UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions ends Philippine visit

Professor Philip Alston, Special Rapporteur of the United Nations Human Rights Council on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions. 
Manila, 21 February 2007 I have spent the past ten days in the
Philippines at the invitation of the Government in order to inquire into the phenomenon of extrajudicial executions. I am very grateful to the Government for the unqualified cooperation extended to me. During my stay here I have met with virtually all of the relevant senior officials of Government.  They include the President, the Executive Secretary, the National Security Adviser, the Secretaries for Defence, Justice, DILG and the Peace Process. I have also met with a significant number of members of Congress on different sides of the political spectrum, the Chief Justice, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Chair of the Human Rights Commission, the Ombudsman, the members of both sides of the Joint Monitoring Committee, and representatives of the MNLF and MILF. Of particular relevance to my specific concerns, I also met with Task Force Usig, and with the Melo Commission, and I have received the complete dossier compiled by TF Usig, as well as the report of the Melo Commission, the and the responses to its findings by the AFP and by retired Maj-Gen Palparan. I have also visited Baguio and
Davao and met with the regional Human Rights Commission offices, local PNP and AFP commanders, and the Mayor of Davao, among others. Equally importantly, roughly half of my time here was devoted to meetings with representatives of civil society, in Manila, Baguio, and
Davao. Through their extremely valuable contributions in the form of documentation and detailed testimony I have learned a great deal. 

Let me begin by acknowledging several important elements. The first is that the Government’s invitation to visit reflects a clear recognition of the gravity of the problem, a willingness to permit outside scrutiny, and a very welcome preparedness to engage on this issue.  The assurances that I received from the President, in particular, were very encouraging. Second, I note that my visit takes place within the context of a counter-insurgency operation which takes place on a range of fronts, and I do not in any way underestimate the resulting challenges facing for the Government and the AFP. Third, I wish to clarify that my formal role is to report to the UN Human Rights Council and to the Government on the situation I have found. I consider that the very fact of my visit has already begun the process of acting as a catalyst to deeper reflection on these issues both within the national and international settings. Finally, I must emphasise that the present statement is only designed to give a general indication of some, but by no means all, of the issues to be addressed, and the recommendations put forward, in my final report. I expect that will be available sometime within the next three months. Sources of informationThe first major challenge for my mission was to obtain detailed and well supported information. I have been surprised by both the amount and the quality of information provided to me. Most key Government agencies are organized and systematic in much of their data collection and classification.  Similarly,
Philippines civil society organizations are generally sophisticated and professional. I sought, and obtained, meetings across the entire political spectrum. I leave the
Philippines with a wealth of information to be processed in the preparation of my final report. But the question has still been posed as to whether the information provided to me by either all, or at least certain, local NGO groups can be considered reliable. The word ‘propaganda’ was used by many of my interlocutors.  What I took them to mean was that the overriding goal of the relevant groups in raising EJE questions was to gain political advantage in the context of a broader battle for public opinion and power, and that the HR dimensions were secondary at best.  Some went further to suggest that many of the cases were fabricated, or at least trumped up, to look more serious than they are. I consider it essential to respond to these concerns immediately. First, there is inevitably a propaganda element in such allegations. The aim is to win public sympathy and to discredit other actors. But the existence of a propaganda dimension does not, in itself, destroy the credibility of the information and allegations. I would insist, instead, on the need to apply several tests relating to credibility. First, is it only NGOs from one part of the political spectrum who are making these allegations? The answer is clearly ‘no’. Human rights groups in the
Philippines range across the entire spectrum in terms of their political sympathies, but I met no groups who challenged the basic fact that large numbers of extrajudicial executions are taking place, even if they disagreed on precise figures. Second, how compelling is the actual information presented? I found there was considerable variation ranging from submissions which were entirely credible and contextually aware all the way down to some which struck me as superficial and dubious. But the great majority are closer to the top of that spectrum than to the bottom. Third, has the information proved credible under ‘cross-examination’. My colleagues and I heard a large number of cases in depth and we probed the stories presented to us in order to ascertain their accuracy and the broader context. 

