PAAM Resolution on the Philippines: Stop the Killings!

by Global Ministries | published on Oct 10, 2014

The Pacific Islander Asian American Ministries (PAAM) Convocation in July, 2006, adopted the following resolution of support for our Philippine brothers and sisters, asking the Philippines government to Stop the Killings!

Pacific Islander and Asian American Ministries (PAAM)
United Church of Christ

Resolution: Stop the Murders in the Philippines!

Whereas, one hundred twenty one (121) activists have been killed so far in 2006 by suspected military agents, and

Whereas, the people who are being killed are the people of struggle – the masses, the powerless, the oppressed, and

Whereas, the Scriptures remind us that God is calling us to bring good news to the poor, release to the captives, and liberty to those who are oppressed (Luke 4:16-18), and

Whereas a total of 717 people, 305 of whom belonged to activist organizations, have been killed since the start of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s time in office in 2001, and

Whereas another 180 activists remain missing, and

Whereas, the Philippines is now the second deadliest country in the world for journalists (second to Iraq according to the International Federation of Journalists) and unionists (second to Colombia). and

Whereas, President Arroyo continues to deny that these murders are even taking place, and

Whereas this cover-up enables the perpetrators of these murders to commit them with impunity, and

Whereas, for over a hundred years, the United States has wielded tremendous influence in the Philippines, and has been collaborating closely with the Philippine government as part of its global “War on Terror,” and

Whereas, the 24^th General Synod of the United Church of Christ, the National Council of Churches in the Philippines, and our partner church, the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, have adopted statements denouncing the violence in their country, and

Whereas, the human rights situation in the Philippines has continued to deteriorate, even after the adoption and dissemination of these statements, and

Whereas our sisters and brothers in the Philippines and throughout the Filipino diaspora are requesting our support and solidarity, and

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Pacific Islander and Asian American Ministries of the United Church of Christ express our sorrow and outrage concerning the escalating violence in the Philippines, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we call on all PAAM congregations to join in prayers for all victims of extra-judicial murders and other forms of violence, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Office of General Ministries utilize its communications structure to disseminate our concern to the churches of the United Church of Christ, our ecumenical partners in the US and around the world, and the society as a whole, and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that we call on all Christians and other people of conscience to communicate this concern to the US Ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton, and demand that he request the UN Human Rights Commission to investigate the human rights violations in the Philippines, so that the rule of law may prevail.