Japanese students condemn killing of Filipino student activist

Dear friends,

On February 19, 2007, AASJA held a protest at the Philippine Consulate in Osaka, the second largest city in Japan on the killing of Farly Alcantara, a student activist in the Philippines who was shot five times in the head on February 16.

At the consulate, we proceeded a petition to an officer, condemning the killings and alleged involvement of the military. In spite of our demand for response from the president office to our letters, the officer we met just said that he will pass it to the government and the decision whether to respond to this letter depends onthe president office and not him. He refused to make any comment on the issue.

The students spoke out their experiences in the Philippines with sadness and anger. We demanded the consulate to make public condemnationto the military's involvement in the killings, and give us any response to our letters because this is the representative office of the Philippine government for Japanese citizens. The officer said nothing but just "I will pass it to the president office."

After that, AASJA took to the streets and spoke out about the killings, handing out flyers. We posted some photos of political refugees, which we took last August in Bulacan. In the coming annual assembly of AASJA in March, we will have a lecture from Filipino activist about the current situation of the political killings, and will discuss further campaign on the issue in Japan.

In solidarity

AASJA-Japan