uphold, assert and defend all human rights for all!
uphold, assert and defend all human rights for all!
All the members of the movement rememberML@40 are grateful to the National Historical Commission (NHC) and to the people who worked for this recognition of just protests and determined struggles against the trampling of dignity and the ensuing gross violations of human rights during the dark years of martial law.
By this act may we also mark every single place where protest and struggle took place, where ever it may be – in Schools, Factories, Farms, Forests, in Streets and Mountains,
Asserting and demanding for the
rights to “food and freedom, jobs and justice”.
By this act may we also mark every sacred spot where family members, loved ones, friends and comrades made their supreme offering of their lives for the poor and the oppressed, for country and people.
Let not this marker though mean the resolution of the issues and/or causes of protests past.
This marker is a milestone of an unended journey, of unresolved issues, of unfinished struggles against the culture of impunity and for obtaining justice for us all. Among others, it is imperative to:
Account for all the victims of martial law, especially those who were subjected to till now enforced disappearances;
Review and repeal the remnants of martial law- like Batas Pambansa 880 on restricting public assembly and Executive Order 129 in relation to demolitions;
Ensure, so as to prevent recurrence, the passage of new laws that uphold and protect people’s rights, such as: the law against enforced disappearance, the law to compensate the victims of HRVs during martial law, the law that asserts our freedom of information;
Conduct massive nation-wide education programs to debunk the myths being propagated of the martial law years.
Thus, on this day, at this marker, as we pay tribute to the martyrs and heroes of the martial law years, the torch is passed anew to human rights defenders, especially the young.
Sa lugar na ito ng Mendiola, sa araw na ito, ika-dalawangpu’t isa ng Septiembre, apat na dekada mula noon ipinataw ang Batas Militar, ipinamamahagi muli sa inyo ang sulo ng kagitingan kung saan ang apoy na kulay dugo mula sa mga martir at mga nagbuwis ng kanilang buhay sa panahon nang Martial Law ay mag-alab sa ating mga puso upang ipagpatuloy ang pakikibaka para sa ating mga karapatan at para sa katarungan, para sa bawat tao at sa bayan.
Let this be the spot marking our determined commitment: Never again to Martial law!
September 21, 2012 - Mendiola Bridge
