New Zealand tags CPP-NPA international terror organizations

MANILA, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Oct. 12, 2010) – New Zealand has blacklisted the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New People’s Army, adding the two organizations in its international terrorist groups.

The CPP and NPA were among six other international terrorist groups – Indian Mujahideen, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the military wing of Hamas (Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades), the Real Irish Republican Army, the Continuity Irish Republican Army and Hizbollah's military wing (the Islamic Resistance) – that have been designated under New Zealand's Terrorism Suppression Act.

Prime Minister John Key said the designations help implement New Zealand's international obligations under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1373, which aims to prevent the activities of terrorists.

He said all seven entities had carried out terrorist acts, including the indiscriminate killing of civilians.

"As a result of the designations, any assets held by the groups and found in New Zealand, either now or in future, will be frozen, and it will be a criminal offence to deal with property, or make property or financial services available, to the entities," Key said.

Under New Zealand’s Terrorism Suppression Act, other support such as fund-raising and recruiting or harboring terrorists is a criminal offence, regardless of whether a group is designated as a terrorist entity or not.

Key said the designations were part of the New Zealand’s support for the building of an international defense against terrorist activities. Nearly 500 terrorist groups and individuals are now listed in New Zealand.

The CPP and the NPA are fighting for decades for the establishment of a Maoist state in the country. Philippine authorities have repeatedly accused the two organizations of terrorism and murdering innocent civilians suspected of spying for the government or those who refused to join the rebel group in the provinces.

There were no immediate statement from either the CPP or the NPA, or the Philippine military about the designations, but rebels are expected to condemn the terror tag, which came as Manila proposed to resume peace talks with communist leaders.

Peace talks between Manila and the CPP collapsed in 2004 after rebel leaders accused then President Gloria Arroyo of reneging on several agreements, among them the release of all political prisoners in the country and for the government to put a stop to extrajudicial killings victimizing political activists.

The communist insurgency in the Philippines, the longest in the world, had killed hundreds of thousands of people during the last four decades. The United States and European Union have previously tagged the CPP and the NPA as international terrorist organizations. (Mindanao Examiner)

Police investigate NZers death in Phillipines

MANILA, Philippines - Philippines police are investigating the death of a New Zealander, whose body was found in his hotel room in Olongapo City, west of Manila, on Monday.

The dead man was Rex Norman Frazer, 61, said Senior Superintendent Avelardo Villacorta, of Olongapo City police.

He said Mr Frazer appeared to be visiting Olongapo as he was actually residing temporarily in Butuan City, Agusan del Norte, the Philippine News Agency reported.

Police said Mr Frazer had been last seen alive by hotel employees on Saturday and he had not left his room since then. (3news.co.nz)

Yaman Ng Sulu Sea, Nasa Kuko Na Ng Mga Dayuhan!

TAWI-TAWI (Mindanao Examiner / 17 Jun) – Mistulang mga private security guards ang puwersa ng militar sa katimugang bahagi ng bansa na kung saan ay todo ang pagbabantay ng mga sundalong Pinoy sa naglalaking international consortium na nagsasagawa ng oil exploration sa Sulu Sea.

Lingid sa kaalaman ng publiko ay abala ang mga tropa sa pagbabantay sa karagatan upang masiguro ang interest ng mga dayuhan bansa, tulad ng Australia at Amerika, sa nasabing oil exploration. Posibleng ito rin ang dahilan kung bakit nagtayo ng kampo ang mga sundalong Kano sa lalawigan ng Sulu.

Dapat sana ay siguridad ng lalawigan ng Tawi-Tawi at Sulu ang bantayan ng husto dahil sa banta ng terorismo.

Nagkataon naman na ang dalawang bansa ay tumutulong sa Pilipinas sa pakikibaka sa terorismo. Kamakailan lamang ay lumagda ang Australia ng isangs security cooperation pact sa pamahalaang Arroyo upang makapagsagawa ng joint anti-terrorism warfare training sa Mindanao.

Nuong nakaraang linggo ay katatapos lamang ng Amerika at ng Pilipinas ng bisang joint amphibious training sa Sulu Sea. Hindi naman mabatid kung may kinalaman sa oil exploration ang mga salaping tinatanggap ng pamahalaang Arroyo at ginagamit sa anti-terror training mula sa Australia at Amerika.

