Keeping women rights work alive

In 1998 I founded Kvinnorättsforum - an organisation for Filipino women living in Sweden. It was in observance of the Philippine's centennial celebration. The Filipino community then consisted of some 8,000 legally residing in the country and the majority were women. It was basaically a women rights' advocacy organisation with a serious agenda: to educate the Filipino immigrants on their rights and to understand how the Swedish society works, particularly the judicial system. A large number of the women were, and probably still remains unaware of the social and legal system's intricacies when it comes to seeking redress for their grievances.

Kvinnorättsforum's yearly program of activities consisted mostly of lectures, where we invited speakers from different Swedish sectors such as the police, to provide useful information on how to navigate the complex social system in search for assistance. We paid particular attention to domestic violence, discrimination in the labour market and educational opportunities for self-improvement.

Violence against women is very broad. Many believe that it refers mainly to physical abuse. Other forms of abuses, which are cultural and psychological in nature are ignored. For instance, there was a case of a Swedish husband who prohibited his Filipino wife from studying the Swedish language and from associating with her Filipino friends, for fear that she might get too much information. Although many of my Filipino friends have successful marriages and careers, a majority of Filipinas live in uncertain relationships - one that is vastly controlled by the men they live with.

It has now become fashionable among Swedish men to marry Asians - especially from the Philippines and Thailand. Internet has made the search for partners easy and convenient. Women from the Third World who are sick of poverty, desire greener pastures and the fastest lane to take is via matrimony or live-in relationship. Many arrive with tourist visas and stay on illegally because the objective is to find a potential husband. Many succeed, thanks to solicituous friends and relatives already living in the country. Some are forced into bad relationships where abuses occur periodically. Illegal immigrants cannot go to the police for fear of being deported.

There were cases of Swedish men regularly changing girlfriends and passing them on to male friends as though they were discarded old clothes. The cycle of procurement and disposal has become a well-established routine for men of perverse sexual needs. It was a laborious experience educating some women that in a live-in relationship, they have no rights in property division in the event of separation or death, unless they have signed papers to the effect. They become unpaid household help and sex slaves.

Many problems occur in mixed marriages because of cultural differences. For instance, many foreign men do not understand the Filipino women's duty to extend financial help to parents and relatives in the Philippines. For Swedes who are taken-cared of "from cradle to grave" in the great welfare state system, there is no such thing as giving financial help to a needy family member. But Filipino culture is family-centered and state interventions do not exist for the needy.

The Philippine government enjoys an annual remittance of 8 to 10 billion dollars from overseas Filipinos who send money regularly to their families. Despite this tremendous input to the economy, many Filipino women immigrants are left to their own fate when misfortune hits them. It is to the credit of many non-governmental organisations (NGOs), that immigrant women are finding assistance and sisterhood in their times of distress.

Controlling radicalisation

The Swedish non-socialist alliance government plans to establish state-financed schools for future Imams and the objective behind this, is to put a brake on radicalisation. The media articles in the Swedish dailies reporting on Education Minister Lars Leijonborg's proposal indicate that, this would be a move not only to equalize one's opportunity towards priesthood, whether catholic or islam, but neutralise the inflow of radicalisation from outside.

I reserve my opinion on this plan for later. When I was in the lower education in the Philippines, catholicism was part of the curriculum but the protestant pupils were allowed to leave the room, if they wanted to. Philippines is a 85 percent Catholic nation since Portuguese discoverer Ferdinand Magellan planted the Cross upon his arrival in the southern city of Cebu in the 15th century. Since then, various religious orders came to the unnamed archipelago, settled in and begun its task of putting social and political order. The Philippines became a colony of Spain for the next 400 years.

