June 14, 2008
The PASAKA Confederation of Lumad Organizations in Southern Mindanao decried the baptism of Eastmincom Commander Major General Armando L. Cunanan led by the Mindanao Indigenous Peoples Conference on Peace and Development (MIPCPD) last June 13 as the MIPCPD paid the newly appointed chief a courtesy call.
Traditionally, lumads would use the rite of baptism to welcome someone into the tribe, an act which many lumad groups consider tantamount to accepting someone as a blood relation or member of the tribe.
But PASAKA calls it a defilement of the lumad culture and warned the military that not all lumads are party to the agreements or negotiations entered into by the MIPCPD.
“If the military enters into the picture, the cultural importance of the rite is reduced to a mere military tactic that is an abuse of the hospitality of lumads, and a penetration of the tribe in order to turn lumads against perceived enemies of state. With this, the MIPCPD has given its bias and loyalty only to the military which is the number one aggressor of lumad peoples’ rights,” said Kerlan Fanagel, Secretary General of PASAKA.
Fanagel added that the MIPCPD has a standing Memorandum of Understanding with the Eastern Mindanao Command executed on November 28, 2007. Fanagel said the MIPCPD’s MOU with the eastmincom showcases the military’s “bastardization” of lumad culture.
He added, “Gen. Cunanan should keep mind that not all lumads would fall into their dragnet of terror. Many lumad groups are being deceived as the MIPCPD and the military promise them with development and peace while some are merely hostaged and threatened with their lives. Despite this, many lumad groups have kept their dignity and would rather risk their lives rather than be co-opted by the military’s inhumane practices.”
PASAKA condemned the military’s integration of lumads into its counter-insurgency
operations saying it is a human rights violation that has long been protested by indigenous peoples to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Peoples (UNSRIP).
Fanagel called for the stop of the recruitment of lumads into CVO’s or the formation of vigilante groups which he said is a prevalent practice in many lumad communities.
Last May 8, Joel Unad was shown in local television recruiting lumads of Laak, Compostela Valley into paramilitary groups which got a negative remark from Laak Mayor Rey Navarro himself.
Also on May 5, in New Bataan, around 250 lumads have been reportedly recruited to join the paramilitary groups in a gathering called Kaimunan organized by the Kaimunan Lumad sang Compostela. Residents of New Bataan reported to PASAKA that before the gathering, the military conducted “pulong-pulong” and threatened them about the consequences if they will not attend or join the paramilitary groups.
UNSRIP Rodolfo Stavenhagen after its 2002 visit to the Philippines recommended to the Philippine government to stop the recruitment of indigenous peoples into civilian armies.
Reference:
Kerlan Fanagel
Secretary General
PASAKA Confederation of Lumad Organizations in Southern Mindanao
Media Desk: April
Address: IFI COMPOUND, F. TORRES ST. DAVAO CITY
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