Despite Repression, GABRIELA Will Hold International Conference in Manila

WISAP Shall Go On! -- GABRIELA & GABWP

Emmi de Jesus, secretary general of GABRIELA Philippines, and the Honorable Liza Maza, Gabriela Women’s Party congressional representative, re-issued their invitation to the women of the world to attend the 10th Women’s International Solidarity Affair in the Philippines (WISAP). Despite the growing repressive political climate in the Philippines, the two organizations are determined to hold the conference as scheduled, from July 17-27, 2006. The theme for the 10th WISAP – “The Persistence of Women’s Vision: Strategies against Oppression, Violence and Exploitation” -- is even more critical, considering the steadily constricting democratic space for women the world over, but particularly for women of the Philippines.

In a signed statement, the women leaders pointed out that “political repression and suppression and the violations of the democratic rights of women neither begun nor ended with falsely implicating Representative Maza and Ms. Eliza “Tita” Lubi, former international relations of officer of GABRIELA and founding vice-chair of the Gabriela Women’s Party, in the alleged coup plot to topple Arroyo. Under erstwhile President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, 67 women have been assassinated, 6 in 2005 and 1 in the first quarter of 2006. Eight women have been illegally arrested and detained, while more than 10,000 families or not less than 50,000 individuals, many of them women and children, from 143 communities, have been displaced.”

Recalling that the very first WISAP was called at the height of the popular clamor to topple the Marcos Dictatorship, the two women said that the current political climate now is as chilling as that of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos’ martial law rule. “Arroyo is steering farther away from democracy, towards authoritarianism, by repressing legitimate dissent,” the two women wrote. They were joined in this statement by the spokesperson of the GABRIELA International Network, Ninotchka Rosca.

A mini-exposure to centers of women’s work in both urban and rural areas will precede the conference proper. Seven workshops are slated for over three days: Workshop I: Women and Work; Workshop II: Women and Social Services ; Workshop III: Women and Culture; Workshop IV: Women & Politics; Workshop V: Women and War; Workshop VI: Young Women Activism and Workshop VII: Women and Migration. The registration fee of $350 covers food and lodging for the 3 days of the conference proper. Land and air transportation, however, are expected to be shouldered by the participants.

Interested parties may contact wisap [at] gabnet.org. Those who wish to make presentations at any of the workshops, please include a brief presentation summary. --- ###