BRIEFING NOTES - (1) Philippines; (2) Central African Republic

Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: Ravina Shamdasani

Location: Geneva

Date: 9 march 2021

Subject: (1) Philippines

(2) Central African Republic

1) Philippines

We are appalled by the apparently arbitrary killing of nine activists in simultaneous police-military operations in Batangas, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal provinces surrounding metro Manila in the Philippines in the early hours of Sunday morning.

According to information we have received, the eight men and one woman were killed in joint police and military operations that reportedly began around 3:15am on Sunday to execute search warrants issued by a Manila court. We understand that among those killed were labour rights activist Emanuel Asuncion, as well as husband and wife Chai Lemita-Evangelista and Ariel Evangelista, who worked on issues relating to the rights of fishing communities, and were reportedly shot inside their home. Two others, Melvin Dasigao and Mark Lee Coros Bacasno were activists advocating for housing rights of people rendered homeless. Two indigenous peoples’ activists and two housing rights activists were also among those killed. Six people were reportedly arrested during the operations.

The Government has informed us that the operation was based on search warrants issued in the context of its counter-insurgency campaign against the New People’s Army. The execution of search warrants, often conducted at night-time, has resulted in killings on previous occasions. On 30 December 2020, nine Tumandok indigenous peoples’ rights activists were killed during joint operations to execute search warrants in Panay.

We welcome the Government’s commitment to investigate these cases, which will be a critical test for the domestic investigative mechanisms it has established for cases of this kind. The United Nations is working with the Government to strengthen these mechanisms, but we stress that these must be prompt, transparent and effective in order to meet international standards. The High Commissioner’s June 2020 Human Rights Council report on the Philippines documented a serious lack of due process in police operations, and near-total impunity for the use of lethal force by the police and the military.

We urge the police to take urgent measures to prevent the use of excessive force resulting in loss of lives during law enforcement operations. We also call on the Government and members of the security forces to refrain from rhetoric that may lead to violations, and instead make public commitments to uphold human rights and the rule of law.

We are deeply worried that these latest killings indicate an escalation in violence, intimidation, harassment and “red-tagging” of human rights defenders. There is a history of human rights advocates being “red-tagged” – or being accused of being fronts for the armed wing of the Communist party. In the June 2020 report, the High Commissioner warned that such public labelling has proved extremely dangerous and urged the protection of human rights defenders, journalists and others at risk. In recent months, there have been dozens of activists and several journalists arrested, including on Human Rights Day, 10 December 2020.

2) Central African Repulic

We are very worried about the volatile situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) and the risk of renewed violence in the context of the second round of the legislative elections, due to take place next Sunday, 14 March.

The electoral process in December, which included the first round of the parliamentary vote and the presidential election, was marked by violence linked primarily with a new coalition of armed groups, known as the CPC (Coalition des Patriotes pour le Changement), who opposed the holding of elections and launched a violent boycott of the process. As a result, there has been a steep increase in documented human rights violations and abuses before, during, and after the elections, including in the enforcement of a state of emergency and curfew.

From 1 October to 31 December 2020, the Human Rights Division of MINUSCA (the UN Mission in CAR) documented 185 incidents of human rights violations and abuses. Armed groups, in particular the CPC, were responsible for more than 86% of them. They killed and abducted civilians, fired live ammunition to intimidate the population, attacked UN peacekeepers - killing seven in December and January - burned down polling stations, and destroyed election materials.

The post-electoral period has also been characterized by counter-offensives and retaliatory actions against the armed groups by CAR defence and security forces and their allies, in the course of which human rights violations and abuses have been committed. State agents and their allies have reportedly arbitrarily killed civilians, as well as tortured, ill-treated and arbitrarily arrested people. In addition, they are alleged to have looted and confiscated supplies belonging to humanitarian organizations.

We are extremely concerned by allegations of such human rights violations and abuses by national security forces and armed groups. In this context, the imposition of a night-time nationwide curfew from 7 January and the decision to extend the state of emergency, which began on 21 January, by six months from 5 February, have resulted in a fragile situation in which human rights may be further at risk.

We remind the authorities that security forces must protect civilians, prevent violence and act in conformity with international human rights law and international humanitarian law. Any allegations of violations must be thoroughly, impartially, and effectively investigated, and those responsible must be held accountable. Victims and their families have the right to justice, truth and reparations.

All the allegations of human rights abuses committed by armed groups must be also independently and effectively investigated and the alleged perpetrators prosecuted.

Accountability for past and recent human rights violations and abuses is the only way to break the cycle of violence in CAR and to bring peace and stability to the country, without which it will not be able to recover from its dire economic situation.

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