Kiss Goodbye to
These 8 Rights
if Martial Law is Reinstated
by Dan Jerusalem
Kiss Goodbye to
The date was September 21, 1972, a date most filipino baby boomers tend to forget. Late President Ferdinand Marcos’ Proclamation No. 1080 saw the beginning of Martial Law in the Philippines. Initially enacted to combat the ensuing communist insurgency, the regime soon turned out to be one of the country’s darkest eras as corruption and violence became rampant throughout Marcos’ iron fisted rule. The regime lasted 11 years until it was formally lifted on the 17th of January 1981–the rest, as they say, is history.
After almost 44 years, the old wounds might have healed but the scars remain visible up to this day. For three decades we have enjoyed our newfound freedom, and some can assert that our country is thriving. However, for others, the thinking now is that we have too much freedom, and in the same breath enjoy the freedom to express their desire for the discipline of Martial Law–a discipline that doesn’t come from self-regulation or desire but rather one that is imposed, with those who refuse to comply facing harsh consequences.
Since Millennials never experienced the regime first-hand, it would be interesting to know what would really change if Martial Law would be reenacted today. Here are just a few things that would probably happen.
8. What Freedom?
First of all, you wouldn’t even get to read this article. Part of the “stabilisation” process of the Marcos regime was the censorship of media. In fact, 292 radio stations, 66 newspapers, and seven TV stations were closed on the Proclamation date alone, according to the Official Gazette. Although not all media outlets were closed, the rest would be highly controlled by the government. Not that the media isn’t being controlled in this day and age, but you can kiss student publications, independent news agents and honest journalism goodbye.
7. Goodbye, Social Media
Moving past major publications, keyboard warriors probably wouldn’t even be able to type so much as a goodbye status on social media. Back in the day, any opinion or sentiments that went against the government were not allowed, so you can kiss your Facebook rants and general freedom to express yourself goodbye. Even your personal journal wouldn’t be safe for fear of it getting into the wrong hands.
6. No More Nights Out
You would actually miss the days when your parents would get on your case for staying out too late. If Martial Law gets reenacted, your parents wouldn’t have to bug you or give you a curfew because the government’s would do it for them. Probably one of the restrictions with severe effects on people, General Order No. 4 narrates the curfew that requires all citizens to stay out of public streets from 12 midnight until four o’clock in the morning. Anyone caught by the dreaded Metrocom, or Metropolitan Police, would be detained. Most of those caught back then were troublemaking teenagers aka people like you and me.
If that isn’t worrisome to you, then imagine the fear of saying goodbye to friends and family and wondering if that would be the last time you would see them because under Martial Law, you just never knew.
5. No TV
Okay, maybe not zero TV. But again, the government was screening almost all media content during that time so content that they believed expressed anti-government sentiments were removed. One of those shows was the iconic Voltes V. Rumor has it that the series became a threat to the regime as its storyline depicted a similar scenario to that of the Philippines: a dictatorship ruling over oppressed masses. Well, Voltes V or not, the Filipino people still decided to volt in.
4. Sanitizing Filipino History
According to Martin Sadongdong in an interview with Manila Bulletin, extensive discussions on Martial Law were taught during his teenage years in Lakandula High School. Furthermore, the same lessons would also be taught in college, mostly revolving on the reasons why the law was needed. I may be wrong, but isn’t history supposed to be written by the victors? If we democracy did indeed triumph that day on EDSA, then why do we have a generation of people who believe this?
If Martial Law were implemented today, you can count on the fact that what you or your children would be taught in schools would be the farthest from the truth.
3. No Right to Rally
If simply having an opinion warrants an arrest, what more if you took actions and fought for your beliefs? Just ask the families of those who dared to ask questions, those who disappeared, and those who fought.
2. Suspension of Writ of Habeas Corpus
Habeas corpus literally translates to “produce the body.” It’s a court order for a person, usually a warden or agency holding someone in custody, to deliver the imprisoned individual to court so that they can justify the person’s detention. With this right suspended, it doesn’t matter how well connected your parents are, how much money your family has, or even if you’re innocent. If you were caught, you wouldn’t even be able to argue your case. You would simply disappear into a “safe house” and be at the mercy of Martial Law cronies.
1. No Basic Human Rights
Initially well-received by the people, the Marcos regime soon became unpopular due to the rising cases of corruption and human rights abuses by the military rule. Abductions, torture and violence became almost commonplace as people tried their best to keep their heads down and stay out of trouble. Can you imagine fear as a way of life? Can you imagine living in a country where you’re nothing but an inconvenient statistic, where everything you’ve worked hard for could topple at any second?