Catholicism in the Philippines has its supporters and opponents, especially in politics. But it holds the heart of a nation where the Catholic religion has become "the opium of the people".While it preaches on moral order and decency, it also opposes liberal reforms to control an exploding population growth. I remember however, a glorious period in the long reign of Catholicism in the Philippines. It was during the Marcos dictatorship era - from 1972 to 1986, to be exact. The whole Filipino population cowered in fear as Marcos and his military henchmen ravaged the countrysides in particular, in a war against communists and Muslim separatist guerillas. In the absence of a free press, members of various religious orders - priests and nuns started an underground press to monitor human rights abuses. Many of these reports reached the international press through investigative journalists.

The theology of liberation which began in Latin-America came to the Philippines and inspired the creation of the Church of the Poor. While the official church ( the Catholic bureaucracy managed from Vatican) tried to balance its relationship with the Marcos regime through its policy of "constructive criticism", the Church of the Poor was nurtured by the priests and nuns who stood by the side of human rights victims. Through all my travels in near and far interiors of the country, poor and innocent victims of state terrorism had only the Church of the Poor for support and consolation. Justice was hard to find in Philippine courts where judges were political appointees.

What I am driving at in this article is that, radicalisation and fanaticism are both bred in poverty and injustice. For as long as these two factors - and all their unentended consequences are not addressed, no amount of moderating influence can come from education through government-sponsored schools. The peasants in the countrysides, the urban poor, the displaced ethnic groups will build their own schools, wherever... and whenever, the system of equality and justice fail to function.

FOCAP launches Dateline Manila

The Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines or FOCAP for short has successfully launched its book - a collection of stories by journalists working for the foreign media over a period of 30 years. FOCAP was a child of necessity, born at a very difficult period when Philippine press freedom was silenced to submission by the dictatorship of President Ferdinand E. Marcos. Its birth and nurture is owed to Filipino media pioneers - the late AFP's Teodoro "Teddy" Benigno and CBS News Gabby Tabunar.

I quote the contents of the book: "The essays and photographs in this volume are meant to provide snapshots of events over the last 33 years - from the declaration of Martial Law by Ferdinand Marcos in 1972, through the assasination of Benigno Aquino Jr. in 1983, the "People Power Revolution of 1986, the ouster of President Joseph Estrada in 2001 and the travails of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo at present."

I contributed an article on "Covering the Marcos Insurgency War", a long story but not quite enough to cram in five and a- half years of political reporting on Marcos - his wars with the communist insurgents, the Muslim secessionists, the political oppositionists and even the United States and its overbearing presence through its two giant military bases in the country.

When Oliver Teves sent me an email, requesting me to write on the topic, I was overwhelmed. It meant I would travel back in memory to the turmoils of the Marcos era, recount the fears and dangers that faced me - and others, in the name of journalism. I considered these journalistic years to be the most significant in my life because each day of being alive and working, constituted the limits of a lifetime. There was no future as close as tomorrow. That was how uncertain I was of my existence.

I am not exaggerating about the dangers of news reporting during Marcos era. A year after the declaration of martial law in 1972, and four years before I accidentally became a foreign correspondent, a jeepney-load of plainclothes men arrived in my house on BF Paranaque. I was issued a warrant of arrest and taken to a military camp in Laguna. I was the 13th of women detainees held in the military clubhouse. (I suppose they have run out of space in the real prisons, considering the thousands of Marcos' political opponents jailed since a year earlier.)

Even if my incarceration lasted only for 31 days - and that's not due to the benevolence of Marcos' military henchmen, it was nonetheless the most traumatic life and death moment for me. During these days, life was extremely cheap and "salvaging while in captivity" was a daily sport for the military. It was even worst that my arrest was not on the prison record, indicating in all possibility that I could "disappear". Why I was miraculously released after a month, I owed to a dear friend who is related to a former Philippine foreign minister and who is a friend of the head of the Philippine Constabulary. (Family connections in the Philippines are important, and so is the debt of gratitude.)

