Auckland Philippines Solidarity warmly congratulates the advocacy group Migrante International, the National Union of People’s Lawyers and their global network of supporters for their inspiring campaign to save the life of human trafficking victim Mary Jane Veloso.
The case provides a good opportunity not only to highlight the abhorrent nature of the death penalty but also the economic injustices which force migrants in desperation to seek work abroad.
Mary Jane is the daughter of a former agricultural worker in Hacienda Luisita. New Zealanders were among the international trade union activists who joined fact-finding missions that went to the hacienda following the 2004 massacre of protesting farm workers. They saw first-hand the impoverished and desperate situation of the workers in this land owned by the family of President Aquino.
Hacienda Luisita needs to be finally distributed to its workers.
We call on President Aquino to make real efforts to tackle the long-standing issues of landlessness and economic inequality in the Philippines. We believe this will ensure there will be fewer desperate people for drug trafficking gangs and other nefarious groups to take advantage of.
—CAMERON WALKER, Auckland Philippines Solidarity, phsolidarity@gmail.com