As a result, I believe that I have gathered a huge amount of data and certainly much more than has been made available to any one of the major national inquiries. Extent of my focusMy focus goes well beyond that adopted by either TF Usig or the Melo Commission, both of which are concerned essentially with political and media killings. Those specific killings are, in many ways, a symptom of a much more extensive problem and we should not permit our focus to be limited artificially. The TF Usig/Melo scope of inquiry is inappropriate for me for several reasons: (a) The approach is essentially reactive. It is not based on an original assessment of what is going on in the country at large, but rather on what a limited  range of CSOs report. As a result, the focus then is often shifted (unhelpfully) to the orientation of the CSO, the quality of the documentation in particular cases, etc.; (b) Many killings are not reported, or not pursued, and for good reason; and 

(c) A significant proportion of acknowledged cases of ‘disappearances’ involve individuals who have been killed but who are not reflected in the figures. How many have been killed?The numbers game is especially unproductive, although a source of endless fascination. Is it 25, 100, or 800? I don’t have a figure. But I am certain that the number is high enough to be distressing. Even more importantly, numbers are not what count. The impact of even a limited number of killings of the type alleged is corrosive in many ways. It intimidates vast numbers of civil society actors, it sends a message of vulnerability to all but the most well connected, and it severely undermines the political discourse which is central to a resolution of the problems confronting this country. Permit me to make a brief comment on the term ‘unexplained killings’, which is used by officials and which I consider to be inapt and misleading. It may be appropriate in the context of a judicial process but human rights inquiries are more broad-ranging and one does not have to wait for a court to secure a conviction before one can conclude that human rights violations are occurring. The term ‘extrajudicial killings’ which has a long pedigree is far more accurate and should be used. TypologyIt may help to specify the types of killing which are of particular concern in the
Philippines:·          Killings by military and police, and by the NPA or other groups, in course of counter-insurgency. To the extent that such killings take place in conformity with the rules of international humanitarian law they fall outside my mandate.·          Killings not in the course of any armed engagement but in pursuit of a specific counter-insurgency operation in the field.·          Killings, whether attributed to the military, the police, or private actors, of activists associated with leftist groups and usually deemed or assumed to be covertly assisting CPP-NPA-NDF. Private actors include hired thugs in the pay of politicians, landowners, corporate interests, and others.·          Vigilante, or death squad, killings ·          Killings of journalists and other media persons.·          ‘Ordinary’ murders facilitated by the sense of impunity that exists. 

Response by the GovernmentThe response of Government to the crisis of extrajudicial executions varies dramatically. There has been a welcome acknowledgement of the seriousness of the problem at the very top. At the executive level the messages have been very mixed and often unsatisfactory. And at the operational level, the allegations have too often been met with a response of incredulity, mixed with offence. Explanations profferedWhen I have sought explanations of the killings I have received a range of answers. (i) The allegations are essentially propaganda. I have addressed this dimension already. (ii) The allegations are fabricated.  Much importance was attached to two persons who had been listed as killed, but who were presented to me alive. Two errors, in circumstances which might partly explain the mistakes, do very little to discredit the vast number of remaining allegations. 

(iii) The theory that the ‘correct, accurate, and truthful’ reason for the recent rise in killings lies in purges committed by the CPP/NPA. This theory was relentlessly pushed by the AFP and many of my Government interlocutors. But we must distinguish the number of 1,227 cited by the military from the limited number of cases in which the CPP/NPA have acknowledged, indeed boasted, of killings. While such cases have certainly occurred, even those most concerned about them, such as members of Akbayan, have suggested to me that they could not amount to even 10% of the total killings.The evidence offered by the military in support of this theory is especially unconvincing. Human rights organizations have documented very few such cases. The AFP relies instead on figures and trends relating to the purges of the late 1980s, and on an alleged CPP/NPA document captured in May 2006 describing Operation Bushfire.  In the absence of much stronger supporting evidence this particular document bears all the hallmarks of a fabrication and cannot be taken as evidence of anything other than disinformation. (iv) Some killings may have been attributable to the AFP, but they were committed by rogue elements. There is little doubt that some such killings have been committed. The AFP needs to give us precise details and to indicate what investigations and prosecutions have been undertaken in response. But, in any event, the rogue elephant theory does not explain or even address the central questions with which we are concerned. Some major challenges for the future (a) Acknowledgement by the AFPThe AFP remains in a state of almost total denial (as its official response to the Melo Report amply demonstrates) of its need to respond effectively and authentically to the significant number of killings which have been convincingly attributed to them. The President needs to persuade the military that its reputation and effectiveness will be considerably enhanced, rather than undermined, by acknowledging the facts and taking genuine steps to investigate. When the Chief of the AFP contents himself with telephoning Maj-Gen Palparan three times in order to satisfy himself that the persistent and extensive allegations against the General were entirely unfounded, rather than launching a thorough internal investigation, it is clear that there is still a very long way to go. 

