NDF: Oppressed peasants struggle and grow stronger

Posted to the National Democratic Front Philippines (NDFP or NDF) Website (Oct 12, 2019):  Oppressed peasants struggle and grow stronger



AP photo

Ka Bayani Obrero
Spokesperson
NDF – Negros

In the Philippines, peasants have suffered perennial hunger and poverty meanwhile Malacañang bureaucrats bloat and indulge their corruption.

Land is the basic source of living for farmers who feed the whole population as the backbone of our economy. They break sweat from dawn till dusk; a bit more and their body will bleed from exhaustion, they are our true heroes. Because of the backwardness of agriculture and rudimentary tools of production, they are deep in debt and are chained to slavery.

Furthermore, every year “tiempo muerto” or dead season (commonly called tigkiriwi) worsens. It aggravates the hardship of workers in sugarcane fields and sugar mills while land lords continue to monopolize vast haciendas in Negros.

The Duterte regime is slowly killing the peasants. It burdens the people with the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law. The flood of imported rice in the Philippines after the Rice Tariffication Law was passed resulted to economic loss of farmers. In Negros, the price of rice has plunged to P10 per kilo.

Peasants and their families suffered severely from economic crisis since Duterte became president. In the worsening crisis faced by the people, the peasant masses unitedly cry out against anti-people laws and programs; there is no else to blame but the Duterte regime.

If we recall, nine farmers were massacred in Hacienda Nene, Barangay Bulanon, Sagay City last October 20, 2018. It has been a year since the land lords displayed their barbaric and traitor character but until now justice eludes the peasants who only wanted to get the land taken from them.

Negros became a massacre capital of the Philippines after the Sagay 9 fell victim to state fascism. Included here are the 14 farmers and other innocent civilians experiencing fascism of combined troops of the AFP/PNP.

The peasants cry for LAND, upon the orders of Joint Task Force – Negros they are answered with BULLETS. Under de facto martial law, oppression, human rights violations, fake surrenderees, illegal arrests and trumped-up charges will proliferate.

As blood spills from the lives of butchered peasant so will their strong determination to struggle for the realization of genuine land reform.

This October, peasants’ month, the broad people must unite against tyranny and courageously topple down a pro-land lord, big bourgeois comprador Duterte regime.###

https://ndfp.org/oppressed-peasants-struggle-and-grow-stronger/