Ang oil exploration ay pinangungunahan ng Australian firm BHP Billiton Petroleum at kasama nito ang Unocal Corp. at Amerada Hess ng Amerika.

Halos 8,000 square meters sa Sulu Sea ang oil exploration nito.Maging ang Tap Oil Ltd ng Australia ay may 85% interest rin sa oil exploration project Sulu Sea.

Bukod sa Australia at Amerika ay may interest rin diumano sa Sulu Sea oil exploration ang United Kingdom at New Zealand at lahat ng bansang ito ay may malaking kontribusyon rin sa pakikibaka ng pamahalaang Arroyo sa terorismo sa katimugan.

Hindi naman agad mabatid kung may pahintulot ang oil exploration mula sa pamahalaang ng Tawi-Tawi. (Mindanao Examiner)

NZ Ambassador Gets Assurance: Dennis Maga Will Not Be Arrested In Philippines

QUEZON CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 01 June) The Philippine government has assured New Zealand that authorities will not arrest a local political activist who led a huge protests there during a state visit of the Filipino leader.

Dennis Maga, of the militant Kilusang Mayo Uno and spokesman for the Free Ka Bel Movement in the Philippines, is facing possible arrest after staging anti-Arroyo protests this week.

“The Prime Minister is aware of Mr Maga's claims that he believes he is likely to be arrested on his return to the Philippines,” a spokesperson for New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark told Scoop on Friday.

Canberra said it has been given assurance by its Philippines counterpart that Maga will not be arrested on his return home later this week.

New Zealand's Ambassador to the Philippines sought clarification from senior Philippines' officials and was told there are no charges pending against Maga and no warrant has been issued for his arrest," the Prime Minister's spokesperson said.

Scoop understands a request was issued Friday from the Council of Trade Unions to the Prime Minister Helen Clark's office asking that diplomatic channels be used to seek assertions or clarification from its Philippines counterpart - that Maga does not face arrest.

That clarification has now been given.

However, Philippines trade unionist and human rights activist Maga has applied to remain in New Zealand for another month while he and his supporters seek assurances he will not face arrest nor death on his return home.

Maga had planned to return to the Philippines on Sunday.

For the next month, Maga will be a guest of both the National Distribution Union and Unite Union where he will continue to visit work sites, union meetings, and gatherings to educate New Zealanders about human rights abuses in the Philippines.

Maga also received expressions of solidarity from unions in Australia. He traveled to New Zealand especially to raise awareness of human rights abuses in the Philippines.

He said Arroyo ought not take part in the InterFaith Dialogue as she is partly responsible for human rights abuses.

Speaking to Scoop Media, Maga said: “I called my family because it was my sons 1st birthday. Then my father came on the line and told me that it is not safe to return.”

Maga was told by his father that a family member working for the ministry of immigration had told them that there are orders for Maga's arrest when he arrives back in the country.

His father also told Maga that their house had been under surveillance by the police.

Maga spent last week touring New Zealand, speaking on political repression in the Philippines, and then travelled to Waitangi to protest with human rights groups about the involvement of Arroyo in the dialogues.

The Interfaith dialogues are aimed at increasing understanding between different faiths in order to reduce religious “radicalization” and terrorism.

Maga said the union movement in the Philippines had tried to find out what his status is from the Philippines government and the Bureau of Immigration. But Philippines officials refuse to deny or confirm plans for his arrest.

Arroyo, while attending the InterFaith Dialogue Forum in Waitangi, was asked to explain her position on political killings. In reply, she said her government has been trying to stop the violence.

“We share the values of human rights and democracy same as New Zealand,”Arroyo said. “We are in a fight to turn around our history of political violence andretribution. We are slowly breaking down the cycle of violence.”

Recent reports by both the United Nations and Amnesty International havedocumented killings in the Philippines including the murders of political activists, journalists and politicians. Both reports attribute many of the killings to the Philippine military.

The United Nations report released earlier this year showed how people responsible for the killings acted with “virtual impunity” and many of the deaths were “convincingly attributed” to the Philippines military.

A researcher for the Amnesty International report Tim Parritt found that many of the senior military officials were openly talking about “neutralizing” left-wing groups.

"No-one deserves to die for their political affiliation,” Parritt said.

