01:19Philippines: "Women resist US-APEC plunder" - Protesters denounce US military presence
Women activists gathered outside the United States embassy in Manila, Thursday, to denounce the to denounce US military presence in the Asia Pacific region and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the United States, which gives the US wide access to military bases throughout the country.
Activists held banners reading "Rise vs. imperialist plunder!" and "Stop the rape of our motherland" as slogans against the US and APEC were chanted out through megaphones. The Secretary General of GABRIELA party Joms Salvador stated that "for centuries, the presence of US military in the Philippines has brought upon the Filipino people, especially women and children, much misery, violence and abuse", adding that Filipino people "will resist the aggression and intervention of US in our land."
The rally was called by the GABRIELA (General Assembly Binding Women for Reforms, Integrity, Equality, Leadership, and Action) Women's Party, a leftist Filipino organisation created through a nationwide network of grassroots organisations, institutions, and programmes that address issues such as human rights, poverty, globalisation, militarism, violence, rape culture, health, sex trafficking, censorship and other issues affecting women.
US president Barack Obama is expected to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Manila on November 18-19. According to a senior government official, a decision by the Supreme Court is expected to give a green light to the EDCA security agreement before the APEC summit convenes.
01:19Women activists gathered outside the United States embassy in Manila, Thursday, to denounce the to denounce US military presence in the Asia Pacific region and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the United States, which gives the US wide access to military bases throughout the country.
Activists held banners reading "Rise vs. imperialist plunder!" and "Stop the rape of our motherland" as slogans against the US and APEC were chanted out through megaphones. The Secretary General of GABRIELA party Joms Salvador stated that "for centuries, the presence of US military in the Philippines has brought upon the Filipino people, especially women and children, much misery, violence and abuse", adding that Filipino people "will resist the aggression and intervention of US in our land."
The rally was called by the GABRIELA (General Assembly Binding Women for Reforms, Integrity, Equality, Leadership, and Action) Women's Party, a leftist Filipino organisation created through a nationwide network of grassroots organisations, institutions, and programmes that address issues such as human rights, poverty, globalisation, militarism, violence, rape culture, health, sex trafficking, censorship and other issues affecting women.
US president Barack Obama is expected to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Manila on November 18-19. According to a senior government official, a decision by the Supreme Court is expected to give a green light to the EDCA security agreement before the APEC summit convenes.