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Philippine Groups Celebrate Aung San Suu Kyi Birthday and Women of Burma Day; Launch "Burma Women's Voices for Peace" book

This upcoming Burma election should determine the future of the peoples of Burma. But the junta at this early already ensured that dictatorship is the past, the present and the logical future for Burma,“ said FBC-Phils spokesperson Egoy Bans.

Activists in the Philippines rally outside the Thai embassy urging the government to “assume full responsibility” over the deaths and injuries from street clashes in Thailand which turned the city Bangkok into a virtual war zone.

University of the Philipines Prof. Miriam Coronel-Ferrer identifies the "vicious cycle of on-off peace negotiations" as one of the main challenges to the peace processses in the Philippines. Prof. Ferrer was guest speaker at the MPW People's Peace Assembly.

IID joins tribal leaders in retracing cultural landmarks in Pulangi which are set to be affected by the biggest hydro-dam in Mindanao.

Philippine government urged to support probe on Myanmar junta’s ‘crimes against humanity’

Friday, 06 August 2010
PHILIPPINES--To visualize the gravity of the crimes against humanity committed by Burma’s military regime, about a hundred of solidarity activists under the Free Burma Coalition-Philippines (FBC-Phils) today held a rally in front of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and urged the Philippine government to pledge its support to the ongoing international campaigns calling for the creation of a UN commission of inquiry to investigate possible crimes against humanity in Burma. Said rally is also part of the international commemoration of the 22nd Anniversary of the August 08, 1988 national uprising in Burma where 10,000 peaceful demonstrators were shot, arrested and killed as they demanded democracy and an end to human rights violations and economic mismanagement by the Burmese military junta.
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New GRP Peace Panel head buoys hope for an elusive peace in Mindanao

Wednesday, 21 July 2010
Dean Marvic Leonen’s appointment augurs well with the ongoing peace talks between the GRP and the MILF. He brings with him not only an impressive credential to the post, but more importantly, a solid experience, empathy and grounding on the issues and rights of the indigenous peoples, the upland communities, including those in Mindanao. His new post also buoys up a lot of hope and raises high expectations particularly from the peace and people’s movements regarding the prospects of the peace process in Mindanao.
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Women from Southeast Asia come to Dili to promote women and peace building agenda

Tuesday, 13 July 2010
(1 July – Dili) - “The Indonesian military raped women to subdue Timorese men, to reduce the commitment of combatants to the struggle for independence,” Ms Lita Sarmento shared at the international meeting held on 30 June to 1 July 2010 in UNMIT Obrigado Barracks in Dili. She said this after Ms Shadia Marhaban reported on the impact on women in Aceh of the 30-year conflict between the Indonesian Government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). “In one village (in Aceh), 40 women were raped. It was a strategy of the Indonesian military to cripple the Movement,” Ms Marhaban elaborated.
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Philippine solidarity activists join int’l celebration of Aung San Suu Kyi’s 65th birthday

Friday, 09 July 2010
Makati City, Philippines – Solidarity activists, mostly women under the Free Burma Coalition – Philippines (FBC-Phils) today staged a rally in front of the Myanmar (Burma) Embassy in Makati City as part of the international celebration of the 65th birthday of Burma’s democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi. Born on June 19th, 1945, Aung San Suu Kyi is the world's only imprisoned Nobel Peace laureate. She has been under house arrest for almost 15 of the last 21 years by Burma's military regime. FBC-Phils reiterated its call for the immediate and unconditional release of Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners in Burma. “Calling for Aung San Suu Kyi's immediate and unconditional release is the best gift that we could offer on her birthday. We see her continued detention as an insult to justice and democracy,” Egoy Bans, FBC-Phils spokesperson said.
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Presidential candidates to bare Mindanao agenda

On April 16, 2010 at least five presidential candidates will bare their Mindanao agenda before an audience composed of more than 5,000 representatives of the religious, civil society, youth, and business organizations united by a vision to foster peace and development in Mindanao here in Davao City.

Presidential candidates will be given 15 minutes to present their plans for the region based on questions that will be taken from key sectoral representatives such as the Moro, indigenous peoples and women.

IID is an advocacy and solidarity organization promoting south-south solidarity and people-to-people internationalism. Thematic priorities: conflict prevention and peacebuilding, democratization and right to self-determination. Focus areas: Mindanao, Burma, Timor-Leste, South Thailand, Aceh and West Papua

Main Office:
27 Galaxy Street, GSIS Heights, Matina
Davao City, 8000 Philippines
Phone: (+63 82) 2992574 & 75 / Fax: (+63 82) 2992052
Email: davao at iidnet.org