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To the family of Crispin Beltran, to KMU, to the Philippine people:
On the occasion of the death of Crispin ‘Ka Bel’ Beltran
Ka Bel is dead – Kabel in our hearts
It is with deep sorrow we have learnt that Crispin Beltran has died on May
20 by an accident while repairing his house.
Chrispin Beltran (75 years) was throughout his life active in the people’s
struggle for justice and freedom in the Philippines. He was affectionately
known as “Ka Bel” and as such known by every Philippine worker, by the
urban poor, by the people’s organisations all over the Philippines..
In 1955, when working as a taxi driver, Crispin Beltran became a labour
leader and was active in founding the KMU in 1980. After being arrested
and imprisoned under the Marcos regime in 1982, he became the chairperson
of KMU in 1987 when the then chairman of KMU Rolando ‘Ka Lando’ Olalia was
brutally murdered. As the chairman of KMU during many years, Ka Bel would
play an important role in the class struggle of the Philippines. KMU is
the militant workers union movement (KMU means Kilusang Mayo Uno – May
First Movement Labor Centre).
As a true internationalist Ka Bel visited many countries, and luckily for
us he also visited Denmark, together with KMU intenational secretary Norma
Bin, invited by Internationalt Forum in the beginning of the new century.
On that occasion he had meetings with various Danish unions and solidarity
groups. We learned to know Ka Bel as a strong personality, and at the same
time a humble and affectionate person.
Crispin Beltrans was the founding chairperson of the International League
of People’s Struggle.
Chrispin Beltran was under constant pressure from the regime and the
authorities in the Philippines. Thus when we – from International Forum,
Denmark - visited the Philippines two years ago to participate in a KMU
conference, we had the opportunity to meet Ka Bel, not in the KMU office,
but in a prison’s hospital – since he was imprisoned together with other
left wing parliamentarians accused of terrorism. Since 2001 Ka Bel was
member of parliament representing the party list Bayan Muna (the people
first), and later (from 2004) representing Anakpawis (toiling masses).
The demise of Crispin Ka Bel Beltran is a big loss to the Philippine
workers and to the workers all over the world.
Ka Bel shall always be in our hearts
Johnna Mortensen and Irene Clausen, Internationalt Forum, Denmark
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