Philippines rally commemorating 8.8.88

August 6, 2010

About one hundred members of the Free Burma Coalition – Philippines (FBC-Phils) held an action in front of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs office in Manila to commemorate the 22nd anniversary of the 8-8-88 people’s uprising in Burma. The demonstrators called on the Philippine government to denounce the national elections being planned by the SPDC military junta in Burma amidst the junta’s continued crimes against its people.

Calling on the Philippine government to support the international clamour for the creation of a United Nations Commission of Inquiry into the crimes against humanity by the SPDC military junta, youth members of the FBC-Phils paraded as victims of human rights violations and crimes against humanity to visually present the gravity of the situation.

Dr. Aurora Parong, Section Director of Amnesty International – Pilipinas called on all the people to strengthen solidarity and work for respect of human rights in Burma and around the globe. She also called on the Philippine government and the ASEAN to work for the protection of basic human rights and fundamental freedoms of the people of Burma.

Representatives from Bukuran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP-Solidarity of Filipino Workers), Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL), Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID), Partido ng Manggagawa (PM-Workers’ Party), and the Samahang Demokratiko ng Kabataan (SDK- Youth Democratic Movement) took turns expressing their concern over the continued crimes against humanity perpetrated by the SPDC military junta.

After the one-hour program, representatives from the group presented a formal petition letter to Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo calling on the Philippine government to support the call for a United Nations Commission of Inquiry into the crimes against humanity in Burma. The letter was received by DFA head of security, Lt. D.C. Fernandez in behalf of the office of the Foreign Secretary.

Read the press release.

See more photos.