[Philippine] National Federation of Labor’s Statement on China

National Federation of Labor (Philippines)

The National Federation of Labor, through its National Executive Board meeting on July 14, 1989,

• Condemns the killing of great numbers of students, workers and sections of the civilian population in early June and the subsequent crushing of the democracy movement;

• Decries the recourse to repressive measures by the state to contain social unrest rather than its facing up to the challenge of systemic reforms;

• Deplores the tendency of media to sensationalize what is complex reality and to fall back on black-and-white moralizing of the Cold War era:

• Affirms the inviolability of human rights and human dignity in all socioeconomic systems, whether socialist states such as China or underdeveloped countries such as the Philippines; and

• Demands the release of all political prisoners in China, the institution of fundamental reforms to enhance political democracy, and the recognition of basic rights such as the freedoms of expression and association and the other trade union rights.

While recognizing the flaws and even aberrations in the attempts to establish socialism in various countries, the National Federation of Labor reiterates its critique of capitalism as a dehumanizing system and reaffirms its commitment to the vision a new order of freedom, justice, equality and peace.

May-June 1990, ATC 26