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[Page S5659]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
THE PHILIPPINES
Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, killings of environmental defenders are
shockingly common in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. The assassination
of Berta Caceres in Honduras 3 years ago, orchestrated by top officials
of a hydroelectric company and carried out by retired and Active-Duty
soldiers who had received training from the United States, was
emblematic of the widespread use of harassment, threats, and murder to
silence those who courageously call for changes in policies and
practices to protect the environment.
According to a report released today by Global Witness, the
Philippines has the highest number of killings in Asia of people who
oppose illegal logging, destructive mining, and corrupt agribusiness,
with at least 30 cases documented in 2018. The total number is likely
higher, as some investigations are ongoing. Many of the victims simply
wanted a say in how their land and the country's natural resources are
used. The perpetrators are almost never arrested or prosecuted.
On July 25, 2016, the Philippines' newly elected President Rodrigo
Duterte delivered his first state of the nation address. He promised to
safeguard the country's rural and indigenous communities, tackle
corruption, and protect the environment. The results since then paint a
very different and distressing picture. If President Duterte meant what
he said, he has failed miserably. According to Global Witness, in the 3
years before Duterte took office at least 65 land and environmental
defenders were murdered. That was appalling enough. But in the 3 years
since he came to power, that number rose to 113. At least 31 of those
murders were reportedly committed by the Philippine Armed Forces, whose
soldiers and officers act with near total impunity.
The Philippines is a major recipient of U.S. military aid, and we are
perceived by the families of the victims to be enablers of these
crimes. In addition to increasing support for local environmental
defenders, the Secretary of State and Administrator of the U.S. Agency
for International Development should urge the Duterte government to
ensure that the right to free, prior, and informed consent of those
impacted by policies and practices that threaten their land and natural
resources is respected. This is necessary not only to prevent the
destruction of forests and farms, the pollution of watersheds, and the
extinction of species, but to avoid confrontations and violence that
result when extractive industries, supported by the Armed Forces and
police, run roughshod over local communities.
The Secretaries of State and Defense should also ensure that those in
the Philippine Armed Forces who receive our aid respect the rights of
civilians and are accountable to the rule of law. When abuses occur
they should be thoroughly investigated and the individuals responsible
brought to justice. The Leahy Laws require that, and it is the
responsibility of U.S. officials to ensure that they are enforced.
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