MANILA, Philippines - As the world celebrates Human Rights Day, it is well to remember one key principle, that All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. "More than 60 years after the declaration, however, the precept has yet to be fully realized as there are many instances of discrimination that have transpired despite the fact that many other conventions and resolutions were passed to fight discrimination," said the MB Editorial of December 10, 2010. In connection with this let me quote Elaine Pearson, deputy director for Asia of the Human Rights Watch: "The Philippines prides itself on its democratic values, which is why it is shocking to see this government turning its back on Liu Xiaobo's non-violent struggle for free expression in China." Pearson noted that "President Aquino's mother Corazon Aquino was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986, the same year that she led the EDSA revolution." She further said that skipping the ceremony along with 17 other countries, including China's allies such as Venezuela, Cuba, and regional neighbors Vietnam, Kazakhstan, and business partners such as Saudi Arabia and Iran, meant that the Philippines is failing to live up to its promise to promote human rights in Asia.
DFA spokesman Eduardo Malaya confirmed that no Philippine representative would attend the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony. He refused to say that Beijing, a key trading partner, had pressured Manila to stay away from the event. Malaya said that Manila envoy to Oslo Elizabeth Buensuceso was out of Norway on an official consular mission. He said that "our Ambassador to Norway has a scheduling conflict." However two unnamed senior government officials said the move was made to appease China. An official of Malacañang, also unnamed, said President BS Aquino did not want another irritant in our relations with China. It is clear that Manila is still exerting efforts to repair the frayed relations with Beijing, because of the fiasco in the rescue operation of the Hong Kong hostages. Much earlier, China reacted strongly to the decision of the Nobel Committee to award this year's peace prize to Liu Xiabo who was jailed on subversion charges after calling for the reform of the one-party Communist rule.
When we consider the dispute in the Spratlys where China asserts sovereignty in the area and over our islands therein, and our relations with the United States with whom we have a Mutual Defense Pact and the Visiting Forces Agreement, and the USA's position regarding the freedom of navigation principle, even in the South China Sea, it is obvious what the Aquino administration is trying to do...and that is to walk a tight rope in keeping good relations with both the Chinese and the Americans. This human rights issue as well as our relations with China and the United States are to me more serious than the present domestic controversy over EO 1.
Finally let me just say that we must respect the Supreme Court's decision including the individual opinions of every Justice. Hopefully we can reduce the political static by engaging in civilized debate which is the essence of any democracy......rene.espina@hotmail.com.
