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Vol. 72/No. 50      December 22, 2008

 
Philippine unionist speaks on
repression from Arroyo gov’t
 
BY JAMES HARRIS  
LOS ANGELES—A leader of the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), a national labor federation in the Philippines, spoke to an audience of about 75 people December 4 at the University of California Downtown Labor Center here. The meeting was part of a three-week tour by Elmer Labog, chairperson of the KMU. This is the first time in more than 20 years that a leader of the KMU has been granted a visa to enter the United States.

The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, International Action Center, International League of Peoples’ Struggle, BAYAN-USA, Anakbayan Los Angeles, and Habi Arts sponsored the meeting. Labog also spoke at the University of California, Berkeley where the Institute of East Asian Studies invited him. His tour has also included activities in San Francisco, Seattle, and Vancouver, British Columbia.

The purpose of Labog’s visit was to speak out on acts of repression being carried out under the government of Philippine president Gloria Arroyo. Labog told the mostly Filipino audience that members of unions and other organizations have been the victims of a wave of murders, arsons, and arrests. “Over 900 people have been killed and 199 disappeared since Arroyo took office in 2001,” he stated.

Labog said that the labor movement and progressive people in the United States should denounce the killings, demand the release of political detainees, and call for the immediate pull out of all U.S. troops and a halt to all military aid to the Arroyo government now.  
 
 
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