We started out as a small group of people drawn to one another because of one glaring commonality: we are all victims of the same sad and insane event. We are the survivors, family members, relatives and friends of the victims of the waves of “anti-infiltration” campaigns within the CPP-NPA during the 1980s.
We have come together and organized. We are the Peace Advocates for Truth and Healing (PATH). We felt we had to speak up and move. This we owe to ourselves, to our missing loved ones, to our families and to society as a whole.
Our basic principles are founded ont he ideals of Peace, Human Rights and Justice. We decry all forms of human rights violations, whether committed by the State, the CPP-NPA, the Muslim secessionist rebels, warlords or any other armed group.
But while PATH believes that a violation is a violation, no matter who the perpetrators may be – we give focus to the issue sand circumstances surrounding the atrocities committed by the CPP-NPA during the so-called “purges”. This is due to our common history as victims of the “anti-DPA” operations of the CPP-NPA and because no other human rights organization has given our issue the attention it deserves.
PATH is very clear on the unique ‘path’ it has to take. Among others, it aims to do the following tasks:
Identify and document the cases of all victims of the ‘anti-infiltration’ operations;
Locate and retrieve the remains of victims and return these to their families so that they can be given proper burial and the respect due to every human being;
Facilitate the much need self-healing by the survivors, families, relatives and friends of the victims;
Continuously strenthen and widen its ranks and gather the widest possible support for its advocacy; and,
We call....
On all survivors and families and friends of victims of the purges within the CPP-NPA in the 1980s from around the country to join efforts with PATH in its campaign for human rights and justice.
On all organizations, churches, institutions and civil society groups here and abroad to support PATH in the unique human rights advocacy it has adopted.
On all involved leaders of the CPP-NPA, be they active still or now outside of the present organization, to dialogue with PATH and contribute to the uncovering of the truth and help hasten the achievement of healing, of justice, and of peace.
Coordinator: Robert Francis B. Garcia
c/o Institute for Popular Democracy (IPD)
45 Matimtiman St., Teachers Village
Diliman, Quezon City 1101
Philippines
Telefax: 926-2893
E-mail: bobgar@pacific.net.ph
