Lighting a candle in support of the lumad community experiencing harassment in Caraga. Photographed by Bernard Testa, InterAksyon.com
The University of the Philippines community has expressed sadness and outrage over the killings of two Lumad leaders and a third civilian - the latest casualties in a months-long campaign of alleged harassment by government forces against indigenous tribes, using their alleged "communist" ties as grounds for such.
UP groups joined the Lumad community in denouncing the killings in Barangay Diatagon, Lianga, Surigao del Sur of Emerito "Tatay Emok" Samarca, executive director of the Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and Livelihood Development (ALCADEV), and Dionel "Onel" Campos, chairperson of Malahutayong Pakigbisog alang sa Sumusunod (Mapasu). The two and Campos' cousin Bello Sinzo were killed allegedly by members of the Magahat paramilitary forces.
Several Manobo youths are in Manila this week visiting academic institutions and giving talks on how they wanted the military out of their school.
They said they just wanted to learn to read and write, and yet their teachers and their schools were being red-tagged by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
While here in Manila, they are part of the Save Our School Network advocacy asking government institutions, specially the DepEd and AFP, to respect their alternative learning system and to disband several paramilitary groups occupying alternative schools.
They were shocked when they learned about the murders.
They were in Diliman campus Wednesday September 2, 2015 as indignation and candle lighting activities were organized by different peace groups to let the people know about the killings of Lumad people not being reported in mainstream media.
Some academecians aired their view that the military is just using their counter insurgency campaign to drive the Lumads out of their ancestral lands.
It is said that Andap valley complex in CARAGA region has the largest gold deposit in the country, the largest nickel deposit in Asia and the biggest iron ore deposit in the world.
While they favor developmental projects in IP communities, they wish to know whose interest these projects serve, the IP's or the MNC's and the TNC's which pushed mineral extraction and logging concessions inside the ancestral domain of the indigenous people.
All photographs by Bernard Testa, InterAksyon.com
Baby Boy Velandrez
"Ganito na ba ang mangyayari sa mga katutubong nag dedepensa para sa kapakanan ng lahat? Hindi lang sa aming sarili, para protektahan ang ang aming lupain, gobyerno pa ang unang tumapak sa aming karapatang pantao.
"Imbes na ang gobyerno ang magtanggol sa amin dahil sila ang nakakaalam ng mas mataas na batas, sila pa ang unang sumusuway sa batas.
"Napakasakit isipin kung bakit ginawa ito ng tropang militar, sa harap ng maraming tao, binaril sa ulo, nagkawatak watak ang kanyang ulo.
"Kaya naparito kami sa Maynila para sa malaking panawagan disarmahan o buwagin ang para-militar, na pinangungunahan ng 36th IB, bigyan ng hustisya ang mga pinatay."
(This is what the indigenous tribal groups are experiencing as they try to defend their interest. Not just for ourselves but also to protect our lands. It's the government that is trampling over our human rights.
Instead of coming to our defense because it is supposed to uphold the rules, it's the government that is breaking the law.
It hurts to think of why the militia did this, in front of many people. He was shot in the head, which broke into pieces.
That's why we are here in Manila, to call for the disbandment of the paramilitary groups under the control of the 36th Infantry Brigade, give justice to those killed.)
Johnny Dela Pena
"Sa aming panahon, hindi kami nakalasap ng edukasyon kaya pinagsikapan naming itayo ang paaralan ito upang mabigyan ng edukasyon ang aming mga anak.
"Nakikiusap kami sa gobyerno ng Pilipinas, na gamitin ang batas sa tamang paraan.
"Igalang ang aming paaralan na aming ipinundar, sila pa ang sumira nito.
"Nagpapatunay lamang na pinoprotektahan ng military ang mga para-militar, ginuwardiahan pa nila ang aming eskwela para ma siguro na mapatay nila ang mga lider namin."
(During our time, we were not favored to receive an education. That's why we had this school built, so that our children can have an education.
We are asking the government to please use the law in the rightful way.
It's clear the military is coddling the militias. They have ringed our school to ensure that they can eliminate our leaders.)
Lito Montenegro
"Huwag kayo magtaka na nandito kami, para ipaalam sa inyo ang karanasan po namin (at sitwasyon) sa aming komunidad. Ang pagpaslang sa aming mga lider, at sa mga nagtulak po sa amin na maipundar ang mga paaralang ito. Kung gaano po sila kahalaga sa amin."
