[asia-apec 1234] petition signing

[tpl at cheerful.com]

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<fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller>Fight for press freedom and the
peoples right to know!

(Support the one-million signature drive!)



The people have the right to know matters of public concern.


The people have the  right to freedom of thought and expression, free
from any interference, and to seek, receive and impart information and
ideas through any media.


Press freedom is the veritable pillar that holds up the inviolable right
of the people to know.


Where the State controls and manipulates mass media; where the dictates
of a ruling few prevail over the will of the people; where foreign-vested
interests plunder the economy; where the regime uses violence to quell
popular dissent, the press and all its advocates have a sacred duty to
struggle for truth side by side with the people.


As such, the press has always been the first to be suppressed by the
forces of tyranny, injustice and ignorance, as was the case under the
fascist Marcos dictatorship.  


We, members of the press, advocates of press freedom and common people,
stand united against the reprehensible State-sponsored suppression of
press freedom, chiefly the critical and inquisitive voices, in forms that
are either covert or overt. 


Is this the price the press and the people have to pay for performing our
functions as journalists and exercising our rights as citizens? Is this
the price we have to pay for reporting, commenting and knowing events,
personalities and projects that are detrimental to the peoples 
welfare?


The latest attempts by the Estrada government at suppressing press
freedom  from the thuggish mugging and closure of the <italic>The Manila
Times</italic>, to the perverted advertising boycott against the
<italic>Philippine Daily Inquirer</italic> by movie producers and
institutions close to the regime, to the war of attrition against
student-run newspapers  are calculated to cow a critical press and
obstruct the peoples right to know. 


We are committed to nip by the bud all moves by any aspiring tyrant or
cabal seeking to silence the press and frustrate the peoples right to
know. 


In particular, we condemn the growing number of violations of press
freedom and the peoples right to know by the Estrada government. We
demand the following:


<bold><italic>End the harassment of national and student-run 
newspapers!

</italic>

</bold><italic>End the killing of journalists! Justice for all murdered
journalists!

</italic>

<bold><italic>End censorship!

</italic>

</bold><italic>End the intimidation of journalists by police, military,
paramilitary groups, druglords, warlords and private armies!

</italic>

<bold><italic>Restore all closed student publications! Establish student
publications in schools! End all press freedom violations on campus!

</italic>

Let the enemies of press freedom and the peoples right to know tremble
at our stronger resolve to continue the search for truth  as accurate,
as responsible, as responsive and as needed by the people we have vowed
to serve.


We shall exert all efforts and unflinchingly fight for the freedom of the
press and the peoples right to know against all forces that seek to
undermine truth, freedom, justice and democracy.


 


Initial signatories: College Editors Guild of the Philippines,
SOLIDARIDAD</bold>, <bold>Rep.Dante Liban, Ruth Cervantes, Myra Vieta
Gile, Satur Ocampo, Isagani Yambot, Former Governor Oscar Orbos, Dean
Luis Teodoro, Dean Elmer Ordoñez, Conrad de Quiros, Atty. Marichu
Lambino, Atty. Edwin dela Cruz, Raymund Villanueva, Nora Gamolo, Bayani
Santos Jr.,  Danny Belarmino CPA, National Center for Philippine Media,
Kapisanan ng mga Manggawa sa Media ng Pilipinas, National Union of
Students of the Philippines, League of Filipino Students, Student
Christian Movement of the Philippines, Anakbayan, Gabriela Youth, Amado
V. Hernandez Resource Center, Julius Matibag (CEGP-National Capital
Region), Rey Asis (CEGP-Luzon), Owen Bayog (CEGP-Visayas), Roli Pinsoy
(CEGP-Mindanao), Prestoline Suyat (Kilusang Mayo Uno), Randy Vegas
(COURAGE), Gilbert Roland Sape (Ibon Foundation), Philippine Collegian
(UP Diliman), Manila Collegian (UP Manila), Dataline (AMACC-QC), The
Bedan (San Beda College), The Catalyst (PUP)

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