(b) Moving beyond the Melo CommissionIt is not for me to evaluate the Melo Report. That is for the people of the
Philippines to do. The President showed good faith in responding to allegations by setting up an independent commission.  But the political and other capital that should have followed is being slowly but surely drained away by the refusal to publish the report.  The justifications given are unconvincing. The report was never intended to be preliminary or interim. The need to get ‘leftists’ to testify is no reason to withhold a report which in some ways at least vindicates their claims. And extending a Commission whose composition has never succeeded in winning full cooperation seems unlikely to cure the problems still perceived by those groups. Immediate release of the report is an essential first step. (c) The need to restore accountabilityThe focus on TF Usig and Melo is insufficient.  The enduring and much larger challenge is to restore the various accountability mechanisms that the Philippines Constitution and Congress have put in place over the years, too many of which have been systematically drained of their force in recent years. I will go into detail in my final report, but suffice it to note for present purposes that Executive Order 464, and its replacement, Memorandum Circular 108, undermine significantly the capacity of Congress to hold the executive to account in any meaningful way. (d) Witness protectionThe vital flaw which undermines the utility of much of the judicial system is the problem of virtual impunity that prevails.  This, in turn, is built upon the rampant problem of witness vulnerability. The present message is that if you want to preserve your life expectancy, don’t act as a witness in a criminal prosecution for killing. Witnesses are systematically intimidated and harassed. In a relatively poor society, in which there is heavy dependence on community and very limited real geographical mobility, witnesses are uniquely vulnerable when the forces accused of killings are all too often those, or are linked to those, who are charged with ensuring their security. The WPP is impressive – on paper. In practice, however, it is deeply flawed and would seem only to be truly effective in a very limited number of cases. The result, as one expert suggested to me, is that 8 out of 10 strong cases, or 80% fail to move from the initial investigation to the actual prosecution stage. (e) Acceptance of the need to provide legitimate political space for leftist groupsAt the national level, there has been a definitive abandonment of President Ramos’ strategy of reconciliation.  This might be termed the Sinn Fein strategy. It involves the creation of an opening — the party-list system — for leftist groups to enter the democratic political system, while at the same time acknowledging that some of those groups remain very sympathetic to the armed struggle being waged by illegal groups (the IRA in the Irish case, or the NPA in the Philippines case).  The goal is to provide an incentive for such groups to enter mainstream politics and to see that path as their best option.  

Neither the party-list system nor the repeal of the Anti-Subversion Act has been reversed by Congress.  But, the executive branch, openly and enthusiastically aided by the military, has worked resolutely to circumvent the spirit of these legislative decisions by trying to impede the work of the party-list groups and to put in question their right to operate freely. The idea is not to destroy the NPA but to eliminate organizations that support many of its goals and do not actively disown its means.  While non-violent in conception, there are cases in which it has, certainly at the local level, spilled over into decisions to extrajudicially execute those who cannot be reached by legal process. (f) Re-evaluate problematic aspects of counter-insurgency strategyThe increase in extrajudicial executions in recent years is attributable, at least in part, to a shift in counterinsurgency strategy that occurred in some areas, reflecting the considerable regional variation in the strategies employed, especially with respect to the civilian population.  In some areas, an appeal to hearts-and-minds is combined with an attempt to vilify left-leaning organizations and to intimidate leaders of such organizations.  In some instances, such intimidation escalates into extrajudicial execution.  This is a grave and serious problem and one which I intend to examine in detail in my final report. Conclusion The
Philippines remains an example to all of us in terms of the peaceful ending of martial law by the People’s Revolution, and the adoption of a Constitution reflecting a powerful commitment to ensure respect for human rights. The various measures ordered by the President in response to Melo constitute important first steps, but there is a huge amount that remains to be done.

MEDIA ADVISORY: UN Press Briefing with Mr. Philip Alston, UN Special Rapporteur on Extradudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions

MEDIA ADVISORY

From: The United Nations (UN)

PRESS BRIEFING OF MR. PHILIP ALSTON, UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON EXTRAJUDICIAL, SUMMARY OR ARBITARY EXECUTIONS

Date:           Tuesday, 20 February 2007        

Time:          6 p.m. – 7 p.m.            

Venue:       Renaissance Room, Ground Floor, Renaissance Makati City Hotel (formerly New World Hotel)

Please confirm with suzette.imperial@undp.org or call tel. (+632) 9010405.

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Mr. Philip Alston completes his 10-day mission to the Philippines on 20 February 2007.  His team includes Mr. William Abresch, Director, Project on Extrajudicial Executions, New York University and  Mr. Ulrich Garms, Associate Human Rights Officer, UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Mr. Alston has served in various capacities in the UN system, including as Chair of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights from 1991 to 1998, and as its Rapporteur from 1987 to 1990. In 1989 he was appointed by the Secretary-General, at the request of the General Assembly, as an Independent Expert to report on measures to ensure long-term effectiveness of the human rights treaty bodies.  In that capacity he presented reports to the General Assembly in 1989, the Vienna World Conference on Human Rights in 1993, and the Commission on Human Rights in 1997. In 2002, he was appointed as Special Adviser to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Mr. Alston is currently Professor of Law at New York University and Faculty Director of its Center for Human Rights and Global Justice. He was previously Head of the Law Department at the European University Institute in Florence and from 1996 to 1999 directed a major project on the European Union and Human Rights at the request of the European Commission. He has also been a visiting Professor at Harvard Law School (1984-1989, 1993) and was founding Director of the Centre for International and Public Law at the Australian National University.

