Indigenes slam Aquino’s ‘5 years of fascism’

MANILA – Indigenous peoples led by the Kalipu-nan ng Katutubong Mama-mayang Pilipino (Katribu) reiterated their call for President Aquino’s resignation, as they denounced the recent spate of killings of indigenous peoples, saying that too many lives have been lost and ruined under his presidency.

“It has been five years of the Aquino regime’s crooked path of fascism, five years of violation of the human rights of indigenous peoples and of the Filipino people,” said Karlan Fa-nagel, secretary general of the Confederation of Lumad Organizations of Southern Mindanao (Pa saka).

Katribu had documented the killing of 61 indigenous peoples killed in Aquino’s five years in power. Of these, 46 are Lumads of Mindanao who resisted mining, logging, destructive “development” projects and militarization in their indigenous communities.

From July 2010 to March 2010, the Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights (Karapatan) documented 238 victims of extrajudicial killings. Kara-patan also documented thousands of Lumads fleeing their homes in the regions of Caraga, southern and northern Mindanao region in the first quarter of the year.

‘Pandiwata’
On July 4, Katribu leaders performed the Lumad ritual, “pandiwata,” just a few steps from Aquino’s residence on Times Street in Quezon City. Some 30 antiiot police of the Quezon City Police District and a truck blocked the protesters from proceeding to the front gate of the Aquino residence.

Jomorito Goaynon, the Higaonon chairperson of the Kalumbay Northern Mindanao Regional Lumad Organization, chanted a call to summon the ancestors, spirits of Bagani warriors and the “diwatas” as they offered seven white chicken eggs, betel nut, and lit seven white candles, as a symbolic light to guide their struggle. Katribu said the ritual is usually performed before a “pangayaw” or tribal war.

“The ritual is not only symbolic, it is our pledge to continue the indigenous peoples’ struggle for the right to our ancestral lands and self-determination,” said Piya Macliing Malayao, Katribu spokesperson.

Among the protesters were indigenous leaders from different regions: Igorots from Cordillera, Dumagats, Ati and Aetas from Central Luzon, Tumandoks from Panay, Higaonon, B’laan, Subanen and Manobos from Mindanao. They spoke about cases of human rights abuses and development aggression under Aquino. (Bulatlat.com)