For
Immediate Release
Contact:
Rev. Jeanelle N. Ablola, Co-Chair, Cal-Nev Philippine Solidarity Task Force
(PSTF)
pastorj@pineumc.org
The
California-Nevada Philippine Solidarity Task Force of the United Methodist
Church (Cal-Nev PSTF) condemns, in the strongest terms, the violent police dispersal
of the unarmed assembled farmers and indigenous people (Lumad) in Kidapawan,
North Cotabato, Mindanao, which resulted in 7 dead, over 116 injured including
children, and 89 unaccounted and missing on April 1, 2016.
We
condemn the assault and harassment that occurred at the Spottswood United
Methodist Center. We are shocked and appalled at the audacity of the local
government threatening Bishop Ciriaco Francisco with legal recourse when he,
the staff, and church members were using the facility to fulfill their
Christian duty to protect and provide relief to the farmers and Lumad who were
seeking refuge from the police violence that occurred.
We,
the PSTF, are church people in the US who work in partnership with the National
Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP). The PSTF was formed in response
to the extrajudicial killings and human rights violations in the Philippines.
As Filipino Americans and non-Filipino allies, we inherited the ongoing
struggle of liberation. As Christians, we inherited the struggle of the masses
for which Jesus Christ turned over tables and was crucified. As such, we regularly
go to the Philippines for immersion and exposure to the struggles of the people
who bear the brunt of imperialist oppression. It is on these annual visits that
all of our delegations, from 2007 onward, have witnessed the plight of the
farmers and indigenous people of the Philippines up and down the archipelago.
Now,
from a distance and 10 years after our formation, we witness continuing human
rights violations. The drought caused by El Niño resulted in crop
failure and hunger, so the farmers and Lumad went to Kidapawan City to
peacefully picket and demand the distribution of food aid, farm subsidies, and
for the government to raise the prices of their produce, which is exported out
of the country because of neoliberal policies, leaving millions of Filipinos
hungry and living in poverty. The government had knowledge that El Niño
was going to cause such environmental conditions and have been able to prepare
since 2015, yet the farmers of the Kidapawan picket, after having endured
drought for 7 months, have yet to see the fruits of such preparation.
Over
the years, PSTF delegations have gone on Pastoral & Solidarity Visits to
the Philippines to be present with and to witness people having to
unnecessarily endure such poverty and government negligence. We have witnessed
it with the farmers of Hacienda Luisita, with the human rights violations
against farmers of Panay Fair Trade Center, with indigenous peoples of Abra and
of Rizal, with the negligence of the government to the survivors of Typhoon
Haiyan in both Leyte and Iloilo - unfortunately, the list goes on.
Less
than a week after celebrating Easter, the resurrection of Christ, we were met
again with another cruel Good Friday story. We will not allow these events or
the physical distance to keep us from being present with the farmers and
indigenous people. We call on our California-Nevada church members, friends,
family, and allies to keep the farmers and Lumad of Kidapawan in prayer, to
discern and take up acts of solidarity as United Methodists who stand for
genuine peace, or shalom – the peace that comes as a result of
justice and wholeness.
Just
as Christ committed his life to accompanying the poor and oppressed, we will
continue to do the same in committing ourselves to such accompaniment through
our upcoming Pastoral & Solidarity Visit in July 2016. Just as Christ
committed his life to centering the voices of the marginalized, we will
continue to do the same in committing ourselves to centering the voices of the
Lumad in their speaking tour, Lakbayan Lumad USA, from April to May 2016. We
call on our UMC church members to act out of faith, compassion, and witness
that can help bring an end to such blatant violence and brutality.
We
align our call and our advocacy with the farmers, the Lumad, peoples’
organizations, and church groups in their demand for the rice support and
calamity funds to be met; for the release of detained protestors; for the end
of the siege of Spottswood United Methodist Center; for the wounded and injured
to be given medical attention; for there to be an impartial investigation of
the PNP officials involved in the violent dispersal and killing of farmers; and
for the Aquino administration to be held accountable for the dehumanizing,
violent events that took place. Inspired by the farmers and the Lumad, we will
not be intimidated and will continue to respond in these acts of faith as
followers of Jesus Christ.
Stop
the killings in the Philippines!
Rice
not bullets! Bigas hindi bala!
