Activists to stage int’l human rights day rally in Oro tomorrow

By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent

MILITANT groups are organizing street demonstrations in the city to mark the International Human Rights Day tomorrow.

The mass action being planned here would be spearheaded by the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan.

Wildon Barros, Bayan spokesman for northern Mindanao, said his group was expecting demonstrators from the human rights watchdog  Karapatan, labor, urban poor, farmers, students and indigenous people’s groups, among others, to take part in the demonstrations.

The demonstrators, he said, would come from Misamis Oriental, Bukidnon and this city.

The protesters would assemble at the Press Freedom monument at the capitol grounds on Velez St. at around 10 am and then march towards Divisoria where a rally would be staged until 4 pm.

Barros said one of their calls would be for President Duterte to lift the Mindanao martial law. Another would be for the government to pursue peace negotiations with the National Democratic Front.

He said protesters would also call for justice for Marawi residents who allegedly became victims of abuses following the declaration of martial law in May.

Barros said they also want an end to alleged extrajudicial killings, and for the Duterte administration to recognize the indigenes’ ancestral domain.

He said the scheduled demonstration would be peaceful, and organizers would police their own ranks.

“Kami na lang ang mag-marshal sa among kaugalingon alang sa peaceful demonstration. Pero mas maayo kon  na-ay mga police nga mag-secure sa among rally,” Barros said.

Chief Insp. Mardy Hortilloza, spokesman  of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office, said officers would keep their distance but would be there to provide security.

He said a security plan was already made in anticipation of the International Human Rights Day activities.

“Kon ang ilang  rally igo lang magpadayag sa ilang mga  gipangayo ug mga pagmahay sa gobyerno,  walay problima na sa amo. Pero kon manawagan sila nga suportahan ang armadong pakig bisog sama sa mga  rebilde,  na lahi na kana nga estorya, dakop gyud  ang labas ana,” Hortilloza said.