Overview of impunity related incidents in 2012 in Southeast Asia

Overview of impunity related incidents in 2012 in Southeast Asia

Invitation to join silent march

Dear Friends,

This coming Friday, November 23, journalists’ groups and press freedom advocacy organizations will commemorate the third year of the Ampatuan Massacre and second International Day to End Impunity. The groups agreed to hold a dramatic mock funeral procession with 153 coffins bearing the names of slain members of media since 1986. Relatives of massacre victims and media practitioners will carry the coffins from Welcome Rotonda, Quezon City to Mendiola. The objective is to stress the continuing attack against journalists and the prevailing culture of impunity.

The activity however will be more effective and significant if many journalists will help carry the coffins. It will be an effective way of showing our unity in the face of so many challenges facing the Philippine press, among them the death of the Freedom of Information bill and outright endorsement by President Aquino of the extremely restrictive right of reply bill in Congress.

We thus invite you and your staff/employees to join the march. Some media networks and groups have already pledged to carry at least 4 coffins per news organization. The coffin is made of light cardboard material but we are requesting that two persons be assigned to carry it.

Assembly time at Welcome Rotonda is 3:00 pm. Please refer to the attached draft program for details.

Kindly assign a point person with whom we can coordinate details of the November 23 procession. The “pallbearers” are requested to be at the Welcome Rotonda (near KFC) by 2:30 PM for briefing. Please send contact details to the undersigned by 5pm today. We also request everyone joining the event to wear black.

Thank you for joining us in this campaign.

Mabuhay ang Pilipinong mamamahayag.

For the convenors:

PHILIPPINE CENTER FOR INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM (PCIJ)

NATIONAL UNION OF JOURNALISTS OF THE PHILIPPINES (PPI)

PHILIPPINE PRESS INSTITUTE (PPI)

CENTER FOR COMMUNITY JOURNALISM AND DEVELOPMENT (CCJD)

FREEDOM FUND FOR FILIPINO JOURNALISTS (FFFJ)

CENTER FOR MEDIA FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY (CMFR)

Weng Paraan

NUJP Secretary-General