Greetings from Manila:
I have attached here a
poem originally written in Filipino and translated into German by our comrade
in Austria.
This poem describes the
bad situation of poor families in Metro Manila who experienced violent
demolition of their homes and livelihood and neglect of the government.
Defend Job Philippines
is now documenting these situation and helps in exposing this situation to the
community. We are one of the complainant who filed a case to the United
Nations. Hope, you can also support this complaint.
Please help us in
sharing and spreading this poem to our comrades and friends in Germany.
Here are some
information about the poem:
Writer: Comrade Elmo
Carreon, is a worker and organizer of Overseas Filipino Workers in Saudi Arabia
in 1984. Now, he lives in Vienna Austria with his family and
continue to fight for the rights and welfare of migrants and advocates for the
liberation of his homeland---Philippines. He is the Chairman of Migrante Austria,
chapter of Migrante International.
Background: It shows the
Floating community in Freedom Island in Paranaque City, Philippines. A poor
dwelling of fishermen and their families. For more than 10 years, they
experienced violent eviction of their homes from one place to another. The
government did not give them any program to uplift their lives. Now, these
families along with more than 10000 people depending their livelihoods and
migratory birds in the sea face threat of destruction of lives and livelihood
as the government will reclaim more than 640 hectares in the Island. Tens of
thousands of people resist against the reclamation because it will cause
widespread flood all over nearby cities.
Translator: The poem was
translated by Comrade Gigi from Migrante Austria. A mother of two children and
active leader of Migrante.
Thank you.
Melona