It can’t be denied that Marcos had a lot of contributions to the country, some of which are intact to this day. But to deny the 70,000 victims (35,000 of torture, about 3,200 of extrajudicial killings) of his rule at the very least the ability to learn from the mistakes of the past is an insult to not just their memory but to the country and ideals that they gave up their lives for.
Is this really what we want when we say we could benefit from Martial Law?
What are your thoughts on the matter? Share your opinion in the Comments Section below!
4 comments
No Freedom of Speech
Criticism of the regime or the leadership in North Korea, if reported, is enough to make you and your family ‘disappear’ from society and end up in a political prison camp. It goes without saying that there is no free media inside the country. The only opinion allowed to be voiced inside the country is the regime’s.
No Freedom of Movement
It is illegal for the North Korean people to leave their country without the regime’s permission, and the regime attempts to restrict the people’s movement even inside their own country. If you wish to travel to another part of the country, you are supposed to have a specific purpose and obtain permission from your work unit. If you do not live in Pyongyang, the showcase capital where most resources are concentrated, you will likely be denied access. The regime has also forcibly relocated hundreds of thousands of North Koreans to less favorable parts of the country as a form of punishment and political persecution.
What happens in North Korea.
1. No Freedom of Movement
It is illegal for the North Korean people to leave their country without the regime’s permission, and the regime attempts to restrict the people’s movement even inside their own country. If you wish to travel to another part of the country, you are supposed to have a specific purpose and obtain permission from your work unit. If you do not live in Pyongyang, the showcase capital where most resources are concentrated, you will likely be denied access. The regime has also forcibly relocated hundreds of thousands of North Koreans to less favorable parts of the country as a form of punishment and political persecution.
2. No Freedom of Speech
Criticism of the regime or the leadership in North Korea, if reported, is enough to make you and your family ‘disappear’ from society and end up in a political prison camp. It goes without saying that there is no free media inside the country. The only opinion allowed to be voiced inside the country is the regime’s.
3. No Freedom of Information
Knowing the threat that outside information poses to their propaganda and ideology, and ultimately its control over the people, the regime has invested massive resources in trying to maintain an information blockade and keep its monopoly as the only source of information and ideas to the North Korean people. It is illegal to own a tunable radio in North Korea, there is no access to the Internet (except for a few hand-picked and monitored officials), and North Korean landlines and mobile phones cannot make international calls.
4. Forced Leadership Adulation
The regime forces the people to participate in the maintenance of personality cults around the Kim leaders that have ruled the country for over 60 years. Propaganda starts in nursery school and a large proportion of the curriculum for all students—even at university—is dedicated to memorizing the ‘history’ of the Kim family. State media provides a constant stream of myths about the Kims and lauds the sacrifices they supposedly make for the people. Millions of labor-hours that could be used developing the economy have to be spent idolizing the leaders instead.
5. No Religious Freedom
Organized religion is seen as a potential threat to the regime and therefore nothing apart from token churches built as a facade of religious freedom for foreign visitors are allowed. Thousands of Buddhists and Christians have been purged and persecuted throughout the history of North Korea. People caught practicing or spreading religion in secret are punished extremely harshly, including by public execution or being sent to political prison camps.
6. Chronic Food Shortages
The regime’s refusal to effectively reform its failed agricultural policies, combined with susceptibility to adverse climate conditions (made worse by environmental mismanagement), and an inability to purchase necessary agricultural inputs or food imports mean that the North Korean people have faced food shortages ever since the 1990s. Millions of malnourished children and babies, pregnant women and nursing mothers bear the brunt of the shortages today. This has left an entire generation of North Koreans with stunted growth and a higher susceptibility to health problems.
It will be like that in North Korea.
1. No Freedom of Movement
It is illegal for the North Korean people to leave their country without the regime’s permission, and the regime attempts to restrict the people’s movement even inside their own country. If you wish to travel to another part of the country, you are supposed to have a specific purpose and obtain permission from your work unit. If you do not live in Pyongyang, the showcase capital where most resources are concentrated, you will likely be denied access. The regime has also forcibly relocated hundreds of thousands of North Koreans to less favorable parts of the country as a form of punishment and political persecution.
2. No Freedom of Speech
Criticism of the regime or the leadership in North Korea, if reported, is enough to make you and your family ‘disappear’ from society and end up in a political prison camp. It goes without saying that there is no free media inside the country. The only opinion allowed to be voiced inside the country is the regime’s.