Special Rapporteurs and other “mandate-holders” of the Commission are independent from any government and serve in their individual capacity. The Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions is mandated to examine the phenomenon worldwide and to submit his findings on an annual basis, together with conclusions and recommendations, to the Commission. He also submits every other year a report to the General Assembly along with his recommendations for more effective action to combat situations of extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions.

UN SEEKS $46 MILLION FOR PHILIPPINES TYPHOON RELIEF

(Manila: 18 December 2006):  The United Nations today appealed for $46 million to meet the urgent relief and early recovery needs of the most vulnerable persons affected by the series of four typhoons that have hit the Philippines since the end of September this year.  Of all disasters in the Philippines, typhoons claim the most lives.

The four typhoons have affected almost eight million people, of the total population of nearly 90 million, in 62 of the country’s 79 provinces.  The impact of these typhoons has been so severe that resulting landslides, flash floods, massive mudslides and widespread flooding have caused a large number of casualties, buried a number of villages and caused widespread destruction.  As of mid-December, the Government has reported 942 deaths, 850 persons missing, and more than 2,800 injuries.  Nearly 440,000 people have been displaced:  more than 190,000 remain displaced in 652 evacuation centres. 

Throughout the affected areas, 512,000 homes have been completed destroyed, and a further 711,000 partially damaged, at an economic cost amounting to some $355 million. Infrastructure, agricultural crops, and schools have been damaged or destroyed, with losses estimated at $308 million.  Primary and secondary classes in the affected areas have been indefinitely interrupted.  Additionally, local government offices and medical facilities have also incurred major damage, seriously affecting the delivery of basic medical and emergency services.  Disrupted access to safe drinking water and the breakdown of waste management also represent a major threat, and the risk of outbreaks of water borne diseases is looming.

Initial and immediate emergency relief has been made possible through a grant of $2.6 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). The Appeal launched today requests funding for continuing emergency relief work and early recovery needs over the next 12 months.  With their homes destroyed and no clear source of renewed livelihood, the affected population requires continued emergency relief, as well as emergency rehabilitation assistance that promote self-sufficiency, such as shelter and construction materials and food for recovery projects.  Priority needs include emergency shelter items, food, clean drinking water, paediatric medicines, water and sanitation assistance, and generator sets for hospitals, among others. 

Government authorities, United Nations agencies, and other partners in the Philippines are working together in the spirit of the humanitarian response reform. This has meant establishing a coordinated and inclusive approach to designating responsibilities, mobilizing partner agencies and resources, especially from among the NGO community, planning and delivery, and the engaging affected populations in decisions and activities which impact on their recovery.

“The cumulative impact of these disasters will require longer-term recovery efforts over the next twelve months to address immediate needs and, in parallel, help restore the capacity of the authorities to respond, and of communities to help themselves, said the United Nations Resident Coordinator for the Philippines, Ms. Nileema Noble. “It is crucial that humanitarian relief efforts and early recovery measures are closely linked, to ensure the people and the Government of the Philippines are better prepared to meet the challenges of the disasters they regularly face.”
***

For media inquiries, please contact: 

Agnes Aliman, UN Information Centre for the Philippines
Tel No. +63 2 338-5522, +63 2 338-5520,
Fax No. +63 2 338-0177
E-mail: alimana@unicmanila.org

Or

Stephanie Bunker, OCHA-New York, +1 917 367 5126, mobile +1 917 892 1679; Kristen Knutson, OCHA-New York, +1 917 367 9262; Elisabeth Byrs, OCHA-Geneva, +41 22 917 2653, mobile, +41 79 473 4570.  OCHA press releases are available at http://ochaonline.un.org or www.reliefweb.int.

UNITED NATIONS ASSISTING PHILIPPINES AFTER TYPHOON

Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

(New York:  5 December 2006):Typhoon Durian has caused widespread destruction across 13 provinces of the Philippines, affecting more than 1.5 million people in 125 municipalities and 10 cities, with 526 confirmed deaths, 740 people missing, and some 1,000 injured according to the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC). 

