Human rights advocates kick off 'Manilakbayan'

From the Sun Star-Davao (Nov 13): Human rights advocates kick off 'Manilakbayan'


HUNDREDS of human rights advocates trooped to the Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) headquarters in Panacan, Davao City on Thursday as the advocates kicked off the Manilakbayan ng Mindanao 2014 in commemoration of the International Human Rights Day.


With the theme: "Food and Peace in MindaNOW", contingents from Southern Mindanao, Cotabato, and Soccsksargen held their first protest action in front of the Naval Station Felix Apolinario in Panacan around 10 a.m.


Hanimay Suazo, Karapatan-Southern Mindanao secretary-general and Manilakbayan convenor, said the human rights-based campaign Manilakbayan is a month-long activity of the people in Mindanao who are fighting in active defense of the communities that Oplan Bayanihan is trying to devastate.


Suazo said their campaign aims to bring to the broadest public attention the human rights situation in Mindanao amid militarization that is continually escalating and worsening since first quarter this year.


"Contingents here are bringing the fight in defense of their grassroots achievements in literacy through Lumad schools, sustainable agricultural productions, preservations, and developments of our indigenous culture and assertion of our basic and comprehensive human rights," Suazo said.


Suazo said the Manilakbayan ng Mindanao 2014 campaign will bring at least 300 mass leaders, victims of human rights violations, the Lumads human rights defenders, peasants, workers, women and children, and church people to Manila from Davao dated November 13 to December 10.


"This mobilization would highlight the continuing political repressions and other human rights violations viciously being unleashed against human rights defenders, activists from the peasant sector, students, workers and labor leaders, among the others, who are active in the struggle for people's rights," she said.


Suazo said such massive militarization resulted in human rights and international humanitarian law violations concretely manifested by extra-judicial killings, illegal arrests with trumped-up charges against activists, military encampment in communities and schools, force evacuation, and other violations.


Around 500 mass leaders and members of progressive people's organizations and community members are facing trumped-up criminal charges to prevent them from speaking out against the repressions while eight forced evacuation incidents of 19 Lumad communities in Mindanao were recorded in 2014 alone, she added.


Suazo said the Manilakbayan contingent from all over Mindanao would converge in Surigao City where a press conference will be held then the group will proceed to Tacloban, Leyte for a "Sa-lubong" before going to Allen in Samar.


From Samar, an activity for solidarity will be held in Naga City before the Manilakbayan contingents will go to Quezon Province. A "kampuhan" will be held in Manila from November 22 to December 8 wherein participants will mobilize to various government offices.


http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/local-news/2014/11/13/human-rights-advocates-kick-manilakbayan-376374