FILIPINO WAR VETERAN VOWS TO KEEP FASTING; STRIKERS SEEKING U.S. BENEFITS.Byline: Leilani Albano Daily News Staff Writer A Filipino war veteran vowed Sunday to continue a hunger strike hunger strike, refusal to eat as a protest against existing conditions. Although most often used by prisoners, others have also employed it. For example, Mohandas Gandhi in India and Cesar Chavez in California fasted as religious penance during otherwise political or for veterans benefits despite the hospitalization of his 72-year-old compatriot com·pa·tri·ot n. 1. A person from one's own country. 2. A colleague. [French compatriote, from Late Latin compatri over the weekend. Orencio Salem, 71, admits he is tired but said he won't abandon the effort until the U.S. government recognizes 70,000 surviving veterans who fought for the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. in the Philippines during World War II. ``This will last until equity is achieved,'' he said. Salem and Angel de la Cruz de la Cruz is a common surname in the Spanish language meaning 'of The Cross.'
De la Cruz, who was the first to begin a hunger strike, was hospitalized Saturday after showing signs of dehydration and exhaustion. He had begun the strike June 15. Salem joined the strike five days later in a camp set up at the park known as ``Equity Village.'' Filipino war veterans initially were given veteran benefits in 1944 as part of the G.I. Bill The G.I. Bill (officially titled the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944) provided for college or vocational education for returning World War II veterans (commonly referred to as GIs or G.I.s) as well as one year of unemployment compensation. of Rights. But in 1946, Congress passed a bill known as the Rescission The abrogation of a contract, effective from its inception, thereby restoring the parties to the positions they would have occupied if no contract had ever been formed. By Agreement Act which excluded Filipinos from the coverage. Surviving veterans say the move was grossly unfair because Filipinos fought and died helping the United States in the war against Japan. During a Sunday morning Sunday Morning may refer to:
An ``Equity Caravan'' is scheduled to stop in the coming months at key cities including Seattle and San Francisco as one way to mobilize the large Filipino populations into supporting the measure, said Rene L. Junia, a coordinator of the event. ``The message is that they are Americans and should be treated as Americans,'' Junia said. ``They've been waiting for 52 years. They trusted Americans so much. They lost their patience.'' While Salem is steadfast in his desire to continue his hunger strike, Junia said he is concerned about the veteran's health and may ask him to call it off. CAPTION(S): PHOTO (1) Isabel de la Cruz speaks out Sunday at MacArthur Park, a d ay after her Filipino war veteran husband, Angel, was hospitalized. (2) United by chains, Filipino veterans continue their strike for U.S. benefits. (3) Orencio Salem, 71, admits he is tired but says he won't abandon his hunger strike until the U.S. government restores benefits for Filipino veterans who served for the United States in World War II. Tina Gerson/Daily News |
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