NZ group urges PM to call Noy’s attention to rights abuses
By Michaela P. del Callar 10/28/2010A New Zealand-based group yesterday strongly urged New Zealand Prime Minister John Key to tackle the continuing human rights violations and political killings of left-wing militants in the Philippines during his meeting with President Aquino at the sidelines of a Southeast Asian summit in Hanoi, Vietnam this week.
Auckland Philippines Solidarity (APS), a group supporting human rights campaigns in the Philippines,
said Aquino, who is expected to call for fair and peaceful Myanmar elections in November and seek the release of all political prisoners in the junta-ruled state at the opening of the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) Summit Thursday, “needs to clean up human rights mess in his (Aquino’s) own backyard first if he wants to gain moral authority” on human rights and democracy.
“It’s a good thing that the Philippines is adding pressure for the restoration of democracy in Myanmar, but it’s totally outrageous that scores of political prisoners including 43 community health workers remain in unjust detention under the supposedly democratic Aquino government,” Luke Coxon, APS spokesman said.
It also scored the Philippines’ plan to host the secretariat of the Asean Inter-governmental Commission on Human Rights since human rights abuses under Aquino’s watch have persisted..... MORE
Source: The Daily Tribune
URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101028hed6.html
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