By AMIANAN SALAKNIBAN
www.nordis.net

A few days ago, the indigenous peoples of the Philippines made history. The Igorot, Agta, Ati, Aggay and Mangyan people of North, Central and Southern Luzon, Waray and Tumanduk of Visayas and the Lumad of Mindanao united in the first Salubungan or Convergence of indigenous peoples in Mendiola last November 18 to denounce the state perpetrated violence against the indigenous peoples and the impact of APEC’s globalization to the environment, their communities and the future generations.

Reviving the endangered positive culture of the true roots of the country, they showed their unity through a peace pact – a common custom between tribes to settle contradiction, unite against common enemies and maintain peace.

At the Mendiola Bridge, indigenous leaders held the old ritual of offering a black pig. Its blood was poured on the ground to symbolize the flowing unity of all the indigenous people’s tribes in the Philippines. In a ritual called “allasiw”, the first step in forging bodong or peacepact, the Igorots from the Cordillera exchanged tokens with the Lumad of Mindanao. The Lumad gave a shield and an elaborately woven belt of beads while the Igorots gave the latter a kalasag and sang-ay (shield and spear), to symbolize their common vow to protect the environment from imperialist plunder and defend their people from state fascism.

After the ceremonies, the Martsa Amianan of North Luzon boarded their jeeps and stormed the gates of the General Headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in Camp Aguinaldo along EDSA highway. They spotted the gigantic tarpaulin delivering a sarcastic message, “AFP supports #StopLumadKillings” printed on it, the Igorots rushed to the gates, formed a human ladder and tore down the AFP banner.

The sign was put up by the military to make a mockery out of the misery of the Lumad people, showing no remorse to the killings perpetrated by their forces and the paramilitary groups they created. Instead for owing up for their crimes, AFP insists that the NPAs are the ones killing the Lumad in their made-up hash tag #JusticeForLumadsKilledbyNPA. This made the Igorots furious and swiftly took down the signs in retribution for their peace-pact brothers.

In front of the closed giant gates of Camp Aguinaldo, Martsa Amianan protesters staged a short program. Leaders from the provinces of regions of Ilocos, Cagayan, and Cordillera bravely faced the headquarters and recounted the stories of recent militarization in their communities. They expressed their anger at the non-stop militarization and the human rights violations committed by the AFP.

In Kalinga, more than 60 Army troops have encamped in four homes at Ag-agama, Western Uma, Lubuagan since October. They said that the soldiers have been harassing residents and were on a nightly drinking spree. They would indiscriminately fire their guns, once they get drunk. Mothers fear for their daughters as soldiers sexually harass them with catcalls and indecent proposals.

The Aggay of Zinundungan Valley were displaced during the almost a year-long military operations since March. Five Aggay farmers were illegally arrested while 2 were abducted by the AFP. 79 farmers and members of people’s organizations were also sued for trumped-up charges of homicide and kidnapping.

Before the general headquarters, the Martsa Amianan also demanded justice for the extrajudicial killings of environment and human rights defenders in the Cordillera such as the murder of the Ligiw family, Engr. Delle Salvador and William Bugatti.

Before the picket ended, they got back by burning the malicious tarpaulin streamer. # nordis.net