860th day of disappearance of James Balao
To president Benigno Aquino III, former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo of Philippines, mass media, trade unions and to the international democratic public, to the human rights organizations- please forward this email whereever and whenever you can to strengthen the international protest and solidarity movement for human rights in the Philippines, which people needs for their life in standing up to fight for a liberated world! On the first Monday Demonstration on the 24th of January 2011 we counted – as it was decided in October 2008 in the partnership agreement between the Monday-Demonstration Movement Stuttgart and the family Balao and Cordillera People Alliance (CPA) – the days of disappearance of James Balao. It was the 860th day of the disappearance of James Balao.
As the police attacked at this Monday evening the MD – they forbid, that participants spend money for self-financing the MD without controlling by the state- the Gush Shalom Spokesperson Adam Keller from Tel Aviv (www.gush-shalom.org), who was occasionally in Stuttgart, took the public microphon and accused the police for doing that. He told us, that in Israel the police act on the same way if Jews and Arabs demonstrate against racism, opression and for the rights of the people of Palestine.
He expressed his deep solidarity with the MD- movement- On their website one can read, that secret services like Shabak or Mosad have black lists with hundred of names of activists for peace and human rights and that they are treated like the so called „terrorists“ or supporters of „terrorisme“ . These blacklisted activists are for the services and the army like wild animals: one can capture, abduct, torture or kill them just like the counter insurgency program Oplan Bantay Layan I and II made by USA in the Philippines. James Balao, one of the founders of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (www.cpaphils.org ) was abducted by military intelligence and security units at Lower Tomay, La Trinidad, Benguet on September 17, 2008, 860 days ago.
In August 2010 the German Warminister (so called Minister of Defence) announced, that it will be allowed from now on, that as well the German occupation troops in Afghanistan have the permission to hunt or to kill their so called „enemies“ or „terrorists“ whenever and wherever they want (Stuttgarter News 19.8.2010). No wonder that normal wedding parties were attacked by the ISAF-troops or if normal US-reporters in Iraq were killed as Wikileaks informed the public. We remember as well the KUNDUS riad by German officers.
But Mr. Keller told us, that these peace activists are the genuine hope for Israel and Palestine and the future of a liberated world.
“ Don´t say: I didn´t know it!“
Together we went to the next Monday demonstration against S 21 with more than 6 500 participants and confirmed: Long live international solidarity! Surface James Balao now! Stop killings and enforced disappearances! We are the people!