When I read Alice C. Villadolid's account of Benigno Aquino's assassination in Manila International Airport last Aug. 21, 1983, I had flashbacks of events that happened shortly before. Less than a month ago, around mid-July of the same year, I left the country with my husband, the Swedish Ambassador Bo Kälfors and my two young sons. He had finished his tour of assignment as Chief of Mission Manila, but our departure for his next assignment in Africa was hindered by a warrant of arrrest issued by the military against me, which they were supposed to deliver at the Swedish residence. But that could not be done. It was Swedish territory. So we waited, deep in anxiety- along with the FOCAP people camped at the Ambassador's residence, for the ban to be lifted.

The Director of Protocol came after a few days with a letter signed by Marcos himself stating "... for humanitarian reasons and compassionate justice..." I was allowed to leave the country. What a mess it was ignoring the Geneva protocol for departing chiefs of mission. The Swedish Foreign Ministry granted me a Swedish citizenship without my asking for it. Enroute to Stockholm via New York, I phoned Ninoy Aquino in Boston. I interviewed him about his plan to return home and he told me, jokingly: " So...they they want to lock you in and to lock me out". We were in Stockholm on the fateful August 21, 1983, when I saw news of the shooting - some blurred pictures of the Manila airport and unintelligible conversations. I lost my breath, unable to fathom the bottomless abyss in which Marcos had thrown himself. It was the end of all beginnings.

Sexy Meatballs on Sundays

There are many ways to prepare meatballs as there are many countries and cultures. In Sweden, meatballs is integral to the Swedish identity. The more one eats meatballs (and herrings) on very special and not so special days, the more one becomes a Swede, so goes the joke among immigrants. There's meatballs for the sumptuous Christmas table and there's meatballs for the mid-summer feast. There's ready-made meatballs for the harassed housewife and meatball sandwiches for the hurried executives. That is how staple meatballs are in the Swedish diet, just like sex in marriage.

But one can have sexy meatballs on special Sundays. Think of Spanish tapas, ripened red paprikas, olive oil, tomato sauce, lentils, chili,cumin and latin music. I have gone low on red meats for fear of heart and high blood pressure anomalies, and more lately due to some ICA -the biggest Swedish food chain- store's meatball expiry date scandal. But the allure of preparing meatballs wafts in my kitchen, like Bulgari perfume in the bedroom.

Here's a sexy meatball recipe inspired by Spanish tapas. Do it on a weekend when you have the time, the inspiration and the desired guests to share with. For 1 to 1 and 1/2 kilo ground beef, add two beaten eggs, 2 tbs soja sauce, 1 tbs cumin (spiskumin), 1 tps mineral salt, pepper, 2 tbs olive oil, 1/2 tsp chili oil, chopped onions and garlic and 3 tbs tomato sauce. (I'm calculating. You need to taste!). Mix very well. When you are ready to fry, heat oil in a frying pan and test the meatball mixture by frying a small piece. Guess what's missing- salt? chili? cumin? And simply improve by adding what's missing to your taste. Form the the meatballs and fry direct. Don't over-fry!

In a casserole, prepare the bed for the meatballs with the following: Buy one of Findus latest green deli - one with chick peas, spinach, paprika and lentils and fry gently using olive oil. Pour one can of tomato sauce and stir carefully. If you can't find Findus outside of Sweden, just use the same ingredients plus olive oil and tomato sauce. Add chili oil according to your endurance ability. Add a can of big white lentils. And lastly, add the hot sexy meatballs. Careful not to stir hard. Gently.

For starters, I have a special preference for diced mango with Swedish shrimps and chopped chili arranged on a bed of lettuce. If you are allergic to shrimps, make a green salad with chunky tuna fish, lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper. The desert is a personal choice. I hope this helps in spicing up the Swedish meatball identity.

Terror in Kabul challenges Swedish defense policy

The latest terror in Kabul claimed no less than eight lives when a Taliban suicide bomber attacked Serena Hotel where foreign guests were staying. It was no coincidence that Norway's Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store was at the hotel, along with 21 others in the Norwegian delegation to discuss Afghanistan's future with Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai. A Norwegian journalist was killed while a diplomatic employee sustained injuries.

