DAVAO City — The Philippines once again landed on top among the 21 countries tagged as dangerous for farmers, farm workers, indigenous people, and other activists resisting land and resource-grabbing.
Based on Land and Rights Watch 2018 Yearend Report, the Pan Asia Pacific (Panap) monitored in the 21 countries some 128 cases of killings; arrests, detention, and legal persecution; threats, harassment and physical assault; and displacement that are related to land conflicts and struggles in 21 countries from Jan. 1 to Nov. 30.
According to Panap, 57 of the cases were of killings with 91 victims; 37 of arrests and detention and legal persecution with 136 victims; 23 of threats, harassment, and physical assault with 49 victims; and 11 of displacement with 9,288 victims.
Of the 91 victims of killings, 15 were indigenous people; 43 were farmers and farm workers; 32 were land activists, and one was unspecified. Also, Seventy-seven victims or 85% of the victims were male, while 14 victims or 15% were female.
“Every week this year, two are being killed for resisting land grabs; three more are being arrested and detained,” the group noted.
Peasant massacres
Among 21 countries, the Philippines recorded the highest number of victims with 33 individuals and 21 cases of killings during the period.
Panap said the country became “notorious for the string of massacres” of indigenous people, farmers, farm workers, mentioning the latest incident of ‘Sagay 9’ massacre, where nine farmers and farm workers were killed by some 40 armed men on Oct. 20. The victims who were members of National Federation of Sugar Workers participated in bungkalan or collective cultivation of 75 hectares of idle lands in Hacienda Nene in Negros.
Included in the report is the killing of Atty. Ben Ramos, a pro-bono lawyer of farmers and human rights activists, who was helping the families of the victims and survivors of the ‘Sagay 9’ massacre, gunned down by unknown assailant, barely three weeks after the massacre.
Panap noted that killings and human rights situation in Mindanao worsened after placing the island under martial law on May 23, 2017. (davaotoday.com)
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