people in the southern Philippines, including some 30 journalists, must be seen as a watershed moment for the country, two independent United Nations human rights experts said today, stressing the need to bring the perpetrators to justice and take measures to prevent such crimes in the future.

“The pre-meditated killing of political opponents, combined with a massive assault on the media, must be tackled at various levels that go well beyond standard murder investigations,” Philip Alston, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, and Frank La Rue, the Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, stated in a news release.

Read the rest of the story at the UN News Centre

Advent greetings from the International Committee for the Fellowship of the Least Coin

Ms. Corazon Tabing-Reyes, ICFLC Executive Secretary emailed us their advent greeting and messages.  Click on the link to download the FLC Newsletter.

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Dear Sisters and Friends,

At this time, on the first week of Advent,  I am still in shock whenever I read or hear about the Maguindanao massacre of more or less 57 women and men who were in a convoy for transparent electoral processes in Maguindanao, Mindanao, Philippines on 23 November 2009. Maguindanao is Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao in the southern part of the Philippines.  You must have seen or read about this ghastly killing which speaks of the barbarism related to greed for power.  This killing is like Herod's horrifying massacre of children in the New Testament.

As we meditate during this time of Advent, please pray for the Philippines and for justice and peace to reign especially as Filipinos face the forthcoming election  in 2010.

The attached FLC Newsletter Moves and Touches brings the greetings of the ICFLC and WCC Finance Staff--Elaine Dykes, Rosemarie Peclard and Yasmina Visinand for a Blessed Christmas and a Hopeful New Year free from violence.  May this Christmas and New Year renew our commitment to Jesus whose vision of  peace, justice and reconciliation is gifted to Shanti and to us for the whole of humanity and creation, the household of God.  May God bless us all!

Please pass on this newsletter by email to other FLC women and friends. We are not printing it on paper in order to support conservation of trees.  

Peace,

Cora

United Church Condemns Philippine Massacre

November 27, 2009

The following letter—condemning the massacre in Maguindanao Province, Philippines, on November 23, 2009, and calling for an end to the underlying culture of impunity—has been sent to the Philippine and Canadian governments by Patti Talbot, Acting Executive Minister, Justice, Global and Ecumenical Relations Unit, The United Church of Canada.

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The United Church of Canada joins the Filipino people and the international community in condemning the massacre of more than 50 civilians on November 23 in the province of Maguindanao. We join the families of the victims in their grief and demand for justice. (Read More in the UCC website)

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KAIROS Partners Murdered in Philippines: A Response to the Massacre

Article forwarded to us by Ms. Connie Sorio of Kairos Canada:

Thursday, 26 November 2009

(Toronto) KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives condemns the murder of 57 people in the Philippines, including two of its human rights partners, and calls on the Canadian and Philippine governments to act swiftly to ensure justice and human rights for all in the Philippines.

In a statement expressing its grief and outrage at the horrifying massacre that occurred in Maguindanao three days ago, KAIROS urges the Canadian government to call Filipino authorities to express the concern of Canadians, hundreds of thousands of whom have relatives in the Philippines, and to ensure that human rights are upheld in their country. Read More

The NCCP Condemns the Maguindanao Massacre

Below is an article from the Act for Peace website.

The National Council of Churches of the Philippines (NCCP) Condemns Mindanao Massacre and Calls for Justice

“We are indignant of the lack of political will of the government to stop these killings," says Rev. Fr. Rex RB Reyes, Jr., NCCP General Secretary. Act for Peace is currently working with the NCCP to promote understanding between religious groups, including Muslims, Christians and Indigenous people, so that they can find common ground on the path to peace and justice. Read More

NCCP statement on the massacre in Maguindanao