Norway has a military and development aid presence consisting of 500 people. The foreign minister's visit which was earlier announced on the government website could have triggered the Taliban suicide attack but Norway is not pulling out its people. Prime Minister Jen Stoltenberg is holding tight to Norway's engagement. "Not for reasons of the suicide bomber attack. It stresses all the more that Afghanistan needs help", he was quoted as saying in Dagens Nyheter's report last Jan. 16th. (www.dn.se)

Sweden's Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said: " I feel a strong disgust for these attacks that affect innocent people and makes difficult the international efforts to help build a better Afghanistan." Was the Norwegian foreign minister the immediate target? UN's General Secretary Ban Ki Moon appears to believe so, although Taliban spokesmen deny it but demands that Norway pulls out its 500 soldiers in the NATO-led stabilisation forces Isaf. A Taliban spokesperson added that Serena Hotel often has international delegations and that "all who are in a way tied to the Nato-Isaf are targets for terror attacks."

For Sweden and Norway, both of which have 370 soldiers in a lead roll in north Afghanistan, it is exceedingly sinister if their citizens are killed or injured during humanitarian and peacekeeping assignment. Swedish soldiers met with firepower attack last Sunday, and two Swedes died in an earlier bomb attack. Last year, more than 6,200 people were killed in fighting and terror attacks, an increase of 50 percent from 2006. In 2007, there were at least 150 suicide bomb attacks, a new method recently used in Afghanistan.

Last year the Talibans have made a political and military comeback in most parts of the country. DN has earlier stressed that there are different kinds of Talibans- from genuine Taliban nationalists to extremist Islams and they represent today the largest group, the Pashtuns. In the long run, it is difficult to think of a peaceful Afghanistan without moderate Talibans sharing power with Karzai and his support partners in Kabul.

For Sweden, Norway and other supportive countries the choice is a difficult one. It is a question of continuing to do a meaningful contribution in Afghanistan by increasing the military and aid personnel presence. It is a dilemma that urgently awaits decision by the Swedish and Norwegian governments. Putting the question bluntly, is it going to be a real presence or a token presence? ( Translated from Dagens Nyheter reports, Jan. 16, 2008)

Keeping Faith with New Year's Resolution

In the little town of Camalig where I grew up, somewhere in the southeastern part of the Philippines, we had no tradition of making new year's resolution or promises to keep for the new year. We had strict Catholic upbringing and a stricter sense of ethics and morality. We were told to be good children at the start of the new year so that we would continue to be good and obedient the rest of the year.

When post-modernity settled in, the promises we make to ourselves became diverse and less spiritual. What do we promise ourselves these days? I'll stop smoking and contribute to less pollution of the air. That's a good one and very much in urgency as we become more aware of Al Gore's "An Uneasy Truth". I'd say, it should have been " A Frightening Truth" or "An Alarming Reality". Deciding to go green is a good promise to oneself and to society. It entails a lot of adjustment in our lifestyle, in what we consume, how we use our leisure time and how much we travel for our holidays. A very hard resolution to keep away from smokes and drinks!

What's another common resolution? Eat healthy, less red meat, more greens and lentils and fish. Keep away from Coca-colas and Pepsis in favour of homemade lemonades and natural fruit drinks. Keep away from McDonald hamburgers even if they are adapting their products to healthier mixes; and most of all keeping away from over-processed foods that contain preservatives. They are achievable but the temptation is there and fastfoods are very affordable.

How about spending less on clothes, bags, shoes and other accessories? Wow, that's tough command. Maybe for one sale season but not the whole year. It's easy to rationalise one's buying tendencies and this I am guilty of, I must admit. I say, Hell! I've worked so hard, have so little fun, too much stress I need to feel good by getting something that makes me feel great and human. As many hairspray ads say: " You're worth it "!. Yap, I say to myself, I'm worth it, I'll have another handbag pls. with matching shoes and belt.

