Press Statement
March 8, 2009 _ Contact Person: Atty. Virginia Suarez# 09298127864
VOTE FOR A PRESIDENT; PLAY RUSSIAN ROULETTE
This, in sum, is what Philippine elections are, for the masses of the Filipino people: taking a chance on the basis of minimal hope for the slightest improvement in their economic status and quality of life.
As we all know, such a hope has been slim, from the very beginning of the establishment of this allegedly electoral democracy.
The Filipino people continue in their miserable social and economic conditions, while their political rights are reduced to the right to be bought off come election time.
Elections are for choosing which member of the ruling class will hold the reins at the apex of a system of governance dedicated to oppressing, exploiting and suppressing workers, peasants, student and youth and, not the least of all, women – individually, in terms of their rights as persons, and collectively, in terms of their rights as a sector and as citizens.
Like many elections recent and far-gone, the voice of women who are the actual majority of the population of the Philippines, is remarkably under-represented, their concerns barely addressed.
However, unlike preceding elections, this one has been marked by a debate on the most fundamental right for women – the control over their physical selves – their right, in other words, to physical integrity. Commensurately, such a right extends to control over the processes of their physical selves, including reproduction.
Physical integrity for women means a whole range of other rights – the right to live peacefully without threat; the right to be protected from sexual assault, battery and rape; the right to remain a human being and not be commoditized for export into the international labor and sex markets; the right to basic physical needs like food, clothing, shelter…
All of these rights are violated in ways big and small in the Philippines, with impunity, continuously and relentlessly. The Visiting Forces Agreement enables foreign rapists, murderers and practitioners of all forms of violence against women to enter the country and commit such acts. The ingrained puppetry of the Philippine government enables such imperialist agencies as the USAID to encourage, fund and arm “civilian volunteers” in Maguindanao and other areas of acute social contradictions. US military aid enables the Philippine military to terrorize the Filipino people and to shield from the people’s wrath land-grabbers, the worst thieves, the most corrupt and even those who pimp Filipinas to some of the most terrible places on earth, all for the sake of a few dollars more.
Within this system, the violation of the rights of women as a sector and as individuals has been wholesale, organized and profound.
The violation of their rights as citizens is in full exhibit at these elections – with the deluge of money and bribes, the killings and intimidation, and even quasi-taxes imposed by this or that force.
In such a situation, what is to be done?
Neither by the ballot nor by the will of this corrupt system can liberation come to our women.
KAISA KA therefore issues this call to action:
Put an end to playing Russian Roulette!
Reject Imperialism’s game!
Organize and Struggle for Food, Jobs and Rights!
The struggle for women’s liberation walks hand-in-hand with the struggle for the people’s liberation.
KAISA KA
(Unity of Women for Freedom– Philippines)
Kaisa Ka National Office: # 22-A Libertad St. Highway Hills, _ Mandaluyong City, Philippines 1501 Telefax: (632) 717 3262
Email: HYPERLINK “mailto:kaisa_ka98 yahoo.com” kaisa_ka98 yahoo.com and HYPERLINK “mailto:kaisakasakalayaan kaisaka.org” _ kaisakasakalayaan kaisaka.org