Contemplating his return home, Maga explained there are two things that could happen: one will see him arrested and charged with rebellion. Or two: he could be taken away and killed. (With reports from Selwyn Manning and Joseph Barratt, www.scoop.co.nz)

Filipino Activist Risks Life, Liberty To Air Protest vs. Human Rights Abuses

Dennis Maga protested on Monday in a steel cage outside Parliament in Wellington. (Photo by Mark Mitchell)

MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / 30 May) – The militant trade union, Kilusang Mayo Uno, on Wednesday said local authorities are to arrest a Filipino political activist who led an anti-Arroyo protest in New Zealand during a state visit by the Philippine leader.

It said it uncovered a plot by the Philippine government to arrest Dennis Maga, spokesman for the “Free Ka Bel Movement” and a senior KMU member.

Maga’s protest during President Gloria Arroyo’s state visit in New Zealand drew international media attention after he was joined by hundreds of unionists in denouncing the spate of political killings in the Philippines and the continued detention of a militant lawmaker Crispin Beltran, also known as Ka Bel.

In Wellington on Monday, Maga stood in a cage outside The Beehive as Arroyo and Prime Minister Helen Clark held a media conference.

Maga said his country needed to stop human rights abuses and free Beltran who has been in prison for more than a year on what his supporters said were spurious coups plotting charges.

“Arroyo is known for her vindictiveness and we will not be surprised if she personally instructed the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation (BID) to arrest Dennis Maga once he gets into the country,” Elmer Labog, KMU national chairman, said in a statement sent to the independent regional newspaper, the Mindanao Examiner.

Labog said they were informed by BID sources that an arrest order has been issued for Maga once he arrives home Sunday.

“Dennis even e-mailed us and verified the information from his own sources inside the BID. He said in his email that they would create trumped-up charges and arrest him.”

“The case of Maga will serve as a litmus test on whether Arroyo’s word to New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark on respect for human rights will hold water. Any harassment on Maga will erase Arroyo’s ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’ strategy when it comes to human rights,” Labog said.

Labog group also appealed to Clark to issue a statement against the possible arrest of Maga.

“Many of our brothers and sisters in the trade union movement in New Zealand have expressed concern on Maga’s safety and have made commitments to pressure their own government to uphold human rights," he said.

The National Distribution Union on Wednesday also said that supermarket distribution workers in New Zealand have walked out in support of Maga after learning news of his possible arrest in Manila.

It said Maga was calling his one-year old son, Elijah, to say happy birthday when he learnt that his house was under surveillance by police and that he faces arrest on his return.

Maga was invited by the NDU and Unite Union to talk to workers about the repression and killings of trade unionists, journalists and church leaders by the Filipino military and police.

Two-hundred previously locked out NDU Progressive distribution workers gave Maga a standing ovation and walked out to mount a spontaneous show of solidarity on the same spot where they held their pickets last year.

NDU site delegate Daniel Patea said that Filipino workers and unions had supported the locked out workers.

“Filipino workers helped us when we struggled during our lockout last year and so giving support to Dennis who faces arrest and even assassination is the least we could do.”

“President Arroyo has told Helen Clark, your government and the interfaith dialogue that she is addressing human rights violations in our country,” Maga said. “But here I am, facing arrest for simply exposing the continuing abuses by our military and police.”

The NDU and the Council of Trade Unions said they would ask the Prime Minister to get assurances from Arroyo that Maga will not be arrested.

Maga told reporters in New Zealand that he feared he would be assassinated or arrested for his stand. He said human rights abuse was continuing in the Philippines.

"I am really worried for my family's safety because they might invent a charge against my father and my wife and my family just to pressure me to return to the Philippines," he said.

The Filipino leader ended her three-day state visit in New Zealand and Presidential Assistant Heherson Alvarez said Arroyo is bringing home at least $1.22 billion in investments.

From this amount, the biggest beneficiary is the environment sector with $1 billion going to a reforestation project, $150 million in a gold mining deal, $40 million for the local wood processing industry, and $30 million for the export of Philippine tropical fruits to New Zealand.

Alvarez said the $1 billion reforestation project which Arroyo announced during the meeting with the Filipino community in Auckland would be financed by CK Tan of Shannolane, based in New Zealand.

