WOMEN'S STAND AGAINST PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION 1017?ARROYO?S DECLARATION OF STATE OF NATIONAL EMERGENCY

From GABRIELA Philippines
02 March 2006

WOMEN'S STAND AGAINST PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION 1017
?ARROYO?S DECLARATION OF STATE OF NATIONAL EMERGENCY

WHEREAS, Proclamation 1017 declaring the nation under a State of Emergency is a document borne out of the extreme fear of possible loss of political power of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her desperation to cling to power. It is a reaction to the growing dissatisfaction of the masses to her corrupt and fraudulent administration.

WHEREAS, Proclamation 1017 does not only lack the mandate of the Filipino people, it is also an illegal, undemocratic and immoral document created to suppress or silence the growing legitimate dissent of the people against this administration.

WHEREAS, Proclamation 1017 is an outright violation of human, civil and political rights through undemocratic and terroristic tactics. The ongoing harassment and attempted arrest of progressive party list members in Congress is an outrage and an attack not only on the rights of these representatives but also on the rights and interests of the hundreds of thousands of voices they represent and who have elected them through democratic means.

WHEREAS, Proclamation 1017 will also adversely affect women especially the poor and marginalized. It constitutes a serious violation of the obligations of the Philippine government under the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) because it directly leads to and results in more violations and abuses of women's rights. The threatened arrest of Gabriela Women's Partylist Representative Liza Largoza Maza is glaring proof of this.

NOW, THEREFORE, we, women who represent various sectors in Philippine society, both victims of and witnesses to the wanton violation of our human rights by this regime, vehemently oppose Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's Proclamation 1017 and assert our democratic right to defend our civil liberties. We call on all people particularly the women to critically analyze, mobilize against and oppose Proclamation 1017!

   SIGNED:
   VOWCL (Voices of Women for Civil Liberties)
   WOMEN MARCH! (Women's Movement for Arroyo's Resignation and Regime
   Change)
   Woman Touch Media and Gender Advocates
   Ecumenical Women's Forum
   RGS-Women
   JPIC
   WGC-AMRSP
   GABRIELA
   GABRIELA Women's Party
   Samahan ng Maralitang Kababaihang Nagkakaisa (Samakana)
   AMIHAN-Peasant Women Federation
   Gabriela Youth
   Sr. Lita Navarro, ICM- Taskforce for Urban Conscientization-AMRSP
   Rev. Marie Sol Villalon- United Methodist Church
   CODERED
   3KP-NCCP