Common Global Ministries Board approves Resolution on Human Rights in the Philippines

by Global Ministries | published on Oct 10, 2014

In the midst of continued human rights abuses and assassinations of church workers, the CGMB calls upon all UCC and Disciples members to support our brothers and sisters in the Philippines to stop the violence.

Resolution: Human Rights in the Philippines

Passed by the Common Global Ministries Board, April 8, 2006

WHEREAS the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the United Church of Christ (in North America) and the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, through our predecessor denominations, have been in partnership for over 100 years; and

WHEREAS our partnership calls us to prayer and advocacy for peace based on justice (religious, racial, economic, social and political) in our own contexts and on behalf of all persons and the whole of creation; and

WHEREAS as Christians, we have a Biblical mandate to care for the poor and marginalized, particularly the “least of these” (Matthew 25:40), to bring good news to the oppressed and release to the prisoners (Isaiah 61:1);

WHEREAS in faithfulness to that tradition, we are called to give voice to the voiceless, speaking truth to power where that power has been used to oppress rather than liberate; and

WHEREAS continuing and escalating human rights violations in the Philippines under the Arroyo administration have been documented by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the United Nations, the Philippine Commission on Human Rights, the U.S. State Department, and many non-governmental Philippine human rights organizations; and

WHEREAS during 2005, human rights groups documented at least 152 political killings and 52 other assassination attempts on human rights workers, church people, members of legal progressive political parties, lawyers, church leaders, and sectoral activists; and

WHEREAS between April 2004 and March 22, 2006, fourteen clergy and lay members were killed under the Arroyo administration in the Philippines, and at least seven others survived assassination attempts. Others were abducted and are still missing, and many church leaders and lay members have been harassed and threatened. All of these victims are human rights activists, members of progressive political parties, and vocal critics of logging, mining, militarization, and other destructive projects; and

WHEREAS the rights to peaceful assembly, free speech including protest and criticism of the government, and right of due process, which are guaranteed by the Philippine Constitution, have been denied by the Philippine government under Proclamation 1017, and continue to be curtailed;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Common Global Ministries Board of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ condemns the extrajudicial murder of human rights activists, church leaders, and others who work for the benefit of the poor and marginalized; as well as the use of armed violence against peaceful protestors; arrests made without due process; the use of intimidation, surveillance, coercion, and kidnapping;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Common Global Ministries Board joins the United Church of Christ in the Philippines in calling on the President of the Republic of the Philippines to

a) aggressively conduct timely, full, and impartial investigations into the human rights violations that have occurred during her presidency, and those of which may yet occur, in particular, the extra-judicial executions and disappearances of human rights workers, including journalists, church leaders and political activists, so that the perpetrators may be promptly brought to justice;

b) ensure that any member of the security forces suspected of committing human rights violations (in particular extra-judicial executions, disappearances and death threats) are suspended from duty pending a full investigation into their conduct;

c) and establish effective programs for the protection of peaceful human rights workers, victims and witnesses called to give testimony or evidence during the judicial process from violence, threats or other forms of intimidation.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Common Global Ministries Board calls upon Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and United Church of Christ members and congregations, regions and conferences, to unite in prayer to support our brothers and sisters in Christ in the Philippines, and to express solidarity with all those who work on behalf of the poor and marginalized.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Global Ministries co-executive Rev. Cally Rogers-Witte personally convey our solidarity with and support of churches in the Philippines in during the General Assembly of the UCCP in April 2006; and,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Common Global Ministries Board calls upon its members, congregations, regions and conferences, to write letters to the U.S. Congress, calling upon them to consider human rights abuses before sending further economic and military aid to the Philippines, and to put pressure on the Philippine government to support full human rights for all Philippine people.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Common Global Ministries Board encourages that funds be raised on behalf of the families of victims of extrajudicial murder, attempted murder and enforced disappearances.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that as a sign of our solidarity and in witness to our commitment to pray for our partners in the Philippines, we call upon the General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the General Minister and President of the UCC to forward this resolution to the President of the Republic of the Philippines and the Chairperson of the Philippine Commission on Human Rights, along with a letter condemning the continuing violence and violation of human rights.