The reforestation project in Prosperidad town in Agusan del Sur province in Mindanao is scheduled to start as early as October this year.

After the New Zealand visit, Arroyo headed for Australia, the first Philippine President to visit the country in over ten years. Australia is a major ally and strong economic partner of the Philippines. (Mindanao Examiner)

Protests, Rallies Shame Arroyo In New Zealand

(Video by gbgcommunications)

Anti-Arroyo protests in New Zealand. (KMU photos contributed to the Mindanao Examiner)

MANILA - Delegates to the interfaith dialogue hosted by Prime Minister Helen Clark at Waitangi in New Zealand, were left in no doubt about the real issues of peace, security and tolerance that should be on their agenda, the National Distribution Union said on Tuesday.

Banners reading "Stop the Killings Gloria" and "Stop the Killings in the Philippines" highlighted the appalling record of human rights violations under President Gloria Arroyo, a co-host of the forum, it said.

Dozens of white wooden crosses were planted in the ground at the entry to the treaty grounds to symbolize the 858 extra judicial killings during the Arroyo regime.

Photographs of slain protestant Bishop Alberto Ramento and other victims showed the human face of this travesty.

Renowned New Zealand law professor Jane Kelsey said that crosses planted at the entry to the Copthorne Hotel made it impossible for Arroyo to miss the protest when she arrived to address the conference.

"Our noisy reception sent President Arroyo a clear message to stop the killings, for which the UN rapporteur holds her ultimately responsible," she said. "Equally, Helen Clark was challenged for hosting someone with a proven record of gross human rights violations.

"It's no longer acceptable for our Prime Minister to claim that she has raised these issues with President Arroyo. Past assurances have been shown to be worthless. The time has come for the New Zealand Government to put its money where its mouth is. Instead of channeling 'technical assistance' funding to the Philippines government that is responsible for the violations, it should direct that money to the churches and other independent human rights advocacy organizations."

A local Maori leader, Arthur Harawira, also led a protest on his ancestral grounds.

"I challenge the hypocrisy of the New Zealand government for holding this event on the sacred grounds of Waitangi in an attempt to give legitimacy to an illegitimate occasion,” he said.

Harawira drew links between the struggles of Maori with the struggles of the indigenous peoples and workers in the Philippines.

Dennis Maga, spokesman for the "Free Ka Bel" movement, urged inter-faith participants not to sit at the table with governments, like that of President Arroyo, who are responsible for gross human rights violations in their own countries.

"Yesterday, another UCCP pastor Berlin Guerrero has been abducted and found tortured by the Philippine National Police and charged with inciting to sedition dating back to 1991 and 1992."

"This reality flies in the face of President Arroyo’s assurances repeated at the press conference yesterday that her Government was fighting to improve its record in the killings," he said.

The militant Kilusang Mayo Uno said Tuesday President Arroyo humiliated herself in New Zealand by not telling the truth about state of human rights in the Philippines.

It also said that Philippine authorities are planning to arrest Maga as soon as he returns to Manila from New Zealand for leading the protest against Arroyo’s visit.

"Reliable sources have informed us that the Philippine government is planning to arrest Dennis Maga upon his arrival from New Zealand on June 2. Obviously, Arroyo was embarrassed in New Zealand that's why Malakanyang is posing to arrest Maga and further suppress the advocates of democracy," Maria Theresa Dioquino, KMU International Affairs Secretary, said in a statement sent to the independent regional newspaper, the Mindanao Examiner.

Maga was among the protesters who rallied against President Arroyo at the Parliament during her state visit to New Zealand.

He was hosted by the National Distribution Union of New Zealand, also supporting for the release of Anakpawis solon Crispin Beltran, who has been tagged by the Philippine military as an alleged supporter of the Maoist rebel group, New People’s Army, the armed wing of the outlawed Communist Party of the Philippines.

"We are just stating facts about the Arroyo government's grave human right violations. It is Arroyo who embarrassed herself when she flagrantly lied about the state of human rights in the Philippines.

The young labor leader was 'caged' outside the New Zealand Parliament as his symbolic protest against the Philippine government's continued detention of Beltran.

The incident stirred huge media attention from New Zealand and the Philippines and the international media.

The protests countered Arroyo's boasting of her 'exemplary' human rights record in the Philippines.

