Shades of Martial Law Under Arroyo's Regime

A letter of appeal and urgent action to help secure the release from the hold order of three Gabriela USA activist in the Philippines. Has the Arroyo regime went mental or have they proclaimed martial law without anyone knowing about it?
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Dear GABNet members, allies and friends:

On August 5, 2007, GABRIELA Network USA National Chairperson Dr. Annalisa Enrile was barred from leaving the Philippines. She was not allowed to board her return flight home to the US. She was told that she is on a "watchlist." Two other GABNet women--Judith Mirkinson and Ninotchka Rosca--are reportedly on the same "watchlist."

Dr. Enrile, Ms. Mirkinson and Ms. Rosca were in the Philippines, along with other GABNet members and officers, for the 10th bi-annual Women's Solidarity Affair in the Philippines. The GABNet 3 also led the GABNet-co-sponsored human rights mission to the Philippines with US women lawyers in May-June 2006.

We are demanding that the Philippine government "release" the GABNet 3 and allow them to return home. We need your HELP in pressuring the US Embassy and the US Ambassador to the Philippines to act on behalf of these 3 US citizens/permanent resident and demand that the Philippines "release" them at once.

ACTION - WHAT YOU CAN DO TODAY, AUGUST 9TH: FAX the US Embassy, American Citizen Service, 011 63 2 522-3242 and/or Ambassador Kenney, 011 63 2 522-4361. Below is a sample letter. Please re-word. And please distribute this call to action far and wide. Stay tuned for more action/s.

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US Ambassador to the Philippines
Manila, Philippines

I wish to voice my concern about the status of US citizens Dr. Annalisa Enrile and human and women's rights activists Judith Mirkinson, and of US permanent resident Ninotchka Rosca, a writer and novelist. Dr. Enrile was prevented from boarding her return flight from Manila to Los Angeles on August 5th and was informed that she was on a "hold" order from the Philippine Department of Justice.

It has been subsequently reported that both Ms. Mirkinson and Ms. Rosca are on the same "hold" list. Considering that 90 women organizers, activists and leaders have been assassinated in the Philippines since 2001, and considering that the Philippines is second only to Iraq in the number of writers and media people murdered, we are urging the US embassy and your office to demand that the Philippine government stop holding these three women hostage and let them return to their lives and work in the US.

Signed:
Name
Address


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Thank you.


Onward,
Doris Mendoza
Secretary General
GABRIELA Network USA
PO Box 403, Times Square Station
New York, NY 10036
Tel: (212) 592-3507
Mobile: (718) 753-0257
website: http://www.gabnet.org/

Updated article:

Hold Departure Order "Lifted" on GABNet 3

women activist