Mabuhay ang Uring Manggagawa ang Hukbong Mapagpalaya!
Mabuhay ang mga Migrante saan man panig ng Mundo!
Longlive International Solidarity!
Category: Netherlands
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Organization of Filipino migrants in Utrecht successfully launched
“Long overdue”. This was the unanimous sentiment of several Filipino migrants, majority are residents of Utrecht, The Netherlands, as they jubilantly welcomed and joined the founding assembly of Migrante Utrecht in the city of Utrecht last February 23. The Pinoy (Filipino) migrants represented compatriots who work as household cleaners, au pairs, professional employees, cultural workers and Filipino refugees in Utrecht.
A long-time resident of Utrecht and an active member of the Pinoy community in the city, Ric Bermudo, himself a household cleaner, emphasized in his welcome remarks, that the time has come to build the organization of Filipino migrants in Utrecht to confront the challenges facing Filipinos in their struggle to promote and defend their rights and welfare. He said the founding of Migrante Utrecht signals the start of a more organized effort to reach more Pinoy migrants in the province of Utrecht, and mobilize them to act on the issues confronting them as part of the migrant community.
Bermudo, who was also elected chairperson of Migrante Utrecht later during the assembly, admonished Pinoys in Utrecht to understand that all of them have been forced to work abroad because of poverty and the lack of jobs and security in the Philippines.
The assembly sat down to the business of the day as they discussed and ratified their constitution and by-laws and their one-year general program of action, which included among others providing assistance to undocumented compatriots when they are confronted with a need. Edgar Estrella, an IT professional, who presided over the discussions also explained to the delegates that Migrante Utrecht also intends to attend to the social and cultural well-being of the families of Filipino migrants, and help them cope with the new environment they are in. Estrella was also elected later as the treasurer of the organization.
Jun Saturay, a cultural worker and activist, and who was elected secretary-general, led the assembly in singing songs about Filipino migrants and migration.
The members and newly-elected officers of Migrante Utrecht took their oaths at the conclusion of the assembly.
Warm greetings of solidarity were received via video messages from Migrante Alberta (Canada) and Migrante Europe whose chair is Fr. Herbert Jr., chaplain to the Filipino Community in the Diocese of Leicester in the Church of England.
Prof. Jose Ma. Sison, the most famous Filipino political refugee in the Netherlands, and chief political consultant of the NDFP peace panel, spoke at the closing of the assembly to congratulate the formation of Migrante Utrecht and to encourage Filipino migrants to build, strengthen and expand their organization. He shared to the young audience how they were able to organize and build many organizations and labor unions during the 1960s and 1970s, from being small to big.
As in any gathering of Filipino migrants, several delicious and favorite Filipino dishes of dinuguan, pinapaitan, pasta and “nilasing na hipon” (shrimp cooked in beer) were prepared by volunteers and served at the end of the activity.###
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Migrante Europe welcomes achievements of 4th round of peace talks
Press Statement
07 April, 2017[Rome, 07 April] Migrante Europe today expressed optimism on the resolution of the roots of the armed conflict in the Philippines, after the 4th Round of formal peace talks between the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) was concluded on an upbeat note on 6 April, in the seaside town of Noordwijk, in the Netherlands.
On 5 April, the two Parties signed the Agreement on an Interim Joint Ceasefire, aimed at providing “a conducive environment for the GRP and NDFP negotiations, encourage the forging of a more stable and comprehensive Joint Ceasefire Agreement, and provide an enabling environment for the (signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms or CASER)”.
In a formal ceremony presided by the Royal Norwegian Government facilitator Elisabeth Slattum, both parties recognized that the document was a product of three “very difficult” days of negotiations.
Migrante Europe looks forward to the immediate formulation and approval of both Parties of the ceasefire’s guidelines and ground rules that shall govern the presence of armed units and elements of both Parties in local communities, and the creation of buffer zones to avoid armed confrontation. The guidelines and ground rules shall include agreement on what constitutes prohibited, hostile, and provocative acts. It will also provide for the creation of joint ceasefire monitoring committees and verification mechanisms to oversee the ceasefire’s implementation and handle complaints and alleged violations.
One of the major victories in the 4th Round is the firming up of the agreement of the two Parties on the free distribution of land as the basic principle of genuine agrarian reform. In the next round of talks, the Parties are planning to discuss and finalize the remaining items under Agrarian Reform and Rural Development, National Industrialization and Economic Development, Environmental Protection, and Rehabilitation and Compensation. They also agreed to accelerate the process of concluding the CASER which can be signed before the end of the year.
“We are hopeful that after the signing of the interim joint ceasefire agreement, more peace deals can be reached between the two parties despite the peace-spoiling by minions of US imperialism in the military establishment, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the Department of National Defense.” said Fr. Herbert Fadriquela, Migrante Europe Chairperson.
