Philippines: meurtre du défenseur des droits humains Celso Pojas

Your Excellency,

I am deeply concerned following reports that human rights defender Celso Pojas was shot dead on 15 May 2008 outside the offices of the Farmers Association in Davao City (FADC). Celso Pojas was Secretary General of the FADC. He had spoken out against militarisation in indigenous communities and worked to defend the land rights of farmers and indigenous people in the Philippines.

On 15 May 2008, at approximately 5:45 in the morning, Celso Pojas was shot dead by five unidentified men outside the FADC offices in Davao, Southern Mindanao. He was killed by a shot to the right rib and left arm from a .45 caliber pistol. He had been having coffee with colleagues when he left the office to buy cigarettes. He had been scheduled to leave later that day with members of the FADC and the Peasants Movement in the Philippines (Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas - KMP) for the Compostela Valley to visit an indigenous farming community which had been forcibly displaced by the military.

In February and March 2008 Celso Pojas campaigned against military operations which had allegedly caused increased human rights violations against indigenous people and farmers in the Compostela Valley Province. He later met with the family of a tribal leader who had defended the land rights of indigenous people in Tugbok, Davao City, and was subsequently murdered on 30 April 2008. Celso Pojas had been under surveillance since December 2007 and had received death threats since March 2008.

I believe that Celso Pojas was killed as a result of his legitimate work in defence of human rights, in particular the rights of indigenous people. I am concerned that this attack may represent an ongoing trend in which human rights defenders in the Philippines are targeted and killed.

I urge the authorities in the Philippines to:

1. Initiate an immediate, exhaustive, and impartial investigation into the killing of Celso Pojas, publishing the results and bringing those responsible to justice in accordance with international standards;

2. Take immediate steps to guarantee the safety of all other members of the Farmers Association in Davao City and the Peasants Movement in the Philippines;

3. Take measures to ensure that all human rights defenders in the Philippines, carrying out their legitimate work, are free to operate without fear of restrictions or reprisals.

I respectfully remind you that the United Nations Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, adopted by consensus by the UN General Assembly on 9 December 1998, recognises the legitimacy of the activities of human rights defenders, their right to freedom of association and to carry out their activities without fear of reprisals.

I would particularly draw attention to Article 7: “Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to develop and discuss new human rights ideas and principles and to advocate their acceptance“, to Article 9 (5): “The State shall conduct a prompt and impartial investigation or ensure that an inquiry takes place whenever there is reasonable ground to believe that a violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms has occurred in any territory under its jurisdiction,” and to Article 12 (2.): “The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration.”

Yours sincerely,