Bets urged: Bare stand on plight of ‘lumad’

ADVOCATES of children’s rights on Sunday called on presidential candidates to present their stand on the displacement of indigenous peoples (IP) in conflict-ridden areas that has led to trauma and health issues among their young.

Children’s Rehabilitation Center Inc. (CRC) challenged the candidates to make their positions known on the forcible evacuation of “lumad” as a result of military operations in parts of Mindanao and other pockets of communist insurgency.

“Cyclical pattern of forced displacement of indigenous people, particularly the lumad in Mindanao, remains a pressing concern hounding the country today,” said Jacquiline Ruiz, executive director of CRC.

“We expect them (presidential candidates) to present solutions to this issue,” she said in a statement.

Ruiz said her group documented two recent cases of forcible evacuation: in San Miguel, Surigao del Sur province, on March 12 and in Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro province, on March 16.

Thirty-three families, or 172 people, fled their houses in Purok 6, Barobuan, San Miguel, due to intense operations by soldiers belonging to the 36th Infantry Battalion and 2nd Special Forces of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, she said.

A day earlier, a Manobo farmer in the community was allegedly shot twice by military agents.

On March 16, almost 300 Mangyan families, or 653 people, were forced to leave after a fire fight erupted between soldiers and rebels belonging to the communist New People’s Army (NPA) in Sityo Bukbok, Barangay Hagan, Bongabong, she added.

More than half of the evacuees were children, Ruiz said.

“Indisputably, forced displacement triggered by militarization has deprived thousands of people, especially children, of their inviolable right to live in a peaceful environment,” she said.

“Most of these families were left with no choice but to leave their houses and livelihood behind in order to find safe shelters. At the same time, children are traumatized and, in most cases, their health and education are also affected,” Ruiz said.

Thousands of lumad who evacuated last year in Davao City and Surigao del Norte are still living in evacuation centers, as the continued military presence in their communities impedes their safe return, she said.

The candidates, Ruiz said, should create plans on how the government could effectively ensure the welfare and protection of children, especially those in emergency situations.

“The government should create a more systematic mechanism in providing the needs of displaced families, including the delivery of appropriate and immediate response such as relief and financial assistance, psychosocial intervention and medical provision,” she said.

Ruiz said the Aquino administration was to blame for the “massive deployment” of soldiers in indigenous communities for counterinsurgency purposes, and for “coddling” or condoning the actions of military and paramilitary elements accused of human rights abuses.

Ruiz urged the candidates to include the resumption of stalled peace talks between the Philippine government and the communist-led National Democratic Front of the Philippines on their agenda.