AFP all out war in civilian communities
Meanwhile, Migrante Europe condemned the spate of killings of leaders of people’s organizations and human rights defenders in the Philippines.“It is alarming that despite the 4th Round of Peace talks in the Netherlands, aerial bombings and encampment of military troops in civilian communities continue in Mindoro, Agusan del Norte and Davao Oriental provinces.” said Father Herbert.
Just recently, armed troops of the AFP occupied Barangay Baglay in Lagonglong, Misamis Oriental, as well as other villages in Abra, Marilog, Davao City, and Sultan Kudarat. Residents are being prevented from going to their agricultural lands or worse, are being forced to evacuate their communities for fear of military repression and killings.
“AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Eduardo Año must be made to answer for the series of killings perpetrated by state security forces of Renel Mirabeles of Bagong Silang, Sipocot, Camarines Sur (March 30), Jeffrey Santos of Mati, Davao Oriental (March 30) and Danilo Nadal of Pantukan, Compostela Valley (April 2),” asserted Fr. Herbert.
Records from human rights group Karapatan show that, since February 2017, close to 50 peasants and members of indigenous peoples’ communities have
been killed by operating troops of the AFP. State security forces claim that the unarmed civilians are part of the NPA mass base.Migrante Europe appeals to President Rodrigo Duterte to sincerely abide by previously signed agreements.
“We urge President Digong to always ensure that the rights and welfare of every Filipino citizen are recognized, upheld and protected”, stressed Fr. Herbert.
Filipino migrants hold simultaneous activities around Europe in support to the 4th Round Peace Talks
In Rome, concerned Filipinos and members of Umangat Migrante and Gabriela Rome Chapter danced “zumba for peace” last Sunday, in solidarity to the 4th round of peace talks. Filipino organizations and friends of the Filipino people in other cities of Europe also held photo opportunities and forums.
Alan Jazmines, of NDFP delegation 4th Round Peace Talks, The Netherlands On Tuesday, 4 April 2017, Migrante den Haag organized a peace forum in the The Hague, participated in by their members and the Filipino communities in the Netherlands.
In Copenhagen, Denmark, a discussion group was also organized about the current peace talks.
Migrante Milan organized a “Dinner for Peace” with Filipinos and Italians in support to the 4th Round of peace negotiations.“We urge the Filipinos in Europe and around the globe to make a united stand to support the peace negotiations between the GRP and NDFP, and vigorously campaign for a just and lasting peace in the Philippines,” concluded Fr. Herbert.##
For references:
Revd Fr. Herbert F. Fadriquela Jr.
Chairperson, Migrante EuropeChaplain to the Filipino Community
Diocese of Leicester
Church of EnglandEmail: [email protected]
Mobile No: +447456042156Ann Brusola
Secretary General, Migrante EuropeEmail: [email protected]
Mobile No. (+39)-3278825544 -
Refugees in Amsterdam have nowhere to go
(Dr. Efleda K. Bautista, chairperson of People Surge, an alliance of victims of supertyphoon Haiyan shows her solidarity with refugees in Amsterdam who are threatened to be thrown out of the streets after being denied recognition as political refugees. The refugees have been forced to leave the regular centers for asylum seekers and are now occupying abandoned buildings in the city. The refugees come mainly from Africa and the Middle East. Representatives of the International Migrants’ Alliance-Europe section, Linangan, Filipino Refugees in the Netherlands, Migrante Europe and the International League of Peoples Struggle-Netherlands, visited the refugees last April 18 and brought them soup and bread).
Message to Wij Zijn Hier (Amsterdam)
16 April 2015, AmsterdamWe send you today our warmest militant greetings of solidarity!
We are fighting a common struggle, and that is to assert our rights, defend them and secure for ourselves and for all oppressed peoples a humane society.
We fight in the midst of news of the continuing tragedy of refugees drowning as they attempt to cross the Mediterranean Sea to continental Europe to escape the wars and political instability in the Middle East and Africa. We know that these wars and conflicts are instigated by corporate totalitarians and their political representatives who control governments and political institutions in the so-called civilized west.
Today we also take up not only the issue of refugees, but also the victims of climate change – in the Philippines, and in other parts of the globe.
We know that the problems of climate change and the creation of a huge number of refugees are caused by the same greed for profit and power by a few ruling elite. The victims of climate change also become migrants and refugees seeking safe havens, in the same way that the victims of wars and conflicts become refugees to escape death and destruction.
Thus, we fight the same enemies, and our vision is one. We need to end this system of greed in the name of corporate profits – this system pollutes our physical and social environment, necessitates wars and conflicts, and creates victims, migrants and refugees.
Only by understanding this reality would all of us in this struggle be able to give meaningful direction to our initiatives and local battles. Only by linking each other’s struggles and seeing the connection in our particular situations would we be able to gain strength, genuine empowerment and victory!
Long live international solidarity!
International Migrants’ Alliance-Europe section
MIGRANTE Europe (Amsterdam)
People Surge (Philippines)Postbus 15687
1001 ND Amsterdam
Email: [email protected]
