philippines_tour

This speaking tour of Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland next week with Dr Efleda Bautista of People Surge is well worth your time and attention. Event details are:

Christchurch: 12 October, 7.30pm, Addington Haven, 19 Church Square, Addington. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/435734656613716/

Wellington: 14 October, 6.30pm, Hall No. 1, Wesley Church, 75 Taranaki St. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/747423325385522/

Auckland: 16 October, 6-8pm, Algie Lecture Theatre, University of Auckland Law School, 9 Eden Crescent Building 101. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/925340214206732/

Auckland: 17 October, 3-5pm, Mt Roskill War Memorial Hall, 13 May Road. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/529480887199063/

All the details plus an interview with Dr Bautista are available on the Auckland Philippines Solidarity site. Here is an extract:

In November 2013 Typhoon Haiyan, one of the strongest storms in recorded history, crashed into the Philippines killing more than 6300 people and displacing millions.  In the aftermath of the devastating storm, the Philippine government failed to adequately distribute tens of millions of aid donated from overseas countries to typhoon survivors.  Big developers used the chaos as an opportunity to grab lands previously occupied by fisher folk and poor communities.

Typhoon survivors formed an alliance called ‘People Surge’ to protest government neglect and demand pro-people rehabilitation. People Surge highlighted calls for land rights for the poor as key in solving mass poverty and consequent people’s vulnerability to disasters and effects of climate change.

Here is the interview: