“Lumad” children join the International Youth Day held during a recent human development and poverty reduction forum in Commonwealth Elementary School in Quezon City. —LYN RILLON
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — A caravan of close to 300 Lumad (indigenous peoples or IP) and Moro from Northern Mindanao region left this city for Metro Manila on Tuesday for a protest action that would call attention to their plight and to demand an end to martial law in Mindanao.
According to Higaonon Datu Jomorito Goaynon, chair of Kalumbay Regional Lumad Organization, the Northern Mindanao contingent to Manilakbayan, or Lakbayan ng Pambansang Minorya (Journey of the National Minorities) 2017, is composed of members of the Maranao, Manobo, Talaandig, Higaonon, Bukidnon and Matigsalog tribes. They would march with other indigenous peoples groups on Friday in Manila to air their concerns about human rights violations, displacement, extrajudicial killings and aerial bombardment of IP communities, including Marawi City where government troops have been battling Islamic State-inspired terrorists since May 23.
President Rodrigo Duterte placed Mindanao under martial law after terrorists took over sections of Marawi City, the provincial capital of Lanao del Sur.
Asliah Ampuan, 25, a resident of Marawi City and a member of the evacuees’ group Tindeg Ranao, said she wanted the President to put an end to the war which has destroyed her community.
Alana Ann Rey Cortes, media officer of the Manilakbayan Northern Mindanao contingent, said they would highlight during the protest the humanitarian crisis in the Lanao provinces arising from the Marawi conflict.
Fr. Roland Abejo of Iglesia Filipina Independiente and a member of Promotion of Church People’s Response, said the Duterte administration had failed in its promise to improve the situation of IP communities and civilians, noting that many continued to suffer from human rights abuses.
“It is no different from [the term of former President Benigno Aquino III]. [The situation today] is worse as [the government has ordered] the strafing of Lumad schools, the removal of Lumad students and the harassment of teachers,” Abejo said.
President Duterte earlier threatened to order the bombing of Lumad schools which he accused of spreading communist teachings in IP communities. —Jigger J. Jerusalem