Maguindanao Massacre victims remembered

Maguindanao Massacre victims remembered

By Joseph Smooke

THE DEADLIEST DAY for journalists in modern history shocked the Philippines and the world on November 23, 2009, and this same date, two years later, brought a diverse crowd together to St Luke’s Church in Toronto to observe the first International Day to End Impunity.

A total of 32 journalists and 26 civilians perished in the vicious Maguindanao Massacre in Mindanao, Southern Philippines. In June of this year, the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX) announced that it would “launch the first ever International Day to End Impunity on November 23, 2011 the second anniversary of the single deadliest attack on journalists in recent history.”

The Philippine Press Club of Ontario (PPCO) hosted nearly 80 people of diverse backgrounds and representatives from various organizations including George and Emily Bartlet of Amnesty Internatonal, caregivers from St. Catharine’s (Niagara Region), International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX), Consul General Pedro Chan, Gerald V Paul, Associate Editor of Carrribean Camera, Dr. Philip Kelly from York University, Migrante Canada, Bayan Canada, the Philippine Network for Justice and Peace, Anakbayan, United Youth for Peace and Development, and National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada, Community Alliance for Social Justice, Filipino Migrant Workers Movement, among others.

Supporters of the evening included Peggy Nash, MP for Parkdale-High Park, who issued this statement from Ottawa:

“This Massacre shook the very core of the democratic political process of the Philippines and threatened the democratic right to freedom of expression. Freedom of expression is a basic principle of a functioning and legitimate democracy and must be observed and protected. This event has reminded us that we must continue to work hard to promote peace in our world and ensure that justice is part of the social fabric of any democracy.”

Those in attendance committed to continuing to work for peace and justice. Rose Tijam, President of the Philippine Press Club of Ontario said that there needs to be due process of the law to give justice to victims. “We join the other participating countries in solidarity. We will continue doing this — for people to remember.”
Rathika Sitsabaiesan, MP for Scarborough-Rouge River, also sent a message of solidarity.

It was a somber evening, including Filipino music performed by Lilac Cana, Mithi Esguerra, and Rhea Gamana, and a candle light ceremony led by Fr. Ariel Dumaran to remember those who have suffered so much.

After each person received a flower and a candle, the lights darkened as everyone turned their thoughts inward for this beautifully contemplative moment to remember those whose rights have been violated and whose lives have been lost. Each person then brought their flowers to two vases flanked with placards calling for justice.

This gesture amplified a strong and clear call to action that ran like a thread throughout the evening with demands and inspiring ideas for involving everyone in bringing change to end governments and cultures that operate outside the law to gain and increase their power while violating the rights of others.

Mithi Esguerra of Anakbayan portrayed a vision of the future where through collective advocacy, we are able to achieve “fundamental changes in the Philippines so that the people will no longer have to protest against our government, and we can achieve peace that is based on social justice.”

While it is important to look to the Philippines, Thomas Saras, President of the National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada and who publishes Patrides, a Greek newspaper in North America, reminded the audience that the situation is also troubling in many countries around the world, including Syria, Libya, and even Europe where “unfortunately nothing has changed since the Middle Ages.”

Alex Felipe, spokesperson for Bayan Canada in Toronto, brought the issue even closer to home by telling the captivated audience, “your tax dollars support the Canadian International Development Agency which works in partnership with Canadian mining companies many of which work in the Philippines… This is an issue that we’re all linked to… It is our responsibility here in Canada as Canadians to stop the use of our tax dollars toward things that we would not be proud of.”

Tanya Roberts, representing the Philippine Network for Justice and Peace, brought a solidarity message from Annie Game, Executive Director of IFEX. “Impunity consistently ranks among the top concerns and remains a global issue that has defied all borders and all political structures.” It certainly brought people together in solidarity across borders this night.

The Maguindanao Massacre makes this particular date significant, but as the evening reminded everyone, the issues of impunity, human rights violations, and abuses of power know no boundaries. Hermie Garcia, Vice President of the PPCO reminded participants that journalists have a responsibility not just to report the facts, but to provide a context for stories.

To provide such essential context, the evening’s program included a moving excerpt about the Maguindanao Massacre from Veronica Pedrosa’s investigative documentary “Imelda and Me” for Al Jazeera. Following this video, Jonathan Macala, a Muslim Filipino-Canadian from Cotabato-based United Youth for Peace and Development filled in much of the back history by re-setting the clock to before the Spanish colonization of the Philippines to explain the current issues in Mindanao as being “political—not religious”.

Macala brought us back to the times of the Sultanate established in the Philippines in1390. Conflict in the Philippines didn’t start until after the Spanish arrived in 1521 making the history of conflict in Mindanao one of the longest and bloodiest in the world. Macala stated that United Youth believe that all perpetrators of injustices should serve time behind bars. “We need to put our hands together across peoples, across nations to seek justice together. Otherwise, violence begets violence and that cycle will never cease.”

PHOTOS: JOSEPH SMOOKE