"Kundi po dahil sa kanila e hanggang ngayon hindi pa kami marunong magbasa at magsulat."
"2nd year po ako, hindi na nakapag aral, sa hirap ng buhay namin bilang bakwit, kasama namin yung mga bata, yung iba ay may sakit na dahil walang maayus na tulugan, walang CR, walang tubig na malinis, tubig alat ang ginagamit na inumin minsan, basta hindi ko na alam ang mga nangyayari sa amin, nakakalungkot."
"Imbes na panghinaan kami ng loob, kami po ay nagkaroon ng lakas ng loob upang ipagpatuloy ang kanilang nasimulan, dahil marami pang katutubo ang nangangailangan ng tulong, at marami pang katutubo na hindi pa naabot ng mga paaralan na gusto ding pong matutong magbasa at magsulat."
"Napakasakit sa mga pagkakatoong ito, parang na inuubos nila ang aming lahi at gusto nilang angkinin ang lupang ninuno."
(The reason we are here before you is to share our experience and let you know about the situation in our community, the slaying of our leaders, the reasons why we had our schools built, about how important these things are to us.
If not for our elders and our leaders, we would remain illiterate to this day.
I reached second year and could not continue because of the difficulties as bakwit [internally displaced persons]. The children are with us, some are sick and couldn't sleep well, there is no decent sanitary facility, no safe water. I don't know anymore what's going on. It's sad.
Instead of being discouraged by these trials, we are finding reserves of strength to continue the struggle that our leaders have started. Many more in our indigenous communities are in need of help, many want to learn to read and write.
The hurt is heavy. It's as if they are out to eliminate all of us in order to grab our ancestral lands.)
Menchie Tolendo of STAND UP
"Una sa lahat, tayong mga skolar ng bayan e mapalad tayo narito pa tayo, sa loob ng pamantasan, nagagawa pa mag aral, matuto kahit papano.
"E ang kapwa natin kabataan sa kanilang lugar, sa kabila ng digmaan at krisis e nakuha pang maglakbay para magpaliwanag, unti unting pinapatay ang kanilang mga kaanak.
"Ilagay natin ang ating kalagyan sa kanilang kalagayan, naranasan natin ang mga pangigipit sa eskwelahan sa pamamagitan ng tuition fee increase. pero tadtad na tayo ng teorya, naisip ba natin na tayo ay makipamuhay sa kanila, walang kwenta ang pag-aaral natin ng teorya kung hindi natin ito maisasa praktika."
(They came and visited schools and institutions and it's hardly reported in mainstream media.
We, the so-called nation's scholars, are fortunate to be in the university, to receive an education.
Our brothers and sisters from other places, bucking armed conflict and crisis, still manage to come to us to make us aware, their folk are slowly being killed.
Let's put ourselves in their places. We ourselves are experiencing pressure, such as tuition issues. But we are mired too much in theory here. Have we thought about being out there, living as they live? Of what use is all this theory if we can't put it to practice?)
Professor Lito Manalili
"Habang tayo ay nagluluksa, palakasin natin ang ating loob, hindi natin maikakaila na tuloy tuloy ang pagtatagumpay na pagkilos na matuwid ang mali. Ang patuloy na pakikibaka sa karapatan ay umaani ng pananagumpay, dahil ang mga katutubo lamang ang pangunahing pwersa na magsusulong na kilalanin ang karapatan sa lupaing ninuno na mag pagpapaunlad sa katutubong kultura at paniniwala."
(As we grieve, let's strengthen our resolve. The struggle to rectify wrongs will triumph. The unceasing forging of unity for rights is succeeding. The indigenous people are the primary force for promoting ancestral land rights and advancing indigenous culture and beliefs.)
Merlyn Villaruel
"Bilang kabataang estudyante, very repressive ang mga pangyayari sa mga miyembro ng pambansang minorya, ang ma contribute ko dito ay sumama sa collective struggle kasama ang mga IP's, hindi ito isolated, dahil parte lang ito ng isang mas malaking problema sa ating lipunan."
(As a member of the youth student sector, what's happening out there is repressive to the minority groups. What I can contribute is to join the collective struggle hand-in-hand with our indigenous people. This is not an isolated case, because it's part of a larger problem in our society.)
G Lasallao
"Sa tingin ko po ang ugat ng problema ay ang patuloy na paglaganap ng imperyalismo, ang pag pasok ng mga foregn investors, Multinational at Transnational corporations, na hindi naman nakakatulong sa pambansang minorya."
"Nagtatayo sila ng mga negosyo at gagatasan tayo ng natural resources tapos ibinebenta nila sa atin ng mahal tapos ang itinatanim pa nila ay mga produktong hindi natin kailangan kundi mas kailangan nila."
(I think the root of the problem is the untrammeled advance of imperialism, the encroachment of foreign investors, mulinationals, transnational corporations that are not bringing our minority groups any good.
They set up their business, milk our raw resources dry and then charge us stiff. It's they who need their products more than we.)
Aivy Hora
"Humihingi ng tulong sa pagsampa ng kaso sa mga gumawa nito, yung iba ay mapipilitang lumaban, ginilitan si Tatay Emok, karumal dumal ang krimen at tinuring siyang parang baboy, may gwardiya pa sila na military para ma ensure na maisagawa nila ang krimen."
(Let's muster help in prosecuting thoe responsible for this killing. There will be those who have no recourse but to fight back. They slaughtered Tatay Emok, guarded by the military to make sure the crime is carried out.)
Maolen Lazaro
"Nagpupugay ang Alay Sining sa ating mga lumad, nakikita po natin na ang estado ay walang pagpapahalaga sa sining at kultura, sa katutubong sining, pinapaalis pa nila ang mga katutubo, mas pinaboran pa nila yung kampanyang "It's more fun in the Philippines.'
"Wala po tayong industriya, walang effort na iparamdam na may priority sa mga estudyante, lumad, guro, kasi walang programang nag susulong sa mga karapatan ng mga tao, ibahagi natin ang edukasyon bilang pangunahing karapatan lalo na sa mga lumad."
(We hail our lumad brothers and sisters. We see that the state assigns no importance of culture and the arts, to indigenous culture. They are driving away the native communities from their lands in favor of the mantra "It's more fun in the Philippines."
We have no industry, no drive to look after our students, our teachers, our indigenous brothers, because there is no real program to promote human rights. We should spread education as a basic human right, especially for our lumad brethren.)
Prof. Rocelle Pineda, CONTEND UP
"Malaki ang laban ng IP, dahil sa Save our School campaign, para sa kanilang kampanya na full literacay, dahil hindi naabot ng mga serbisyong sosyal, lalo ng DepEd and kanilang mga lugar."
"We need to learn form their curriculum, balangkas ng pagtututro, kasi dito sa unibersidad, makadayuhan at neo-lioberal ang edukasyon, samanatalang sa IP education at curiculum, pinapanday ang sining at kultura na naka base sa pang araw araw nilang pamumuhay."
"May sustainable economy, example sa ALCADEV, nagtuturo sila ng agriculuture, alternative health, paggamit ng herbal medicines, na hindi na kailanagan ng sophisticated health equipment dahil hindi naman nakakarating ang serbisyo ng gobyerno dahil remote nga ang mga komunidad."
"Kaming mga akademiko ay nag contribute sa kaalaman, at yung sa kanila ay hitik na hitik sa kaalaman, lokal na knowledge, yung kultura at sining na dapat alam din namin at sana maipalaganap namin sa pagtuturo sa unibersidad."
(Our indigenous people are waging a big fight, supported by Save Our School campaign, in their push toward full literacy, even as they are situated beyond the reach of social services, especially the Department of Education.
We need to learn from their curriculum. Here in the university, the education is neo-liberal and biased toward foreign influences, but indigenous people education springs from indigenous culture and ways-of-life.
Sustainable economy concepts pervade, in ALCADEV they teach sustainable agriculture, alternative health practices, local knowledge, culture and arts that we can do well to propagate and share in the university.)
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/116996/vox-pop--up-community-condemns-killings-of-lumads-in-mindanao
This is more of the commie propaganda campaign designed to discredit the Philippine military and foster public opinion that would influence the government to remove military units from lumad areas that are CPP/NPA-influenced and are being targeted by the military's OPLAN Bayanihan.
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