Burma human rights defender networking meeting facilitated by vso in thailand in 2013
Philippines The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) – Philippines celebrated their 30th anniversary in September 2012. Coinciding with their National Congress, the celebration included a Tribute to Teachers and a mobilization to protest against President Aquino’s policies on education, widely criticized for being antiteacher and anti-people. ACT was successful with its 2012 Sign-up with ACT campaign to form unions among public school teachers. The ACT-NCR Union was officially registered and recognized as the sole bargaining unit in the National Capital Region (NCR), covering approximately 26,000 members.
Trade union activists organize and mobilize under dangerous conditions in the Philippines today. Attacks against organizers and leaders from CUPE partner organizations ACT and COURAGE continue with impunity under President Aquino’s rule. Six trade union activists have been killed since the current government came to power in 2010. In December 2012, 28 people were arbitrarily arrested on trumped-up criminal charges, including ACT national leaders Mae Fe Ancheta and Bing Dajao, and ACT organizer Reneboy Abiva. Long-time organizers of the Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE), Randy Vegas and Raul Camposano, were also abducted and detained in that same month.
The timing of the COURAGE arrests is of particular concern because they came in the midst of the campaign and protests by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) workers, where both Vegas and Camposano were assigned as organizers. The MMDA workers, mostly street sweepers and traffic and street maintenance staff were demonstrating for their long overdue benefits. COURAGE has been relentless and uncompromising in advancing the rights and welfare of the employees and in the pursuit of justice for the victims, including a campaign calling for immediate and unconditional release of Vegas and Camposano who have been detained more than four months.
In 2010, CUPE members met with Carlo “Caloy” Rodriguez, the COURAGE Southern Tagalog Coordinator and President of the Calamba Water District (NLMWATER), who was later killed for his union activities and opposition to water privatization.
Burma The changes in Burma over the last two years have led to a transition away from a “military dictatorship” toward a more democratic system, including the release of political prisoners, a more open media and increased freedom of speech. The power in the Parliament is still, however, in the hands of the military and former generals.
International Solidarity Report 2012-2013 – 17