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HUMAN rights advocates here have launched yesterday the northern Mindanao formation of the Movement Against Tyranny carrying the theme:  “Defending and Asserting Human Rights amidst Martial Law in Mindanao.”

Convenor Teddy Casiño and Union of People’s Lawyers in Mindanao and Bayan Muna Representative Carlos Zarate graced the launching.

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Zarate expressed solidarity to the movement. He said the declaration of the end of hostilities in Marawi does not guarantee the lifting of martial law or the end of extrajudicial killings. He added that genuine peace can only be achieved with the people’s collective struggle for genuine change in government. He said that the movement prepares the people to confront the “storm” created by those who seek to establish a “revolutionary government”, by people who are not truly revolutionaries.

The launching highlighted issues confronting human rights in Mindanao affecting grassroots sectors such as the Lumad people, the farmers, and most recently the Meranao evacuees.

All human rights violation cases were documented by MAT-NMR as incidences that occurred following the declaration of martial law of President Rodrigo Duterte on May 23.

Local MAT-NMR convenor Lawyer Czarina Musni said “Tyranny is the rule of one person who usurped  judiciary, executive and legislative powers… this is what we now see in the current government of President Duterte. And this tyranny is what we oppose today.”

The activity culminated with a Manifesto Signing. The Manifesto read, “We shall shatter the silence, fear, and acquiescence that has inflicted many, especially the victims of human rights violations, corruption and abuse. We shall defend and promote human rights and civil liberties at all cost. We shall oppose tyranny wherever and whenever it rears its ugly head.”

Delegates of the launching included various sectoral organizations, religious groups, and the academe.(mat nmr)

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