Lumads face real threats for survival

Press Release | August 9, 2010 |  In time for the international commemoration of Indigenous Peoples’ Rights | Davao --- As the international community commemorates this month the rights and well-being of the world’s Indigenous People (IP), PASAKA, a confederation of lumad organizations in Southern Mindanao, deplored the situation of the indigenous tribes in the region who are thriving in deep poverty and neglect.

“We affirm the statement of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon that IPs still experience racism, poor health and disproportionate poverty.’ This is true and glaring in Davao and the rest of Mindanao,” said PASAKA secretary general Kerlan Fanagel.

Glaring contradiction

Fanagel said that despite Mindanao’s rich topography and geology, the more than 13 Moro tribes and 18 indigenous tribes do not have access to government basic services especially on health and education.

“This contradiction is so glaring that we see lumads, along with their rich culture, on the brink of extinction,” said Fanagel.

He recounts that only recently, Talaingod, Davao del Norte, ancestral lands of the Ata-manobo lumads was afflicted with a massive spread of diseases which are symptoms of measles. The “outbreak” was further aggravated by the insect infestation in their farms which depleted their supposed food stock for one month.

Talaingod which is a 5th class municipality does not even have accessible primary educational services and health facilities to the more than 6,000 Ata-Manobos still living in the remote villages.

“What kind of government allows its people to go hungry and die from supposedly easily curable diseases?” said Fanagel.

“It is ironic that while such kind of reality prevails in the rural areas, the government focuses its investment on infrastructure and modernization of the country’s defense system,” he added.

Challenge to P-noy: Redress IPRA’s faults

The B’laan leader then called on the Aquino government to seriously address the common grievances of lumads – the respect of their rights to their ancestral lands and self-determination.

“We challenge Noynoy to go outside the framework of the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) which for more than a decade now has paid mere lip service to IPs and further legitimized the disenfranchisement of lumads’ rights to land. We hope that Noynoy sees that the IPRA thru the NCIP has only served to open ancestral lands to mining and other destructive investments,” said Fanagel.

To illustrate this, Fanagel narrates the plight of lumad communities which are now confronted with the onslaught of “maligned” forms of development projects.

Fanagel points out that the present system of governance which is anchored on globalization and liberalization has led to the further marginalization of  indigenous peoples.

He recounts that in the midst of the ancestral lands of the Bagobos of Davao Del Sur, two hydropower plants are being constructed by Hedcor – Aboitiz.

“The Bagobos were asked if they wanted roads and so they signed the piece of paper which was later used as proof that the community consented to the construction of the plants. It was too late when they found out that the project would mean that their sacred ground, the Tudaya falls, would be subject to drilling and digging,” said Fanagel.   

Worsening the Bagobo-Tagabawa’s situation at present is the militarization of Sta. Cruz since the community expressed opposition to Hedcor’s project.  

In Western Mindanao, in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Fanagel recounted that the experiences of the Subanen people in Mt. Canatuan proved that IPRA after all is toothless tiger in the face of mining onslaught.  

“The Toronto Ventures Inc. (TVI) still pursued its mining operations in Mt. Canatuan, the sacred ground of the Subanen people, even if the community already have in its possession a certificate of ancestral domain title (CADT), which was awarded to them by then Pres. Arroyo herself. And to date, mining ops by TVI continues to ravage their ancestral lands,” narrated Fanagel.

Fanagel said that due to the realities, indigenous communities have been more vigilant. Some like the Ata-Manobo lumads  opt to wage pangayao or tribal war as an invocation of their rights to defend their ranks. Others like the Subanen of Mt. Canatuan have maximized international venues such as the United Nations to rally for support from international communities and support groups. While some, have remained subjugated owing to the heavy military presence in their communities, quelling their muffled resistance.#