Human rights and newspapering

The whole world celebrated last Monday Human Rights Day. I remember right away my younger days in newspapering.

At that time we divided newspapermen into the brave, the braver, and the bravest. The brave were content in criticizing, even attacking erring local officials. The braver centered their attacks on national officials.

And the bravest were those who would take on such powerful nations as the United States , Britain , or France . And their leaders. We, who were only brave, would ask if they were not afraid of the atomic bomb, the hydrogen bomb, the Marines, the CIA, the FBI of the U.S. who could wipe out the Philippines anytime.

No, they were not. I recall one who is now gone, even said, “To hell with them.” But he died of heart attack, not from atomic or hydrogen bomb, nor in the hands of the U.S. Marines, the CIA, or the FBI.

I am happy today's media men are only brave and content on fighting only for Human Rights. It's the safest thing to take up. Or they follow the fate of Jonas Burgos who vanished away without a trace.

* * *

Last week, a Belgian friend Stanley de Baere, on reading the issues taken up in this paper, texted me, local media “makes this country great.” He added, if this were done in Belgium , we can be jailed.

But our media people are not afraid of prison. I recall a poem taught us in high school “To Althea from Prison” by Richard Lovelace.

“Stone walls do not a prison make,/ Nor iron bars a cage,/ Minds innocent take/ That for a hermitage./ If I have freedom in my heart,/ And in my soul am free,/ Angels soaring above/ Enjoy their liberty.” My friend Nordy Diploma always likes to quote that.

Nelson Mandela, Nobel Peace Prize winner and former South Africa President spent a total of 28 years in prison. The jails never embittered him. When he became President he forgave all those who persecuted him.

Don't underestimate Antonio Trillanes. He might become a future Nelson Mandela unless they kill him or he dies in an “accident.”

* * *

I know many whom we criticized have been hurt. But, the public must understand our role too, the theory of ACCA or “Afflict the Comfortable and Comfort the Afflicted.”

And if the victim is innocent he can always be consoled by the balm of a clear conscience.

Besides, when one complains against an official, if he is just an ordinary civilian, most often he will not be attended to. So, they say, “I go to the radio.” And our radio people are very accommodating. This is why democracy flourishes and the bells of freedom keep on ringing.

Trillanes admitted, without the media shielding him, he could have been killed. And those media people were brave. Many media men would have done the same, given a chance.

It was proven in 2001 during a standoff between the Bacolod police led by Col. Amado Marquez and the Regional Mobile Group led by Col. Camilo Gonzales in the Ceneco case.

Lined up on both sides were the platoon of police, all armed, and a platoon of RMG soldiers, also all armed. The confrontation between Marquez and Gonzales was aborted only by the arrival of provincial commander Col. Geary Barias.

Imagine, just one shot fired and it would have been a disaster. Were media people afraid? No! And most of them were women.

* * *

The fight for human rights is basic to every one.

Among the earliest recorded is the Magna Carta in 1215 when the English people forced King John to sign the documents securing the liberties of the English church, the rights of the baronial class, and restraints on abuses of power of the Royalty.

It took more than 500 years in the 1770s when philosophers foremost of them was John Locke postulated one's rights to life, liberty, and property and later added, the pursuit of happiness.

In 1774, the First American Continental Congress crafted the Declaration of Rights that somehow gave ideas to the French people who mounted the French Revolution and who also had their own Declaration of Rights.

* * *

It's good Ceneco officials met with the Mayors to explain the Ceneco-Kepco contract. Ms Esperanza Resus, secretary general of the Freedom from Debt Coalition said the Ceneco-Kepco contract is an issue of Human Rights.

Friends said, why don't the Mayors also meet with Dr. Romana de los Reyes to be able to hear the other side?

The Mayors must have complete information.*

back to top