3. No Freedom of Information
Knowing the threat that outside information poses to their propaganda and ideology, and ultimately its control over the people, the regime has invested massive resources in trying to maintain an information blockade and keep its monopoly as the only source of information and ideas to the North Korean people. It is illegal to own a tunable radio in North Korea, there is no access to the Internet (except for a few hand-picked and monitored officials), and North Korean landlines and mobile phones cannot make international calls.
4. Forced Leadership Adulation
The regime forces the people to participate in the maintenance of personality cults around the Kim leaders that have ruled the country for over 60 years. Propaganda starts in nursery school and a large proportion of the curriculum for all students—even at university—is dedicated to memorizing the ‘history’ of the Kim family. State media provides a constant stream of myths about the Kims and lauds the sacrifices they supposedly make for the people. Millions of labor-hours that could be used developing the economy have to be spent idolizing the leaders instead.
5. No Religious Freedom
Organized religion is seen as a potential threat to the regime and therefore nothing apart from token churches built as a facade of religious freedom for foreign visitors are allowed. Thousands of Buddhists and Christians have been purged and persecuted throughout the history of North Korea. People caught practicing or spreading religion in secret are punished extremely harshly, including by public execution or being sent to political prison camps.
6. Chronic Food Shortages
The regime’s refusal to effectively reform its failed agricultural policies, combined with susceptibility to adverse climate conditions (made worse by environmental mismanagement), and an inability to purchase necessary agricultural inputs or food imports mean that the North Korean people have faced food shortages ever since the 1990s. Millions of malnourished children and babies, pregnant women and nursing mothers bear the brunt of the shortages today. This has left an entire generation of North Koreans with stunted growth and a higher susceptibility to health problems.
7. Dismal Public Health
The regime claims that it provides universal health care to its people. In reality, the majority of the public healthcare system collapsed in the 1990s, with only prioritized hospitals in areas such as Pyongyang kept functioning. Elsewhere, health services and medicine are only available to those that can afford it. Ordinary North Koreans are therefore afflicted by easily preventable or curable poverty-related diseases, such as tuberculosis and cataracts.
8. Songbun Political Apartheid System
The North Korean regime has invested an incredible amount of time and resources creating the songbun system, a form of political apartheid that ascribes you with a level of perceived political loyalty based on your family background. Your particular songbun level (there are 51 of them) can then restrict your life opportunities, including where you can live, educational opportunities, Party membership, military service, occupation, and treatment by the criminal justice system. Any perceived political infractions by your family will lead to your songbun being demoted.
9. Political Prison Camps
Five political prison camps hold an estimated 80,000 to 120,000 people. Some of them are the size of cities, and they have existed five times as long as the Nazi concentration camps and twice as long as the Soviet Gulags. Many people imprisoned in these camps were not guilty of any crime, but were related to someone who supposedly committed a political crime. Often they have no idea what that crime was, and even children who are born in the camps are raised as prisoners because their ‘blood is guilty’. Forced labor, brutal beatings, and death are commonplace. The regime denies the existence of these camps, but multiple survivor testimonies have been corroborated by former guards as well as satellite images.
10. Collective Punishment
In North Korea, if your relative is persecuted for “anti-state” or “anti-socialist” crimes, then you and three generations of your family can be punished for it. The aim is to remove from society the whole family unit to prevent any dissent from emerging in the future, and also to deter martyrs who might sacrifice themselves for a political cause but would not want to sacrifice their whole family.
11. Public Executions
The North Korean regime publicly executes citizens who have been accused of a variety of crimes, including petty theft. Whole communities, including children, are brought out to watch these executions, which are designed to instill fear amongst the people of doing anything that could be seen as against the regime’s wishes.
12. Refugee Crisis
The North Korean regime makes it illegal to leave the country without state permission, but every year thousands of North Koreans still risk their lives to escape a combination of a lack of freedoms and economic hardship; in North Korea these are inextricably linked. If caught trying to escape, or if caught in China and sent back, they are at risk of harsh punishments including brutal beatings, forced labor, forced abortions, torture, and internment in a political prison camp. Those suspected of having had contact with South Koreans or Christians while in China receive the most severe punishments.
North Korean refugees’ well-founded fear of persecution if repatriated means that they should be protected under international refugee law. However, the Chinese government prioritizes its political relationship with Pyongyang and does not recognize them as refugees. Instead they label them as “economic migrants” in an attempt to justify the forcible repatriation of thousands of North Korean refugees every year.
Since coming to power, the Kim Jong-un leadership has cooperated with the Chinese authorities to tighten border security. Recent defectors have told us of increased physical border security, increased risk associated with bribing border guards, and heightened punishments for people trying to escape. As a result, the number of refugees managing to arrive in South Korea has decreased by almost half.