Religious testify at the inquiry in Davao City conducted by the Commission on Human Rights into atrocities against lumad. (photo by Kilab Multimedia)
Leaders of hundreds of Manobo sheltering in a church compound in
The Manobo datu also accused Commissioners Roberto Eugenio
Cadiz and Leah Tanodra-Armamento, who presided over the Thursday hearing that
opened the CHR’s inquiry into atrocities against indigenous people in Mindanao,
of refusing to allow the Pasakkaday Salugpongan Kalimuddan or PASAKA,
a federation of lumad organizations in southern Mindanao ,
to participate in the inquiry.
Datus Mentroso Malibato, who is also spokesman of Karadyawan,
an organization of Manobo from Kapalong, Davao del Norte, and Kaylo Bontolan of
Talaingod town in the same province and PASAKA spokesman, told InterAksyon.com
in an interview that, instead of looking into the human rights violations, such
as the occupation by the military and paramilitary groups of their communities
and tribal schools, that drove them to flee their homes, Cadiz and Armamento
“focused their questions on the conditions inside (the Haran Mission House of
the United Church of Christ in the Philippines) and if we would be willing to
transfer if they and the (Department of Social Welfare and Development) could
find us another sanctuary.”
While acknowledging the difficulties at Haran
Besides, he added, “simply transferring us is not the
solution to our problem and will only expose us to harassment, or worse, by the
military and the Alamara” militia.
And when the lumad pressed their demand that the
military withdraw from their villages and disband the Alamara and other
militias, the two datu and PASAKA chairman Kerlan Fanagel said Cadiz and
Armamento responded by asking if they would also demand the pullout of the New
People’s Army.
“Why pass the burden for counterinsurgency to the lumad
and make us responsible for driving away the NPA? Why force us, civilians, to
take part in their campaign?” Fanagel asked.
“Dismayado kami (We are dismayed),” Malibato said.
“Dili nila kayang tubagon ang among panawagan (They could not respond
to our call).”
Malibto and Bontolan described the attitude of the CHR
officials as “no different” than that of North Cotabato Representative Nancy
Catamco, the chair of the committee on indigenous people at the House of
Representatives who, together with the military, has claimed the Haran refugees
are not evacuees but victims of “trafficking” who have been “manipulated” by
groups they accuse of supporting the communist rebel movement. It is a claim
discredited even by United Nations special rapporteur on the human rights of
indigenous people Chaloka Beyani but which they continue to cling to.
During a controversial visit to Haran
Catamco is also widely seen as having instigated a violent
attempt later that month to evict the Haran
Since then, the congresswoman has also suggested the passage
of a measure that would, in effect, legitimize the tribal militias the military
has organized as part of its counterinsurgency program and who have been blamed
for the worst human rights abuses against lumad communities.
This includes the September 1 murders of Emerito Samarca,
executive director of the Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and
Livelihood Development, and Manobo leaders Dionel Campos and Datu Bello Sinzo,
by the Magahat militia in Lianga town, Surigao del Sur, which
triggered a mass exodus of some 3,000 lumad who remain at the sports
center in the provincial capital Tandag City.
Following the Lianga killings, the military, which in the
past has acknowledged using the militias as “force multipliers” against the New
People’s Army, have taken to denying anything to do with the paramilitary
bands. But Surigao del Sur Governor Johnny Pimentel has dismissed their denials
even as he has demanded that the Army “disarm, disband or kill” the militias he
says have been responsible for atrocities that have seen the lumad in his
province trapped in a cycle of evacuations for the past six years.
The datu also questioned what they called Cadiz
“We are not a support group. We represent the lumad as
the federation of tribal organizations in southern Mindanao ,”
Fanagel stressed.
“Not recognizing us shows they are insensitive to the
collective nature of lumad community life” and worse, “is consistent
with the (military’s) claims that we are among those who supposedly ‘manipulte’
the lumad,” he added.
On Friday, the Haran refugees
staged a picket in front of the Apo View Hotel in Davao
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/117992/just-like-nancy--lumad-slam-chr-for-veering-away-from-rights-violations-during-inquiry
The commies are like little children who throw a temper tantrum when they don't get their own way. PASAKA is CPP front and many have questioned the level of support the group actually has among IP groups and the degree to which the group's leaders actually represent the interests of the lumad communities.
ReplyDeleteUndoubtedly PASAKA wanted to spew its anti-government/military propaganda during the CHR hearing but those in charge appear to have thwarted their effort probably because they were aware of PASAKA's agenda and true ideological orientation.