Category: Community

Artists Break the Chains: Global Action to Defend Peoples’ Culture

Artists Break the ChainsAll over the world, artists, writers, journalists, and cultural workers of all disciplines who lend their craft as a tool for progressive social change, challenge the status quo, or simply expose the truth, face various forms of persecution and attack from state apparatuses. We call on those artists, cultural workers and journalists to join us to build a global event to celebrate and defend people’s culture on February 20, 2013, United Nation’s Declared World Day of Social Justice.

Within that day, events will take place in numerous cities throughout the world showing the power of our crafts to advance peoples’ struggles for fundamental social change. We hope to build bridges across borders with fellow artists, writers, journalists and cultural workers and to contribute to the building of a united global movement to foster progressive grassroots culture and to protect freedom of expression.

Victor JaraUnder the brutality of the state that seeks to silence them, some of these cultural workers have paid the ultimate price for their artistic creations and visions that advance the cause of people’s liberation, such as Chilean artist Victor Jara, who was brutally tortured and murdered by the Chilean state in 1973.

Facundo CabralAnd still today, cultural workers continue to face state brutality. Argentine songwriter and singer, Facundo Cabral, an icon of Latin American folk and protest music, was shot to death in the early morning of July 9, 2011 by unknown gunmen who intercepted his car in Guatemala City.

Ericson AcostaOthers have been unlawfully arrested and imprisoned in order to keep them from creating works that give hope to the people such as Ericson Acosta, a poet, thespian, singer and journalist, who was arrested without warrant by the Philippine military on February 13, 2011 while serving as a volunteer researcher in a highly-militarized, poor, rural village in the Philippines.

Ferhat TuncFerhat Tunc, Kurdish singer and composer, has faced severe repression from the Turkish state for his songs that protest the oppression of Kurdish people, language, and culture. He was recently sentenced to two years in prison on terrorism related charges due to his invocation during a speech where he mentioned names of three deceased Turkish leftists.

Pussy RiotIn Russia, three members of the punk rock collective, Pussy Riot, were recently sentenced to two years in prison after performing a song in Moscow’s main cathedral criticizing Vladimir Putin.

Mumia Abu-JamalIn the US, journalist and former Black Panther Party member Mumia Abu-Jamal, has spent nearly 30 years on death row and remains held in strict isolation and solitary confinement for a crime many believe he did not commit.

Arundhati RoyStill other artists face continuous state harassment and threats to their lives such as Arundhati Roy, an award-winning novelist and essayist, who faces continuous hostility from the Indian government for her outspoken criticisms against media censorship and state brutality in Kashmir, and the state’s counter-insurgency operations against the Adivasi peoples. She also faces harassment from the state for writing and speaking sympathetically towards the Adivasi peoples and the Naxalites who have taken up arms to defend themselves against large foreign dominated mining and dam projects backed by the Indian state.

Julian AssangeWikileaks founder and editor-in-chief Julian Assange became the target of the US State Department when Wikileaks released classified documents on the US military occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan that exposed the disturbing extent of US involvement in said occupations.

Despite these obstacles, genuine peoples’ artists and cultural workers defy state repression and continue to create works that serve the interest of the oppressed, risking their lives every day.

Artists Break the Chains
February 16, 2013—Los Angeles Event
February 20, 2013—Global Action

For more information visit: http://peoplesart.info

The Global Concert to Defend People’s Culture is an initiative of the Peoples’ Art Network and the International Conference on Progressive Culture. The conference, held in July of 2011, in the Philippines, consisted of over 80 visual artists, musicians, filmmakers, writers, media practitioners and cultural workers from around the world.

Panaghiusa (Unity): A Movement for Human Rights, Peace, and Justice in Mindanao

Join us for the launching of
Panaghiusa (Unity): A Movement for Human Rights, Peace, and Justice in Mindanao

In celebration of the Salugpungan Anniversary, Bonifacio Day, and Anakbayan’s 10th-Year Anniversary

Learn more about our 2012 advocacy medical mission trip to Mindanao and our plans for next year’s mission

Friday, November 30, 2012
Rosewood United Methodist Church
4101 Rosewood Avenue (nearest cross street North Vermont Ave)
Los Angeles, CA 90004

6:30 PM Reception
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM Program

All love donations are gratefully accepted.

Special photo exhibit.  Photos will be for sale.  All proceeds go to Panaghiusa.

Sponsored by
Rosewood Advocacy Ministry
California-Pacific Annual Conference Chapter of Methodist Federation for Social Action
CAL-PAC Church and Society
Anakbayan Los Angeles and San Diego
Habi Arts
Sisters of GABRIELA, Awaken! (SiGAw!)
Filipino Migrant Center
Fil-Am Health Workers Association
NAFCON USA
BAYAN USA

National Day of Action Against the Cybercrime Law and Political Killings in the Philippines

Wednesday, November 7, 2012; 5:30PM

Philippine Consulate
3600 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90010

Sponsored by: Anakbayan-USA, Gabriela-USA, Bayan USA, ILPS, NAFCON, Filipino Migrant Center, Habi Arts

FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/402605106475873/

Join us as we protest the Noynoy Aquino administration’s signing of the Cybercrime Prevention Law and the escalating political killings across the Philippines under his regime. The Cybercrime Prevention Law violates people’s freedom of speech, internet freedom, and the right to privacy. It is being used as a way to censor and silence any dissent or criticism of the government. An anti-mining leader in Cagayan has already been arrested for a Facebook post, even though the law’s implementation has been temporarily suspended by the Supreme Court to review its unconstitutionality.

We especially condemn the brutal massacre of an indigenous B’laan family by the Philippine military in Tampakan, South Cotabato, Mindanao. The soldiers shot up the home of indigenous leader Daguil Capion, killing and desecrating the bodies of his pregnant wife, Juvy (27), and her two sons, Jordan (13) and Janjan (8). He and the B’laan tribe have been fighting against the foreign mining operations of Xstrata Sagittarius Mining Inc., which would destroy the environment to steal the rich gold and copper deposits in their area.

For more about the Cybercrime Law:
https://www.facebook.com/events/125448997605955
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/292664/cagayan-anti-mining-leader-arrested-over-facebook-post

To read more about the Tampakan Massacre:
http://asiancorrespondent.com/91082/capion-massacre-survivors-hijacked
http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/10/30/politicians-military-blamed-for-tampakan-massacre

(Source: anakbayanusa)

2012 Davao Interfaith Advocacy and Medical Mission Report Back

Vigil in Remembrance of Victims of Human Rights Violations in the Philippines

Monday, July 23, 2012
Philippine Consulate
3600 Wilshire Blvd Suite #500
Los Angeles, CA 90010

Since Philippine President Noynoy Aquino came into office there have been over 76 political killings of lawyers, journalists, union organizers, church leaders and other human rights workers. On July 3, 2012, Willem Geertman a Dutch NGO aid worker and environmental activist was also assassinated. The U.S. sends over $30 million in aid to the Philippine military who are often the perpetrators of these human rights violations. As Filipinos in the United States we need to stand up for justice and stop military aid.

Human Rights Delegation for Peace and Justice, 3:00 PM
Join youth, students, lawyers, and church members to meet with the Consulate General to voice our concerns about human rights violations.

A Vigil In Remembrance of the Victims, 4:30 PM
Gather around the “Remembrance Wreath” for victims of human rights violations and their families. Individuals and organization can sign ribbons to place on the wreath and show that you stand for justice! Special performances, speakers, and prayers will be part of the program.

We invite everyone in the Filipino community including friends and allies to come with us to Remember the Victims and their families!

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