The typhoon, which lashed the country at the end of last week, destroyed more than 76,000 homes and damaged nearly 154,000 additional residences.  Some 83,000 people have sought shelter in 29 evacuation centres.  And while main roads have been cleared, widespread power and communications outages continue in most of the affected areas.  The disruption of the water supply also remains a major source of concern.  On 3 December, Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo declared a state of national calamity and authorized the release of one billion Philippine pesos to fund relief and rehabilitation efforts to repair the damage sustained due to the onslaught of three successive typhoons  Xangsane, Cimarron and Durian. 

The Government has also indicated its readiness to accept assistance from the international community, identifying priority needs as: drinking water and water purifying tablets; medical teams, social workers and medicines; food; blankets and mattresses; tents and tarpaulins; and generator sets.  However, the NDCC has stated that there is no need for international search and rescue teams.  The international community is providing emergency relief assistance. 

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is considering an application for funding from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) for the purchase of emergency supplies. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has dispatched emergency health supplies for 10,000 people for three months, as has provided 4,000 family packs consisting of rice, canned goods, mattresses and blankets. 

The UNICEF also led a joint United Nations inter-agency assessment mission to Albay province today. Additional cash and in-kind contributions have been provided by Australia, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Republic of Korea, Singapore, and the United States, as well as the Saipan Filipino community and Telecoms sans Frontières,. 

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has despatched a Field Assessment and Coordination Team (FACT) to support the Philippines Red Cross Society to assess the situation in the disaster-affected areas.

For further information, please call:  Stephanie Bunker, OCHA-New York, +1 917 367 5126, mobile +1 917 892 1679; Kristen Knutson, OCHA-New York, +1 917 367 9262; Elisabeth Byrs, OCHA-Geneva, +41 22 917 2653, mobile, +41 79 473 4570.  OCHA press releases are available at http://ochaonline.un.org or www.reliefweb.int.

RP Exceeds Target in Stand Up Campaign: 2.4 Million Filipinos Stood Up Against Poverty

In a feisty show of unity and strength  2,411,121 Filipinos from Baguio in Northern Luzon to Sulu and Tawi-Tawi in Southern Mindanao joined the Tumayo Tayo Pilipinas Campaign (Stand Up Against Poverty) in numerous events held by the UN System in the Philippines and its partners from the government, non-government organizations, private sector, academe and media on the eve of Oct. 15 up until the eve of Oct. 16.

The UN in the Philippines and its partners had initially aimed to have at least 1 million Filipinos joining the campaign.  Instead, they breezed past their target by 100% at the close of counting on Oct. 16.  Even after the official receipt of reports from across the country had ended, numerous organizations still continued to send in their attendance reports, signifying huge support from various stakeholders from all walks of life.

Stand Up Against Poverty, the rallying event of the United Nations’ Millennium Campaign to raise awareness on the Millennium Development Goals, now holds the official record title in the Guinness World Record for having the most number of people to “Stand Up Against Poverty” in 24 hours on 15-16 October with a total of 23,542,614 people from 87 countries who participated in 11,646 events around the globe. 

The bulk of the numbers came from Asia and the Pacific, with an aggregate total of 18 million who rallied behind the MDG awareness campaign.  In Asia and Pacific, India topped the race for the number of people at 9,731,983.  Nepal came in second with 3,131,584 while the Philippines was third at 2,411,121.  Other countries in Asia Pacific which participated included Bali, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Nepal, Republic of Maldives, Pakistan, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam and others.

Topping the list for the top 10 organizations which had the most number of participants in the country was DepEd, Region 3-Central Luzon, with 1,772,202 participants, followed by Dep Ed Region 3-Bulacan, 358,300; DepEd Region 9-Davao, 220,568; DepEd Nueva Ecija, 190,470; DepEd Region 10-Davao Oriental, 83,191; Philippine UN White Helmets Commission and Association, 80,560; DepEd-Nueva Ecija (2nd report) with 43,717; DepEd Region -Dagupan with 29,313; DepEd Zambales with 25,582 and DepEd-Gapan City, 22,377.
 
The official counting in the Philippines was validated and officiated by representatives from the Sycip, Gorres, Velayo & Co. accounting firm, a UN partner for the Philippine campaign dubbed Tumayo Tayo Pilipinas.  Details and photos of the campaign may be downloaded at www.millenniumcampaign.ph

The Tumayo Tayo Pilipinas campaign aimed to raise awareness on the state of poverty in the country in the context of meeting the MDGs by 2015.  The campaign also celebrated the significant local gains made for the achievement of the MDGs and called on duty-bearers to hurdle the complex challenges facing the country ahead. 

