For the Defense of Ancestral Domain and for Self Determination
No. 55 Ferguson Road, Baguio City 2600, Philippines
Telephone +6374 422 9754, Fax No. +6374 4437159, Website: www.cpaphils.org, Email: cpa@cpaphils.org
Press release
February 4, 2016
Stop the Lumad ethnocide!
In these most difficult times, the Igorots in the north express their solidarity with the
Lumad in the south.
The Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) calls for an immediate stop to the continuing attacks
against the Lumad in Mindanao in the guise of national security and development. The
attacks against the communities and organizations of Lumad especially in the provinces of
Bukidnon; Davao del Norte, Surigao del Sur and Compostela Valley is leading to ethnocide,
humanitarian crises and lawlessness. But what is deeply disturbing and calls for the
strongest condemnation is the escalation of attacks against children and students of Lumad
alternative schools.
At least 56 Lumad including children were killed in Mindanao under Aquino’s term. More
than 20,000 individuals fled their communities, half of which are children. They continue to
live under dehumanizing conditions in evacuation centers. Other cases include 99 cases of
harassment, 9 incidents of community bombings, 54 cases of forced evacuations, rape,
enforced disappearances.
In January this year, at least two children were killed by the Alamara, a paramilitary group
created and supported by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and big foreign mining
corporations. Not contented with their killing spree, the AFP is also filing trumped up
charges against members and leaders of Lumad communities and their organizations.
Dulphing Ogan, Secretary General of Kalumaran, a confederation of different indigenous
tribes in Mindanao and partner of CPA, was charged with a trumped up case along with 52
others. Earlier, another 190 members of peoples organizations were also filed with similar
trumped up charges.
These are not simply ordinary and isolated cases. In fact, these are planned and systematic
violations with impunity which clearly aim to silence the opposition of the Lumads. This is
ethnocide.
The biggest mining operations in Mindanao and the vast commercial plantations covering a
total of roughly 631,775 hectares, is situated within or near Lumad ancestral lands and
communities. History instructs us that for indigenous peoples, land is a source of life. For
the Lumad in Bukidnon; Davao del Norte and Surigao del Sur and elsewhere in Mindanao,
their strong and organized resistance denies the entry of destructive projects into their
ancestral lands. In response, President Aquino deployed at least 50% of the AFP in the
early months of 2015 in Mindanao, especially in areas where there is strong people’s
opposition against mining, plantation, logging and other forms of development aggression.
Since then, AFP in cahoots with the dreaded paramilitary groups committed grave crimes
against the Lumad and humanity in their objective to silence the Lumad and pave way for
the entry of destructive projects.
The Aquino regime cannot simply deny and ignore this. Aquino must be held accountable
for these crimes against the Lumad. Being the Commander-in-Chief, he allowed his men on
the loose and became mercenaries and killing machines for the big mining and plantations
in Mindanao. And despite local and international uproar on the Lumad killings, Aquino is
playing deaf. The terror in Lumad communities continues with impunity.
Like the Lumad, the Igorots share the same story and enemy in the name of development
aggression and militarization. Like the Lumad, our people have been subjected to brutal
State repression in their continuing struggle for the defense of land, life, resources and
rights. Like the Lumad, the Igorots suffered under the Aquino regime with at least 10
victims of extrajudicial killings. Aquino’s term is ending within few months but still no
justice for the Ligiw family, William Bugatti and all the victims in the region.
The struggle for land, life, resources and rights is just and legitimate. Like the Lumad, we
will never be cowed thru the use of force and deception from the State and multinational
companies. Like the Lumad, we call for the pullout of military troops in our communities
and the disbandment and dismantling of paramilitary groups such as Cordillera Peoples
Liberation Army. Like the Lumad, we will continue to draw strength from our forefathers
and martyrs to continue the struggle for a just society where the rights of indigenous are
respected. ***
For reference:
Windel Bolinget
Chairperson