I HAVE ALWAYS HELD people and organizations advocating human rights in great reverence, those who believe that the rights of an individual should always be upheld, regardless of the person?s social standing or beliefs. I am among those who are convinced that if there is any way to advance as a nation, it should be with reverence for people?s inherent rights.

What I do not get though is the seemingly random, if not selective, ?focus? of human rights advocates.

I commend Commission on Human Rights Chairperson Leila de Lima for her campaigns to uphold human rights, including those of suspected rebels for, truly, even the rights of rebels must be respected. Her eloquence though cannot account for her failure to speak up for people victimized by rebel groups. She has no word of encouragement for the families of NPA victims to fight for justice; neither have there been pledges of CHR support in their lawsuits against NPA liquidation squads. Recently, two civilians were wounded when NPA rebels shot to death a soldier in Paquibato District, Davao City, but nothing has been heard from the CHR chair. The silence has been long and we don?t know where it is going to end.

Some people suffer in silence, including NPA victims who are afraid of retaliation. Everybody?s rights should be respected. In many instances, the NPA rebels are more fortunate because their rights are acknowledged while those of their victims are ignored. We can champion the rights of the rebels, but we should do so without ignoring the rights of the people they victimize. Otherwise, how can we claim to be champions of human rights?

?EMMANUEL VELASCO,

many_vee70@yahoo.com