There must be worthwhile resolutions that we can keep sacred and achieved. Say, for example that you'd try to read as many good books as possible, maybe organise a book circle, discuss and criticise literary works. This is a good one. While it is very self-rewarding to read, it feels sometimes hopeless not to be able to discuss one's knowledge with others. Facebook offers an opportunity to exchange views about books we read. But, it does lack personal touch, meaning - the physical presence of people talking, and then of course, the coffee or drinks and some eats.

A grand new year's resolution questions our social engagement in issues that affect our lives. Environment, for one is a pressing matter and we are already feeling the climate changes taking place in our midst. Politics is something we breath in the air. Living in Sweden means we cannot be apolitical. We have to be involved one way or the other. We have to react when there are flaws in the social, economic and justice systems because we are all affected by such changes. There is no way we can remain neutral or worst, indifferent. When the government cuts on welfare that affect our sick leave benefits, or when we must produce a medical certificate attesting to our sickness on the first day, these are matters of common urgency we must react to immediately.

There are many things that the Swedish alliance government wants to change and we need vigilance to watch and keep tract that such reforms do not eat away, or much worse endanger our individuality and the freedom to decide how we want to live our lives. Vigilance is a good new year's resolution. Vigilance against violence is urgent here and now.

A Christmas of Uncertainties

Christmas celebrations are as many and as different as there are diverse cultures in the world. It is the strongest tradition among Christians because it is a re-enaction of the birth of Jesus Christ, the son of God. If Jesus Christ died on the cross to save mankind from all its sins ( against humanity), then his nativity proclaims the existence of hope amidst all the ills that plague the world.

In the beginning of December this year, two important events took place that would have significant consequences for everyone. First, is the Climate Change Conference in Bali, Indonesia - which purpose was to secure a majority consensus to a successor pact after the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012. The Kyoto Protocol aims to fight global warming, yet 16 of 36 industrial countries have problems with their allowable carbon emissions.

United States has not ratified the Kyoto Protocol, saying in 2001 that it was unfair to exempt the developing countries from targets. (Kyoto obliges rich nations to cut greenhouse emissions by an average of 5 percent by 2008-12 from 1990 levels, but allows them to pay developing countries to cut emissions on their behalf through a trade in carbon offsets, according to a Reuter news.) The carbon offsetting scheme is called Clean Development Mechanism, and is seen to suit both the rich and poor countries because it makes it cheaper for rich nations to meet their targets while helping the poor nations to curb their emissions.

Failure to reach a new international consensus implies a catastrophic scenario for the world in terms of droughts, floods, heat waves, diseases, melting of glaciers and the rise of the sea level. Although the Bali conference ended with some optimistic note, one remains sceptical if national interests are not overly served in the face of a general outcry for a common solution to a pressing, and all too real environmental issue.

The other event of significance to Europe in particular was the summit conference in Lisbon, Portugal between European Union and Africa Union. It was an important meeting that was put on hold for several years because EU had no common approach to Robert Mugabe's reign of terror in Zimbabwe. But Mugabe's grandstanding against the imperialistic West should take a lesser priority in the light of an urgency to bridge the relation gap between EU and Africa. Just now, China has advanced its claim on Africa's natural and cheap human resources for its own expanding economy, while EU seem content and assured that its colonial ties with the continent will hold. It is a wrong assumption to view Africa as a continent in perpetual want of aid, neglecting its potential for growth and self-development. Perhaps it is time to treat Africa as a matured individual and not one with a crutch to be led on.

While the world grapples with very serious and urgent issues such as armed conflicts going on in at least 32 countries in the world, we take a brief Christmas pause to look at our inner world, the family because it is the very core of the Christmas spirit. When we continue to remain a family that values love, respect for traditions and morality then there is meaning in Christ rebirth and renewal. #