[asia-apec 1388] College Editors demand Estrada's ouster

[tpl at cheerful.com]

CEGP (College Editors Guild of the Philippines)
January 22, 2000

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! KICK OUT ERAP!
ENEMY OF PRESS FREEDOM, HUMAN RIGHTS AND PEACE

Today, campus journalists and students join the people in demanding the
ouster of President Estrada (aka ERAP). His continued stay in office is
disastrous to press freedom, human rights and peace. His ouster will be
greatly beneficial to journalists and the people.

We have every reason to demand Estrada's ouster. Directly or by proxy,
President Estrada has assumed the role as the number one  kontrabida of
people's rights especially press freedom. 

We hold him accountable for the long list of crimes against the
people's right to know, press freedom, human rights and peace:

1)	the favoritism in granting interviews with Palace reporters
2)	the buyout by the family of Estrada crony Mark Jimenez of the Manila
Times
3)	the earlier libel suit and subsequent closure of the Manila Times
4)	the advertising boycott against the Philippine Daily Inquirer and
the earlier ban on the latter's reporters in Palace press conferences
5)	the clampdown on over 300 student newspapers
6)	the deployment of Marines in Manila and the planned deployment of
combat troops in universities and colleges
7)	the appointment of human rights violators Alfredo Lim and Panfilo
Lacson
8)	the murder of Southern Mindanao youth leader Larry Padron
9)	the cancellation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for
Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law
10)	the cancellation of peace negotiations with the National Democratic
Front

These attacks came in tandem with disastrous programs that have caused
more misery and hardships on students and the people. For students, 
among these policies are the P700-million cut on the education budget
and new tuition fee increases. Others are the repeated price increases,
Visiting Forces Agreement, Chacha/Concord, the exoneration of the
Marcoses from their human rights violations, cronyism, graft and
corruption and many more.  

These attacks on human rights and civil liberties are essential in
fighting off the struggle of students and the people against the
Estrada government. The wanton violations of human rights and civil
liberties find its policy direction from the OPLAN MAKABAYAN, the
so-called anti-insurgency strategy that focuses on physically
eliminating "subversive" elements instead of resolving the root causes
of social conflict.

President Estrada's pronouncements "kung di madala sa santong paspasan,
dalhin sa bakbakan" betrays his fascism masked by "pro-poor" rhetoric. 

By ousting this government, we have much to gain. We stand to benefit
from the elimination of a violator of press freedom, human rights and
peace. We stand to benefit from a reprieve from this government's
terrible brand of governance. 

On Monday, Jan. 24, we enjoin all freedom- and peace-loving people to
join us in a Day of Action and say, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! KICK OUT ERAP! #