In September 2000, 191 UN-member countries, rich and poor alike, reaffirmed their commitment to peace and security, good governance and attention to the most vulnerable with the adoption of the Millennium Declaration.  Containing commitments to achieve the eight MDGs, the declaration reflects the vision of entire nations, working together with international and country-based organizations to wipe out poverty and the worst forms of human deprivation and lay the foundations for sustainable human development by 2015.

Tumayo Tayo Pilipinas featured a lead flag-raising ceremony integrating the Tumayo Tayo pledge, read in Filipino by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.  It was organized by government officials led by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, National Anti-Poverty Commission, Office of the PA on Culture, Department of Education, Department of Social Welfare and Development and the League of Municipalities, among others.  Similar Tumayo Tayo moments were integrated in flag-raising ceremonies held at the Senate, Congress and Supreme Court, demonstrating the full participation of the legislative, executive and judiciary branches of government.

On center stage was the MDG Festival held in Marikina City, an MDG resource city.  An MDG Rock Concert was held on Oct. 15 at Freedom Park in Marikina, followed by the Marikina City flag-raising Tumayo Tayo moment, partners exhibitions, social artistry programme showcase, the launch of the UN’s World Investment Report 2006, a Konsyertong Bayan Laban sa Kahirapan and the UNDP’s Galing Pook Special Citation on Local Capacity Innovations for the MDGs.

 The UN’s various partners for the campaign staged their own events.  In Baguio City, the Philippine Non-Government Organization Council  had comedians, clowns and artists painting sad faces to get people to sign a petition condemning widespread poverty.

In Quezon City, the Global Call for Action Against Poverty, another UN partner for the campaign, formed a human chain, signifying unity against poverty.  Other events were also held in Los Banos, Laguna, Pampanga, Eastern Samar, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi and various parts of the country.
 
Source: UN Philippines 

Over 20 Million People “Stand Up Against Poverty” to set new Guinness World Record, announced on World Poverty Day

(New York / London, 17 October 2006) Guinness World Records have officially verified that the  first ever world record has been set for the most number of people to Stand Up against poverty in multiple locations over 24 hours.

On 15-16 October, 23,542,614 people, in over eighty countries around the world set a new Guinness World Record for the largest number of people to “STAND UP AGAINST POVERTY”. The Stand Up record attempt, an initiative of the United Nations Millennium Campaign in partnership with the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) was set in time for the United Nations International Day for Poverty Eradication on 17 October.
 
Cricket fans in Jaipur, India; school children in Gaza and the Westbank; crowds at a concert in the Mbare slums, Zimbabwe and a huge gathering in Times Square New York all joined for the world record attempt. People stood together: at the foot of tallest hotel in the world in Dubai; in football stadiums across Spain and Mexico; in churches throughout Africa and schools all over the world including China.

At each event, people stood up and pledged their solidarity with the world’s poorest people and demanded that governments take urgent action to end poverty and inequality and to meet and exceed the Millennium Development Goals.
The UN Millennium Campaign’s Executive Coordinator Eveline Herfkens said:  “Together we have set an incredible record for the largest number of people standing up to demand action on poverty. But the record we really want to break is the world’s record of breaking promises and ignoring the poor. We don’t want to record numbers of people dying of poverty every year.  This is the great issue of our times, let us become great by dealing with it decisively.” 
In Johannesburg, Kumi Naidoo, spokesperson for the world’s largest anti-poverty coalition – the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) said: “Ordinary people around the world have stood up to express their passion to end poverty. Together, we have sent a clear message to our political leaders that we are going to keep pushing them to deliver on aid, on debt cancellation, on trade justice and to provide good and accountable governments. The people’s voices are growing louder. We will not rest until poverty is ended”.

United by the international symbol of the white band, the World Record number will be announced at events held at the United Nations in New York, London, Johannesburg, Milan and Nairobi today.
– Ends –

Media Contacts:
Millennium Campaign: Mandy Kibel +1 212 906 6242 mandy.kibel@undp.org
Anand Kantaria   +1 212 906 6783 anand.kantaria@undp.org
GCAP Sarah Jenkinson +44 7810 180237 or media@whiteband.org

For more information visit: www.standagainstpoverty.org OR www.whiteband.org

Notes to Editors and Producers:

1. Broadcast footage and photographs from “Stand Up Against Poverty” events around the world  available from:

For footage:  ftp.whitebandmedia.org
username: gcapftpdownload
password: dyrzx8gZ

ftp://undp:eedee38@ftp.standagainstpoverty.org//MEDIA

Broadcast material also available from Reuters and APTV

For photos visit: ftp://undp:eedee38@ftp.standagainstpoverty.org//MEDIA
www.box.net User name: Gcap Media 1 Password: Gcap Media 1
2. ‘Stand Up’ country highlights

