It’s a historic day for human rights and justice in the Philippines. The Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court has ruled to confirm the charges of crimes against humanity against former President Rodrigo Duterte:
It effectively denies his request to be released and returned the Philippines and sets the stage for the trial to follow. After years of living in anguish, suffering and fear, the victims of Duterte’s brutal war on drugs will finally have their day in court.
Around a decade or so ago, I’ve decided not to engage in debates about religion – the interpretation of the Bible, which religion is THE religion or trying to win over believers that there is no such thing as a divine being, etc as I’ve come to accept that it is anyone’s right whether they would believe in it or not, whether they would join one religion or another.
However, when one’s religion or their own interpretation of what ever text they consider holy, is used to abuse and mistreat, to oppress, marginalize, and limit the agency of members of certain communities including the LGBTQIA+ communities, then I would spare some time to address it, expose it and call it out for what it is. I may not have all the answers, but someone has to make a stand and speak up.
Under the most right-wing government in its history, Israel has carried out large-scale invasions of Palestinian refugee camps and towns in the West Bank, killing and wounding scores of people. Armed Israeli fighters have burst into Palestinian streets and homes on an almost nightly basis, often picking children out of their beds in the middle of the night to be taken into administrative detention—acts of terror that have gone largely unreported in the Western press.
The state has accelerated its expulsions of Palestinians from their homes in Jerusalem and the West Bank and expanded the construction of illegal settlements. Settlers have waged weekly assaults on Palestinian villages, attacking and in some cases killing Palestinians, setting fire to their homes, and destroying their property, often under the protection of Israeli soldiers. The domestic secret police has facilitated and fomented violence against Palestinian citizens. Senior members of Israel’s government and messianic Jewish extremists have been increasingly aggressive in their provocations in and around the Noble Sanctuary Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem. In the weeks leading to Hamas’s offensive, the state tightened the blockade on Gaza by still further restricting movement in and out.
Tareq Bacouni, a former senior analyst for the International Crisis Group. (Source)
Unpopular view: Israel is an apartheid state. The cycle of violence will never end until one side is oppressing the other.
Together with other bloggers and social media influencers – Concerned Online Citizens collectively, we sent a letter to the members of the UN General Assembly urging them to reject the nomination of Harry Roque to the International Law Commission.
Below is the full text of the letter:
We’ve also put up an online petition so that other concerned citizens can join and express their opposition to this mockery of international law, human rights and an embarrassment to the Philippines.
We hope that you will join and sign up as well. It may be a simple gesture but it sends a powerful message across, that we Filipinos will stand not stand for this abhorrent idea of having a disgraced lawyer and enabler of Duterte.
Instead of being elevated to such an honorable position, Roque and Duterte should be made accountable.