Latest news and developments in Central Luzon
Thursday, November 22, 2012
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