• In Jaipur, India 38,000 cricket fans, with support from legendary batsman, Sachin Tendulkar, ‘stood up’ at the start of the India vs England match.
• In the US, United Nations Deputy Secretary General Mark Malloch Brown, Queen Noor of Jordan and HH Swami Ramdev ‘stood up’ with thousands in Times Square, New York.
• Hundreds of thousands stood together for one minute at an anti-poverty music concert in Mbare slums in the capital, Harare, Zimbabwe.
• School children across Lebanon, Jordan, Gaza and Westbank ‘stood up’ together to highlight the injustice that not all children can afford to go to school.
• Organisers in Bangladesh have reported figures of over half a million young people who stood united in gigantic white human chains across across 64 districts of the country.
• Malawi’s President, Dr Bingu wa Mutharika joined thousands at a rally against poverty in the capital.
• In the Philippines, president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo “Stood Up” and vowed to stamp out poverty.
• In Mexico, several hundred thousand people stood up at football matches lead by 9 Football Clubs

Visit www.standagainstpoverty.org or www.whiteband.org for full list of events from around the world
3. OFFICIAL Guinness Verification text

“ The world record for the most people to ‘Stand Up Against Poverty’ in 24 hours was set on 15 – 16 October 2006 for the United Nation’s Millennium Campaign and involved a massive total of 23,542,614 participants in 11,646 events around the globe.”

4.  The Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) is a coalition of anti-poverty and economic justice campaigns. GCAP brings together a diverse group of organisations united in the knowledge that we will be more effective when we work together.

We want to pressure governments to eradicate poverty, dramatically lessen inequality, and achieve the Millennium Development Goals. We are demanding:
a.    Public accountability, just governance and the fulfilment of human rights
b.    Trade justice
c.    A major increase in the quantity and quality of aid and financing for development
d.    Debt cancellation

Since it launched at the World Social Forum in January 2005 GCAP has mobilised more than 38 million citizens. Faith groups, women’s groups, trade unions, youth organisations, international NGOs, grassroots movements and numerous other civil society groups for the backbone of the national campaigns whose symbol is the is the white band.

5. United Nations Millennium Campaign

The UN Millennium Campaign supports citizens’ efforts to hold their governments to account for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

6. To find out more about Stand Up Against Poverty visit www.whiteband.org and www.standagainstpoverty.org

A Million Pinoys to STAND UP Against Poverty

For one entire day – from 6 p.m., October 15 until 6 p.m., October 16 – one million Filipinos from all walks of life – students, teachers, priests, nuns, government workers, private employees, indigenous peoples, musicians and artists – will join millions of others worldwide to pledge themselves to make poverty history by 2015. This event is part of the UN month celebration.

Launched by the UN Millennium Campaign, STAND UP is a global advocacy effort to have the greatest number of people ever to STAND UP Against Poverty and for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Within a 24-hour period, people from all over the globe will physically and symbolically STAND UP to communicate their desire to fight poverty. This is also expected to set an official Guinness World Record.

The Millennium Development Goals or MDGs are a set of eight time-bound, concrete and specific targets to halve extreme poverty by 2015. These goals are: eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; achieve universal primary education; promote gender equality and empower women; reduce child mortality; improve maternal health; combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; ensure environmental sustainability; and develop global partnerships for development.

The Philippine campaign, dubbed TUMAYO TAYO: Labanan Ang Kahirapan, Tuparin Ang MDGs is spearheaded by the United Nations System, together with partners from government, civil society, NGOs, the business sector, academe and the mass media. Tumayo Tayo is only one of many events connected with the commemoration of the UN month this October. Activities on the ground will consist of:

• Tumayo Tayo Moments during Flag-Raising Ceremonies in Malacañang, government agencies and schools – Through the National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA), there will be simultaneous flag-raising ceremonies to be conducted on the morning of October 16. At 7:30 a.m., President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will lead a flag-raising ceremony in Malacañang (attended by the UN Country Team) with a Tumayo Tayo Moment which features reading the pledge to stand up against poverty. At 8:30 a.m., simultaneous flag-raising ceremonies will take place in the Senate, Congress and the Supreme Court with a Tumayo Tayo Moment.

• The Tumayo Tayo Festival, as the central event from October 15-16, at the Marikina Freedom Park. This will consist of cultural shows; concerts with local pop bands, performers, artists, and dancers; exhibits; workshops; and presentations – all highlighting the MDGs. There will be Tumayo Tayo Moments all throughout the Festival, with the audience standing up and pledging to make poverty history. News feeds, greetings and official counts from the other Tumayo Tayo events around the country will also be flashed from time to time in the Festival venue.

