Human Rights Online Philippines

The Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR) in partnership with the Pro-Labor Legal Assistance Center (PLACE) with support from the European Union (EU) launched on Thursday, August 25, From Despair to Defiance, a book on the impact of extra-judicial killings, enforced disappearances and other human rights violations on the families of victims, at the Kowloon House West Avenue, Quezon City.

Norman Tubera, CTUHR Project Manager for the EU-funded project for the Rehabilitation of Families of Victims of EJKs, EDs and Arbitrary Detention Towards Ending These Violations noted the book’s uniqueness as it focuses on the effects of human rights violations to the families and communities of victims, “While much have been said and written about the victims, this book exposes the immediate and long-term impact of human rights violations on the families of the victims especially on the widows and the children.”

“The families are victims themselves and it is equally important to look at the effects of these violations on them because they are the ones who grieve the most for their lost loved ones. Particularly the families of victims in trade unions, they experience material and economic difficulties because they lose the family breadwinner.”

The book is the product of a 15-month project funded by the EU aimed at rehabilitating the families of victims. The program consists of psychosocial, legal and advocacy and livelihood components. The book contains select stories of human rights violations and analyses of psychologists who facilitated the psychosocial workshops provided to the families in the course of project.

“Largely from a psychosocial approach, the book explains how the families coped with the trauma of the violations. And as the title suggests, the book uncovers how grief was transformed to the families’ resolve to fight for justice.”

“We hope that with this book will allow the public to understand more the gravity of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearance and impunity for human rights violations in the country. We also want this book to be an inspiration to everyone to persist in the struggle, towards ending human rights violations in the country.”

Timely reminder

The book’s launch which was held days before the International Day of the Disappeared on August 30 is also a “timely reminder” to President Aquino of his promise to bring closure to human rights killings and end human rights violations. Tubera notes, “Human rights situation in the country remains unchanged with 48 new cases of killings since President Aquino assumed office and we have yet to see anyone get prosecuted for the HR violations of the previous administration. The military also continues to defy the Supreme Court’s order to surface disappeared students Empeño and Cadapan. President Aquino should realize the depth of these violations and start delivering his promise.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Reference: Norman Tubera, Project Manager, Center for Trade Union and Human Rights, +63915.238.1663

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