Double standard view on human rights violations
The massacre in Rano, Digos, Davao Del Sur in 1989, the killing of Keith Absalon and his cousin, Nolven, in Masbate in June, and the exploitation of many indigenous peoples in Mindanao and the Cordillera by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front of the Philippines were widely condemned by Filipinos.
Are these not forms of serious violation of human rights?
It is unfortunate, however, that the CPP-NPA-NDF only call these incidents, which they owe responsibility, as unfortunate events.
The CPP-NPA-NDF and its allied organizations have been demonizing the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac) and the Barangay Development Program (BDP), claiming these are waste of funds and source of corruption when in fact, the BDP projects that are nearing completion are gradually liberating residents whom the CPP-NPA have long held captive with their motive of keeping these villages impoverished. Does this deprivation of opportunity to progress not equate to human rights abuse?
The allies of the CPP-NPA in the urban areas also repeatedly accuse the government of red-tagging their organizations when their members are the very people that brainwash the youth and lead them to rebel against their parents and the government, eventually depriving them of a bright future. Again, is this not tantamount to human rights violation?
On Dec. 10, we expected supporters of the CPP-NPA-NDF to mobilize even in the middle of the threat posed by the Omicron variant, and hold online discussions or webinars to portray themselves as human rights defenders and accuse the government and the current administration of the gruesome attacks on human rights which their comrades and they themselves committed without remorse.
A great number of former rebels attest to the horrific actions of the CPP-NPA and many grieving parents have lost their children to such terroristic activities.
No matter how they attempt to make noise and insist their allegations of human rights violations, the truth on the death of many of their victims resonates in history and will haunt the CPP-NPA-NDF.
Let us not be swayed by these fake human rights defenders who assume such role just to hide their evil terror deeds. Let us not allow them to further fool us with their rants of championing our rights when they are the ones curtailing our freedom to live peaceful lives and become successful individuals. — MA. LOUISA FOJILAN, spokesperson, Samahan ng Mamamayang Nagkakaisa Kontra Terorismo