Labor unions and progressive groups in New Zealand which are allied with the KMU and FKBM condemned Beltran’s continued illegal detention and the spate of political killings in the Philippines.

While activists criticized President Arroyo, Malakanyang issued a statement boasting her strong pitch for the promotion of interfaith dialogue to bring about lasting peace, political stability and economic growth in Asia.

"In Mindanao, we have taken steps to bring interfaith forces to bear upon a peace process that has resulted in a three-year ceasefire and monumental strides in economic growth," she said.

Extolling New Zealand’s role in the Mindanao Trust Fund, President Arroyo hailed the key role Prime Minister Clark plays in fostering interfaith dialogue in the resolution of conflicts, the promotion of peace and economic growth.

The Mindanao Trust Fund is intended for the development of Mindanao.

"I am here as a follower and participant to promote interfaith collaboration in education, security, social development and media," she said.

The President said that apart from its assistance to Mindanao, New Zealand plays a major role in East Asia’s "determined journey of consolidation since last year."

"As chair of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), I have witnessed the warming of ties between ASEAN, China and Japan within the context of common prosperity and collective security," she said.

She pointed out that "East Asia is coming of age in this millennium as a global leader for equitable trade with a clear social dividend and solid security with a soft touch. Our relations with New Zealand are incorporated in this paradigm."

Noted for its commitment to human rights, protection of the environment, peace and interfaith dialogue, New Zealand brings to East Asia, the "soft strategies that guarantee peace, reinforcing the hard elements such as joint military training and law enforcement operations that we share with allies like Australia and the United States," the President said. (Mindanao Examiner)

Six Ambassadors Pledge Support To Peace, Development In Mindanao

The ambassadors of Japan Ryuichiro Yamazaki; Peter Sutherland, of Canada; Kristie Kenney, of the United States, Peter Beckingham, of the United Kingdom; Tony Hely, of Australia; and David Pine, of New Zealand, visited the southern Philippine port city of Zamboanga and Basilan island on Monday 13 Nov 2006 and pledged support to the peace talks between Manila and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front which is fighting for a separate Islamic state in the strife-torn region. The 6 countries are staunch allies of the Philippines in the fight against homegrown terrorism.(Mindanao Examiner)

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 13 Nov) - Six ambassadors have pledged support to the Philippine peace efforts in Mindanao and renewed commitments to help develop the troubled island, south of Manila.

The ambassadors -- Ryuichiro Yamazaki, of Japan; Peter Sutherland, of Canada; Kristie Kenney, of the United States, Peter Beckingham, of the United Kingdom; Tony Hely, of Australia; and David Pine, of New Zealand arrived here together and met with senior military commanders and government officials.

"These six countries all support myriad development projects in Mindanao, focusing on education and job skills training, small business development, local governance, improved healthcare, agricultural sustainability, poverty alleviation, peace building and counter-terrorism," a joint statement released by the US Embassy said.

The ambassadors met with Lt. Gen. Eugenio Cedo, commander of the Armed Forces' Western Mindanao Command and were briefed about the security situation in Mindanao.

They later met with the local mayor Celso Lobregat, who also briefed them about the city's tourism and investment program, before proceeding to the Islamic Institute of the Philippines in the Muslim enclave of Rio Hondo where they mingled with students and teachers.

Kenney also led the turnover ceremony of computers and Internet connections to the school under the program called Computer Literacy and Internet Connection or CLIC.Sutherland said Canada is supporting the peace process and development efforts in Mindanao.

"Our objective in visiting Zamboanga and Basilan is to demonstrate our support to the peace process and development in Mindanao," he said. "We have a collective interest in Mindanao to bring peace and development."

And Japan has also committed to support the peace talks, saying, it already sent a representative to Mindanao to join an international group of cease-fire observers.

"We are also supporting the peace process. We hope to help in the development of Mindanao," said Yamazaki in Zamboanga City.

The group also flew by helicopters to Lamitan town in Basilan island to attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a community learning center donated by Australia under the so-called Basic Assistance for Mindanao program.

The 6 countries are staunch allies of the Philippines have provided funds to help the government fight homegrown terrorism. Manila is currently negotiating peace with the MILF, the country's largest Muslim rebel group. (Mindanao Examiner)