ヒューマンライツナウは、特にアジア地域の人権状況を改善するために、法律家、研究者、活動家が集まって結成した日本のＮＧＯであり、アロヨ政権に対して、殺害が起こらないようにするために、政治的決意を持ち迅速な活動を行うことを求めます。法律家、宗教家、ジャーナリスト、民主社会での基本的な権利である人権活動家など表現および結社の権利を行使している市民が、殺害の対象となっていることは、許しがたいことです。

　 アムネスティインターナショナル、ヒューマンライツウォッチ、オランダ法律家連盟、フィリピン弁護士会、フィリピン商工会議所など信頼できる組織が、超法規的殺害を非難する声明などを発表しています。これらに依拠し、私たちは、暴力の継続について警告を発し、アロヨ政権はこれらの継続を許してはならないことを訴えます。特に、近代的民主主義制度を持っていると誇っている国家において、このような人権侵害が許容される余地はありません。

　 私たちは、１２月１０日の人権デーに際して、声を上げてフィリピンの人々にこのような人権侵害に、国際社会が関心を持っていることを知らせたいと思います。

　 ヒューマンライツ・ナウは、政府が容疑者に対し適切な捜査を行わないなかで、政治的殺害に対する不処罰の慣習が発展しつつあることに重大な懸念を表明します。これまでに、政治的殺害について有罪判決を受けた者はいません。証言が適切な得られるためには、証人や被害者の家族に適切な保護を行うことは急務です。このことは、実効的な司法手続が採用されるべき基本的な手続的セーフガードです。政府は警察がその任務を完全に遂行できるように、警察に対する信頼を回復するようにすべきです。

　 私たちは、フィリピン政府による調査が行われることを理論的に歓迎するものの、信頼できる経験ある者によって、公平で完全に独立した調査が行われることが非常に重要であることを強調します。この点で、メロ委員会がそのような機能を担うか否かについて慎重に見守っていきます。

　 私たちは、元フィリピン大学学長のフランシスコネメンゾらたくさんの人が反乱容疑に掛けられていることについて、現実に法的な根拠があるか否かについて再検討することを求めます。

Human Rights Now expresses its serious concern for the spate of extrajudicial killings that continues unabated in The Philippines. According to human rights organizations in the Philippines, there have been 783 victims of extrajudicial killings since the start of President Arroyo’s term of office in 2001. The occurrences of 184 forced disappearances, as well as many other cases of torture, physical assault, harassment and intimidation are also of grave concern.

As a Japan-based non-governmental organization founded by a collective of lawyers, academics and activists to work for the improvement of human rights situations world-wide, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, Human Rights Now calls on the Arroyo government to muster the necessary political will and work expeditiously to bringing an end to the killings. The fact that citizens ? including lawyers, religious leaders, journalists and human rights defenders ? who exercise their democratic right of political expression and association, are being targeted and killed, cannot be tolerated.

Reputable organizations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the Dutch Lawyers for Lawyers Foundation, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, and the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in the Philippines have released documents and statements condemning the extrajudicial killings. Based on these national and international reports, we are greatly alarmed by the continued violence and appalled that the Arroyo government has allowed them to continue for so long. There is no place for such human rights violations, particularly in a country which prides itself on having established a modern democracy.

We seize the occasion of Human Rights Day ? 10 December 2006 ? to raise our voices and let the people of the Philippines know that such atrocities are not being ignored by the international community.

Human Rights Now expresses its grave concern that a culture of impunity is developing around these extrajudicial killings , as the government fails to properly investigate suspected perpetrators. To date, the number of convictions remains at zero. The lack of adequate protection for witnesses and victims’ families must also be rapidly addressed so that testimonies can be duly made. This is a basic procedural safeguard that must be met in order for an effective process of justice to take root. The government must also work to restore public trust in the police to do their job with integrity.

While the establishment of serious government-initiated investigation is welcomed in theory, we emphasize the fundamental importance of a fully independent and impartial investigation carried out by credible and experienced individuals. To this end, we remain cautious about the capacity of the Melo Commission to carry out such a function.

We call for the charges of “rebellion” made against dozens of individuals, including the former President of the University of the Philippines, Professor Francisco Nemenzo, to be reassessed in light of their actual legal basis.

Finally, we note that it is regrettable that the national peace process has broken down. We urge the Arroyo government to commit itself to the prevention and prosecution of these extrajudicial killings. In doing this, it would regain the respect of the international community and also recreate an environment that is conducive to developing the peace process and ushering in greater prosperity for the country.