Accents
IAPL: lawyering for the people
What is IAPL all about? How many of us have heard of this organization, if not in substance, at least in its abbreviated form? FLAG (Free Legal Assistance Group) has been cited in the media a few times, but not IAPL. It's a pity that IAPL is relatively unknown in our country while it is of major importance in other parts of the world.
What is so significant about the International Association of People's Lawyers or IAPL is its mission: "lawyering for the people." The quote is from Atty. Pet Melliza of the Iloilo Legal Assistance Center or ILAC who attended the IAPL 3rd Congress, last Oct. 13-16 in Davao along with human rights lawyer, Atty. Janne Baterna, also of ILAC and IAPL founding member. The 3rd Congress tackled the theme, "The Role of Lawyers in Defending the Democratic Rights of the People."
Why lawyering for the people? Because IAPL is a "federation of organizations of people's lawyers in various countries but especially in those where oppression is most severe, the violations of human rights are most widespread, and the people's struggle is most intense." It came into being at a Founding Congress held Dec. 8-10 in Doorn, Netherlands attended by 26 human rights lawyers representing 10 countries in Asia, Latin America, and Europe: Afghanistan, Belgium, Colombia, Greece, India, Mexico, Nepal, Netherlands, Philippines, and Turkey.
So the people may know that behind them is a strong wall to lean on--lawyers who will take up their cause--these are what IAPL is committed to do:
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Contribute to the struggle for the total emancipation of the oppressed classes and the establishment of a just and human world order based on respect for human rights.
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Expose imperialism as responsible for the oppression and exploitation of peoples and the cruel deprivation of their human rights.
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Restore the class and political content of basic concepts of law and human rights and propagate their true meaning.
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Promote a critical outlook on the concept of human rights to uncover the imperialist aims lurking behind international human rights conventions and declarations of rights and freedoms.
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Push the constricting limits of national legal systems and international legal fora to obtain immediate and concrete gains for the people's struggles for national freedom, social justice, democracy, and respect for human rights.
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Support the promotion of progressive consciousness amongst the general public and the steady development of progressive organizations of the oppressed classes and sectors.
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Coordinate with existing organizations of progressive lawyers working for the same ends and assist in the formation of such organizations in nations and regions where they do not exist.
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Undertake international fact-finding missions, conferences, mass actions, lobby work, and other similar activities as well as create international tribunals in pursuit of its purposes and objectives.
Down home are the ILAC lawyers acting out the foregoing objectives whenever and wherever necessary. For some personal reasons or other, five members were not able to attend the Davao Congress: Steve Cercado, Sol Gamosa, Eli Guiloreza, Rudy Lagoc, and Bong San Felix. Strong in advocacy work for the poor, the oppressed and the marginalized sectors in society, this core of lawyers handles cases for the underprivileged in the defense of their rights: workers, farmers, indigenous people, the urban poor, women and children, youth and students. They promote people's interest and welfare by responding to current issues that violate people's rights. It is said often enough that he who has less in life must have more in law. The ILAC in our midst and the IAPL in the world at large endeavor to make this aphorism a reality.
We've been hearing about medicins sans frontieres, yes, doctors without borders who volunteer in strife-torn countries and endanger their lives for the sake of helpless humanity. Come now lawyers without borders. How is this possible with the differing laws of every country? Medical needs do vary; nevertheless, human physiology is the same for all peoples. Hence, doctors without borders apply to all of humanity.
It is different with legal needs, one might say. Different countries, different laws, differing systems of government. But human rights are universal. They are every human being's rights regardless of his political beliefs, religion, race or color. Transgressions thereon are for every lawyer to oppose, condemn, stand up against regardless of his nationality.
(Next week: IAPL cries dissent)