WHAT WAS supposed to be one of many activities planned for the week turned out to be the last as the Manilakbayan ng Mindanao, a caravan and mobilization seeking action on the killings of Lumads or the indigenous peoples of Mindanao, was told to disperse by 6:00PM on November 13.
A march to Mendiola from their camp in Liwasang Bonifacio was planned on that day, but was delayed after negotiations between Manilakbayan and city officials failed to reach a conclusion. The march eventually pushed through as protesters started mobilizing at around 3:00PM.
According to an article by Rappler, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada was instructed by Malacañang to disperse the Lumads camping out in front of the Manila Post Office. Estrada had earlier set the deadline for their dispersal on Thursday, November 12, but was roundly ignored by protesters.
The journey
An estimated 700 Lumads arrived in Manila on October 25 and have since conducted rallies across government offices in the nation’s capital.
The Lumad caravan, assisted by allies such as the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), have organized protests in the University of the Philippines-Diliman, Camp Aguinaldo, and the Department of Education, among others.
The Kampuhan, as the protests are called, have been met with considerable media coverage, and have prompted reactions from prominent personalities.
However, Malacañang has become more stringent in allowing the Lumads to conduct their rallies, especially as the government becomes more focused on preparing for the APEC summit.
“Although our laws ensure the free exercise of the people’s right to peaceably assemble and petition the government, we would like to reiterate that we have to observe proper guidelines including seeking permits to conduct public rallies,” said DILG Secretary Mel Sarmiento in a press statement.
Horror stories
In their trip to Manila, the Lumads brought with them stories of harassment, murder, and theft at the hands of the Philippine military and other paramilitary organizations.
Bae Jocelyn Agdahan, a native of Quezon, Bukidnon and a member of the Tribal and Indigenous Groups Association said that large corporations actively try to harass indigenous groups like her own in order to gain the land owned by the Lumads.
“Sa ngayon, nakasama kami sa Manilakbayan, dahil sa aming lupang ninuno na gustong agawin ng mga malaking korporasyon (We joined Manilakbayan because our ancestral land was being preyed on by large corporations),” she said.
She added that thugs hired by the companies use terror tactics in order to force them off of their homes.
“Binabaril din nila ang aming bahay at winasak-wasak din nila ng itak tapos kami mga tao, nagtakbuhan na lang kami pati ang aming mga kabataan. Pinuputukan nila kami para umalis kami sa aming lupang ninuno (Our houses were shot at and broken down with machetes, so we had no choice but to run away, including our children. We were shot at in order to flee from our ancestral domain),” she said.
According to Datu Tongeg Mansimuy-at, leader of the SALUPONGAN group of indigenous peoples, said that most of the Lumads are currently displaced and living in the United Church of Christ in the Philippines’ (UCCP) Haran Center in Davao City.
“Yung evacuation namin sa UCCP Haran ay ika-apat na pong beses, tuloy-tuloy po ang dayalogo na walang hustisya, walang tulong ng gobyerno (This is our 4th time to be evacuated to the UCCP Haran, and in that time, we have been airing our grievances to the injustices and the lack of help from the government),” he said.
Plea for help
Because of this, the Lumads hoped to bring the issue to the central government, in order to bring the injustices to light. However, no such official has visited their camp.
“Kaya nandito kami para makita ni Presidente, pero hanggang, ngayon malapit na kami mag-isang buwan dito, walang presidente naglapit dito sa amin, walang ahensiya ng gobyerno dito sa amin (We are here in order to show the President how we are being treated, but until now, no president has visited us, no government agency has come to us),” said Agdahan.
“Nangangailangan kami ng tulong sa kanila, tiniis namin, iniwan namin ang aming mga kabataan, para lang mapaabot ang aming mga hinihiling kay Presidente (We needed their help, so braved it all to be here. We left our children just so that our complaints could be heard by the President),” she added.
For Mansimuy-at, the government should step up in protecting the rights of the indigenous peoples.
“Ang gobyerno dapat tumulong na sa amin mga Lumad na sa Mindanao. Bigyan kami ng mga pagkain, bigyan kami ng aklat, bigyan kami ng guro para mapagpatuloy namin ang kabataan na mag-aral. (The government should help us Lumads in Mindanao by giving us food, books, and teachers so that our youth will be able to be educated),” said Mansimuy-at.
Lastly, he said that the government should dismantle the military detachments currently based in his ancestral land that continue to harass and destroy the Lumad way of life.
“Yun lang ang panawagan ko (This is my only request),” he said.
