SINABI ni United States Vice President Kamala Harris na ang paglaban sa karapatang-pantao ay nagsisimula sa pagkilala na ang paglabag rito ay umiiral.
Kasabay nito, pinaalalahanan ni Harris ang human rights defenders na manatiling matatag dahil hindi sila nag-iisa sa laban.
Sa isang town hall meeting kasama ang human rights defenders at Filipina civil society leaders, sinabi ni Harris na nakausap na niya ang nangungunang Filipino human rights activists sa backstage bago ang event.
“Don’t give up. There is so much about the fight for human rights that requires us to remember that we are not alone because it is a very…it requires movements, it requires working against systems that have been designed in many situations to neglect, if not be more affirmative, in overlooking or even attacking human rights,” ani Harris.
“Fighting for human rights means one, obviously starting with a recognition where there are violations for human rights. That means seeing the worst of human behaviors. That means understanding and seeing what suffering looks like, what pain looks like, what unfairness looks like,” dagdag na wika ni Harris.
“It’s important to start from a perspective of knowing, not just believing, that you’re born with rights. You’re born with these rights. You’re not asking someone to do you the favor through the benevolence of their existence to grant you these rights. They are your rights—God-given,” aniya pa rin.
Tinalakay rin ni Harris ang kahalagahan ng labor rights, media freedom, democratic institutions at pagsisikap na labanan ang ‘trafficking in persons.’
Binigyang diin naman ni Harris ang uri ng liderato ni dating Pangulong Corazon “Cory” Aquino, at iba pang Pilipina na nagtakda ng magandang standards para sa mga kabataang babae.
PH-US Ties Pinatatag
Samantala, itinuturing ni House Speaker Martin Romualdez na lalong nagpatatag sa ugnayan ng Pilipinas at Estados Unidos hindi lamang sa seguridad kundi sa ekonomiya, ang pagbisita ni Harris.
“It would serve to bolster the long-standing security alliance and economic relations between the United States (US) and the Philippines,” paglalarawan ni Romualdez.
Gayunpaman, kabado ang mga militanteng mambabatas sa Kamara sa nuclear package na dala umano ni Harris kabilang na ang civil nuclear cooperation agreement.
“Among the contentious agreements to be unveiled is the civil nuclear cooperation agreement, which would allow the US to export micro nuclear reactors to the Philippines supposedly in line with Section 123 of the US Atomic Energy Act,” ani Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas.
Kasama rin aniya sa kasunduan ang pagde-deploy ng Amerika ng nuclear weapon sa Pilipinas upang palakasin pa ang kanilang presensya sa Asia-Pacific. (CHRISTIAN DALE/BERNARD TAGUINOD)
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