SAMIN
Sisters’ Association in Mindanao
mindasrs25@yahoo.com
AFP 10th ID: Stop the persecution of Churchpeople!
May 25, 2009
“They will arrest and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, dragging you before kings and governors for my name’s sake. You will bear witness… and some of you will be put to death” (Luke 21: 12-18).
The Sisters’ Association in Mindanao joins the outrage over the reported AFP 10th Infantry Division’s Order of Battle which brands religious and other sectors as enemies of the state in violation of our human rights.
It is indeed disturbing to know that such an order exists from the AFP, which labels churchpeople, lawyers, journalists, activists and NGO workers as enemies of the state.
It is further disturbing that church people, congregations and church-based groups, in particular, are included. It is condemnable that church people who are fulfilling Christ’s mandate to bring the Good News to the poor (Luke 4: 16-19) are subject to this vilification campaign.
This order puts all the individuals and organizations in the list in grave danger, including church people. That SAMIN as an organization, and not just its personalities, is included in the list, indicates a threat to its 350 Catholic nun members from 40 congregations in Mindanao.
The harassments against the Sisters have been manifested already with the illegal detention of Sr. Stella Matutina, OSB and with the illegal raids in two sisters’ convents in Butuan City in 2006. If we may recall, Sr. Stella was illegally held against her will along with her thre companions by the 67th Infantry Battalion in Cateel, Davao Oriental after doing advocacy work against large-scale mining. On November 2006, the convents of the Contemplative Good Shepherds and the Missionary Sisters of Mary were raided by the police on false allegations that they are keeping a rebel leader in their convents. Both cases have shown that even religious can be subject to the attacks of the state.
We also recall that as early as 2005, SAMIN was already among those included in the “mother of all powerpoints” by the military, the “Knowing the Enemy” powerpoint, wherein pictures of our members and our activities were taken out from our old website and inserted in that powerpoint as “enemies of the state” .
These accusations remind us of the Biblical times, when being Christians meant putting one’s life in danger of being persecuted and killed by the soldiers of the Roman Empire. Today, this persecution continues with the military’s attack on the religious, especially on those who dare to speak God’s message of hope, denouncing the evils of society and taking sides with God’s chosen poor.
The accusations are not new for SAMIN, since its formation during Martial Law in 1983, the Sisters have stood steadfastly with the poor, and suffered with the poor against the oppression of the Marcos Dictatorship. And as a new tyranny is in our midst, SAMIN is emboldened to continue with its commitment of fighting the darkness of oppression and corruption, and bringing the light of hope and justice for the poor and Creation. We are compelled to carry out our mission to: “speak courageously, live contemplatively, and act prophetically.”
SAMIN calls on everyone to act in defense of human rights and dignity. We also call on the government authorities to stop the persecution of church people and the poor.
For Reference:
SR. ELSA COMPUESTO, MSM
Executive Secretary
0917-435-0089
SAMIN
Sisters’ Association in Mindanao
mindasrs25@yahoo.com
AFP 10th ID: Stop the persecution of Churchpeople!
May 25, 2009
“They will arrest and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, dragging you before kings and governors for my name’s sake. You will bear witness… and some of you will be put to death” (Luke 21: 12-18).
The Sisters’ Association in Mindanao joins the outrage over the reported AFP 10th Infantry Division’s Order of Battle which brands religious and other sectors as enemies of the state in violation of our human rights.
It is indeed disturbing to know that such an order exists from the AFP, which labels churchpeople, lawyers, journalists, activists and NGO workers as enemies of the state.
It is further disturbing that church people, congregations and church-based groups, in particular, are included. It is condemnable that church people who are fulfilling Christ’s mandate to bring the Good News to the poor (Luke 4: 16-19) are subject to this vilification campaign.
This order puts all the individuals and organizations in the list in grave danger, including church people. That SAMIN as an organization, and not just its personalities, is included in the list, indicates a threat to its 350 Catholic nun members from 40 congregations in Mindanao.
The harassments against the Sisters have been manifested already with the illegal detention of Sr. Stella Matutina, OSB and with the illegal raids in two sisters’ convents in Butuan City in 2006. If we may recall, Sr. Stella was illegally held against her will along with her thre companions by the 67th Infantry Battalion in Cateel, Davao Oriental after doing advocacy work against large-scale mining. On November 2006, the convents of the Contemplative Good Shepherds and the Missionary Sisters of Mary were raided by the police on false allegations that they are keeping a rebel leader in their convents. Both cases have shown that even religious can be subject to the attacks of the state.
We also recall that as early as 2005, SAMIN was already among those included in the “mother of all powerpoints” by the military, the “Knowing the Enemy” powerpoint, wherein pictures of our members and our activities were taken out from our old website and inserted in that powerpoint as “enemies of the state” .
These accusations remind us of the Biblical times, when being Christians meant putting one’s life in danger of being persecuted and killed by the soldiers of the Roman Empire. Today, this persecution continues with the military’s attack on the religious, especially on those who dare to speak God’s message of hope, denouncing the evils of society and taking sides with God’s chosen poor.
The accusations are not new for SAMIN, since its formation during Martial Law in 1983, the Sisters have stood steadfastly with the poor, and suffered with the poor against the oppression of the Marcos Dictatorship. And as a new tyranny is in our midst, SAMIN is emboldened to continue with its commitment of fighting the darkness of oppression and corruption, and bringing the light of hope and justice for the poor and Creation. We are compelled to carry out our mission to: “speak courageously, live contemplatively, and act prophetically.”
SAMIN calls on everyone to act in defense of human rights and dignity. We also call on the government authorities to stop the persecution of church people and the poor.
For Reference:
SR. ELSA COMPUESTO, MSM
Executive Secretary
0917-435-0089
