Organized by Asia Pacific Forum (APF) with Ecumenical Advocacy Network on the Philippines (EANP), National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON) and National Ecumenical Forum for Filipino Concerns (NEFFCON)

This workshop will address how catastrophes like Typhoon Haiyan (called in the Philippines Typhoon Yolanda) are considered complex emergencies, where humanitarian intervention is militarized, contributing to and reflective of the aggravating human rights situation in the Philippines. Like other catastrophes such as the tsunami of 2004, Typhoon Haiyan (named Yolanda in the Philippines) has revealed government incompetency and may exacerbate (as in Sri Lanka) or mitigate (as in Aceh), entrenched conflicts. As such, the typhoon offers opportunities for either the worsening of the long-time civil war or advancing imaginative solutions to the conflict in the Philippines. This workshop will look into why climate justice is a crucial component of social justice in a country like the Philippines. The panel will also address the necessity and crucial role of civil society and non-governmental groups in pressuring the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines to return to the negotiating table to address the roots of the ongoing conflict, including the worsening human rights situation in the country. U.S. and Philippine policies will be examined to find ways for a just and durable peace as well as for climate justice and sustainable development in the country.

Speakers: