Friday, October 14, 2016

Secretary Maza expresses full support for Lakbayan IPs

From the Philippine Information Agency (Oct 14): Secretary Maza expresses full support for Lakbayan IPs

National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) Sec. Liza Maza expressed full support Friday for the indigenous peoples (IPs) at the ‘Lakbayan ng Pambansang Minorya para sa Sariling Pagpapasya at Makatarungang Kapayapaan’, who arrived in Manila to advance their struggle for self-determination and a just peace.

IPs are among the poorest sectors of society due to landgrabbing of ancestral domains, destruction of natural resources by mining operations, displacement and human rights violations caused by militarization, and years of government neglect.

“It is high time that government put an end to these systemic injustices and instead recognize our IPs’ rights to self-determination and meaningful representation in the policies and programs that affect them as a way for the IPs to rise from poverty ,” said Sec. Maza.

The National Commission of Indigenous Peoples estimates an indigenous population in the Philippines of over 11 million.

According to the TEBTEBBA – Indigenous Peoples’ International Center for Policy Research and Education, ancestral domain titling and registration remains a ‘burdensome process’ which renders IPs ‘less able to prevent intrusion’ into their ancestral domains. Further, the free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) process, required for to the extraction of resources from ancestral domains, is being ‘manipulated in favor of mining companies.’

This arrangement is enforced by the presence of military personnel in ancestral areas that has led to massive displacement of IPs and the harassment and killings of IP rights defenders. From 2010 to 2016, 76 cases of killings of IP rights defenders have been documented, according to TEBTEBBA.

The Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas (Katribu) has called for the ‘scrapping’ of the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 (R.A. No. 7942) which it said “legitimizes violations of IP rights by mining corporations,’’ and the passing of the People’s Mining Bill (HB 171) in its stead.

“The Mining Act of 1995 not only legalizes the plunder of our mineral wealth by giant corporations but also gives them easement rights, water rights, and timber rights. It is a total package that favors these corporations and not the Filipino people,” it said.

IP Sectoral Council Statement

Meanwhile, the NAPC Indigenous Peoples Sectoral Council (IPSC) released a statement on the celebration of the Indigenous Peoples Month of October, saying that “after 19 years of the evolution of the IPRA [Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act, R.A. No. 8371), its ‘four bundles of rights’ have yet to be achieved.”

These four bundles include rights to ancestral domains and lands, rights to self-governance and empowerment, rights to social justice and human rights, and rights to cultural integrity.

“If injustices against us are not corrected, the indigenous customs and traditions will disappear and the question becomes not a matter of possibility, but of time,” it said.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=931287

1 comment:

  1. National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) Sec. Liza Maza is another of the communist-oriented political appointees put into place by President Duterte as part of his outreach to the CPP to gain support for peace negotiations.

    Maza is a former congresswoman and long-time CPP activist associated with GABRIELA (General Assembly Binding Women for Reform, Integrity, Equality, Leadership, and Action) both the group's sectoral organization and its political front (Gabriela Women's Party).

    Maza along with other communist appointees holding government positions, have shown support for, and helped facilitate, the “Lakbayan ng Pambansang Minorya para sa Sariling Pagpapasya at Makatarungang Kapayapaan” (Journey of the National Minorities for Self-Determination and Just Peace). These long-time communists have, in essence, legitimized what is a Communist Party of the Philippines back propaganda operation designed to gin up opposition to mining operations in lumad areas and to discredit military efforts to keep the military wing of the CPP, the New People's Army, from extending its control over lumand/IP homelands.

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