• Local Tumayo Tayo Events in different regions and provinces, including Baguio City, Los Baños, Laguna, Sultan Kudarat, Tawi-Tawi and Sulu.

For those who want to join the Tumayo Tayo Event, please register your organization’s name
at http://www.millenniumcampaign.ph.

The Philippine STAND UP network consists of all United Nations organizations in the Philippines and 64 partner organizations and institutions. Further inquiries can be directed to: Ms. Agnes Aliman (UNDP) – 901-0230/ agnes.aliman@undp.org; Mr. JP Agcaoili (UNDP) – 901-0241/ johnpete.agcaoili@undp.org; Ms. Charmaine Cu-Unjieng (UNRC) – 901-0401/ charmaine.cu-unjieng@undp.org; and, Ms. Mari Achacoso – 338-5522/ achacosom@unicmanila.org.

RP joining global UN anti-poverty event

THE United Nations Information Center (UNIC) and UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in the Philippines, in coordination with the Geneva-based UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), will launch the World Investment Report 2006 (WIR06) at the MCF Hall of the Marikina City Hall on Monday.

The UNCTAD’s flagship publication, the WIR06 “highlights the changing role of developing countries and transition economies in global foreign direct investment and the international production system” and “examines their emergence as significant sources of foreign direct investment as well as the underlying factors and broader implications,” a UNIC press statement said.

The launch of the report coincides with the second day of the Philippines’ participation in the UN-sponsored Millennium Development Goals (MDG) Festival, Stand Up, which the UNIC described as a “global advocacy effort to have the greatest number of people ever to stand up against poverty and for the MDGs” and is part of the observance of UN months this October.

“Within a 24-hour period, people from all over the globe will physically and symbolically stand up to communicate their desire to fight poverty,” the UNIC said. “This is also expected to set an official Guinness World Record.”

The MDGs are a set of eight targets intended to “halve extreme poverty by 2015,” the UNIC said.

These goals are: the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger; achieving universal primary education; promoting gender equality and empowering women; reducing child mortality; improving material health; combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; ensuring environmental sustainability; and developing global partnerships for development.

The Philippine campaign, named “Tumayo Tayo: Labanan ang Kahirapan, Tuparin ang MDGs” (Let us Stand: Fight Poverty, Accomplish the MDGs), runs from 6 p.m. on October 15, Sunday, to 6 p.m. the next day at the Freedom Park of Marikina City.

Activities include a rock concert from 4 to 9 p.m. Sunday and a day-long fair on Monday that will feature exhibits, film showings and performance by various artists.

Also on Monday, “Tumayo Tayo Moments” organized by the National Commission for Culture and Arts will be observed during simultaneous flag-raising ceremonies in Malacañang — to be led by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo — government agencies and schools.

Tumayo Tayo events will also be held in different regions and provinces, including Baguio City, Los Baños, Laguna, Sultan Kudarat, Tawi-Tawi and Sulu.

Those who wish to participate in Tumayo Tayo events can register their organizations at www.millenniumcampaign.ph.
 
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Tumayo Tayo Rock Concert. 4 p.m. at Freedom Park, Marikina City

Launched by the Millennium Campaign, STAND UP is a global advocacy effort to set an official Guinness World Record – the greatest number of people ever to STAND UP Against Poverty and for the Millennium Development Goals – on October 15-16 2006. Within a 24-hour period, people from all over the globe will physically and symbolically “STAND UP” to communicate their desire to fight poverty and to hold governments and leaders accountable for promises to end poverty by 2015. The purpose of this action is to raise awareness of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and to publicly demonstrate to policy makers the growing global support for the achievement of the MDGs and for the strengthening of development policies worldwide.

STAND UP is a mobilization initiative designed to coincide with global mobilizations around the International Day of Poverty Eradication and the White Band Day of the Global Call to Action against Poverty. It relies fully on citizen participation in that it mobilizes all individuals everywhere to take part in local, group events around the world through which they use their bodies (aside from their voices) as concrete symbols of MDG advocacy. To ensure the inclusion of those not physically able to stand up, a symbolic act of raising a hand, wearing a white band (the symbol of the global fight against poverty), or holding up a banner with the “Stand Up Against Poverty“ message will also be counted.

Tumayo Tayo Flag Raising Ceremony in Malacañang

 Tumayo Tayo moment with Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Malacañang staff and employees, Cabinet Secretaries with UN family in the Philippines.

Tumayo Tayo Marikina Flag Raising Ceremony at Freedom Park, Marikina City. Tumayo Tayo moment with LGU officials and employees .

Tumayo Tayo MDG Fair, 8 a.m.–3 p.m. at Freedom Park, Marikina City. – MDG Programme to include videos, cultural shows, booths, arts and culture show, livelihood booths.