First I would like to thank the Institute for inviting me here to share some views and inputs on a very significant and timely subject: trade union struggles in Asia.  

Just a month ago, I was in West Java, Indonesia speaking on almost the same topic that I am going to discuss now – the conditions of the working class and their struggles in the Asia-Pacific region.  Unfortunately the discussions in West Java were with lesser ideological substance since the occasion was, primarily, a religious activity – the Dominican Family’s 8^th Asia Pacific Justice, Peace and Care of Creation Regional Conference.  Nevertheless, it was still a very interesting discussion as many of the participants of that religious forum are involved in the Church’s social action work, which include trade unions. 

(By: Dharmasiri Lankapeli, NSSP, Sri Lanka. A paper contribution distributed during the 2^nd Asian global justice School of the IIRE-Manila, August 2 to 21, 2010)

First of all the NSSP would like to make this an opportunity to express our sincere thanks to IIRE for inviting us to  take part in this seminar called "Facing the Global Challenges of the Ecological crisis: Defining Alternatives." 

All of us may know that all living beings including nature’s highest creation - the man, are part of nature.

If I’m to talk about Working of Nature the whole scenario of it is as following:

We find the various major planets - the Sun, Moon and stars and the whole galaxies

We find the outer space- which we call air or atmosphere.

Then we find the plants living in a very symbiotic way - Big trees, Medium size trees, Plant bushes, various types of grasses.

Then we find the living beings - Birds of the air, Creeping animals, All insects, Men, Micro- organism.

Then we get rains, in relation to our countries we get both monsoons.

(By Piet Engelschman, presented during the Second Asian Global Justice School of the IIRE-Manila, August 2010)

I Introduction

Mankind has always migrated. This has been the case since we first came out of East- Africa.  The reasons throughout history were always the same: food, shelter, security, better life. Sometimes the migration was voluntary, sometimes forced.

Sometimes migration was voluntary, sometimes forced. As a result of migration  in many area’s we saw mixed populations. 

Richard Solis, May 31, 2010

The Arroyo Court and Beyond

By: Farooq Tariq, Labor Party Pakistan (LPP)

“let’s deal with the ISI [Pakistani intelligence agency] and the Pakistan military and let’s go recruit these mujahideen. Here is a very strong argument which is… it wasn’t a bad investment to end the Soviet Union but let’s be careful with what we sow… because we will harvest.”  Hillary Clinton (23 April 2009)

The Context

More than three months since the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) have launched military offensives against the renegades of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). The unilateral action of the AFP against the MILF is to capture Commander Ameril Ombra Kato, Commander Bravo and Commander Pangalian of the MILF area base 105 and 102 respectively. These three MILF commanders initiated military offensives against mainly the civilian populace in the provinces of North Cotabato and Lanao del Norte alledgely in reaction to the

It was August when the news of massive deportation of Filipino migrants from Malaysia broke out. In the past months, the arrival of these Overseas Filipino Workers from the said country came in trickles that it was barely noticed. But then reports of the mass exodus and the shocking news of the maltreatment they suffered during detention in Malaysian jails stunned the Philippine nation. The maltreatment, according to Filipinos, coming from the Malaysian authorities didn’t only happen during the mass deportation but it has been happening in the past every time Filipinos were caught without the necessary documents to legalize their stay in Malaysia. It was only this time when the maltreatment and abuses suffered by the Filipinos migrants were experienced in masse that their plight took the limelight in Philippine news and yes, the international media, too. The Philippine government was so careful

BRIEF HISTORY

The Timuay is a tribal title and system of governance practice by the Téduray and Lambangian since time immemorial up to the present. This is characterize by a collective form of leadership and free participation of the maginged (citizens) through attendance to assemblies and forums called for by the Baglalan or tribal title holders in the different line of works in tribal governance.