Youth groups welcome nat’l minorities of ‘Lakbayan’ 2017
(National minorities with progressive groups at Mendiola. Photo by Angelika Ortega, Dapitan Post)
Youth groups welcomed the arrival of more than 3,000 delegates of the second Lakbayan ng Pambansang Minorya on Thursday, August 31.
National minorities from various ethnolinguistic groups traveled to Manila to assert their right to self-determination, and to protest against the spate of killings and the intensified militarization of their communities.
“Our national minorities are direct victims of systemic discrimination and fascism in the country. They continue to experience intimidation and harassment from state forces, and, worse, they are killed for staunchly opposing government policies that give way to the desecration and plunder of their ancestral domain,” Jose Mari Callueng, national president of College Editors Guild of the Philippines, said in a statement.
The minority groups have cases of killings to bring to national attention.
“Stop the killings! Stop the bombings!” the protesters from the national minorities chanted while rallying from Blumentritt-Dapitan area.
The youth groups, however, waited along Recto to welcome the delegates of the caravan.
(Youth groups protesting along Recto as they wait for the national minority groups. Photo by Angelika Ortega, Dapitan Post)
“Pagpapakita [ito] ng galit sa estado sa pagtatapak nila [sa] karapatan ng mga Moro, ng mga pambansang minorya at ng pambansang Pilipino,” League of Filipino Students-University of Santo Tomas (LFS-UST) Chairperson Bluei Fausto said in an interview with Dapitan Post.
(Translation: This is to show protest against the state’s violation of the rights of the Moro, the national minorities, and the Filipinos.)
Fausto added that the groups condemn the unjust handling of the administration against the national minorities.
Anakbayan-UST, moreover, expressed their support for the national minorities.
“Mula sa Anakbayan-UST, nakiki-isa kami sa paglaban kasama ang pambansang minorya para sa kanilang self-determination at just peace,” Aerish Gonzales, chairperson of Anakbayan-UST, told Dapitan Post.
(Translation: From the Anakbayan-UST, we are one with the national minorities in this fight for their right to self-determination and just peace.)
The youth groups, together with the delegates of Lakbayan, continued their protest at Mendiola.
President Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign against drugs has resulted to over 7,000 deaths, both from legitimate police operations and vigilante killings, as of April 23, official Philippine National Police (PNP) data show.
On the 100th day of the Marawi siege, President Duterte said he will not interfere with the bombings, which he permitted last June, of the Philippine military at the city of Marawi.
National minorities from Ilocos, Cordillera, Cagayan Valley and Central Luzon were acknowledged on Blumentritt Road, while the delegates from Southern Tagalog, Visayas and Mindanao were welcomed on Taft-Vito Cruz area.
The first Lakbayan was held last year.
UST welcomes nat’l minority group
A national minority group visited the University before heading to University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD), where the minority groups are set to camp for the whole month.
The youth organizations from the University welcomed the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) at the Gate 1 of the campus on the same day.
“Kami ay pagod, gutom, at pinipigilan sa aming pagpunta dito [sa Maynila], pero kapag may sumasalubong tulad ninyo at may maalab na pag-welcome sa amin, nakakatulong ‘yun para matagumpay naming maisulong [ang] Lakbayan 2017 para sa makatarungang kapayapaan at sariling pagpasya ng pambansang minorya,” Windell Bolinget, leader of CPA, said in an interview with Dapitan Post.
(Translation: We are tired, hungry, and there were attempts to block our way here in Manila, but your warm welcome helps us push through with Lakbayan 2017—for the fight for just peace and right to self-determination.)
Bolinget also added: “We are happy at nagagalak na may kumikilos na kabataang estudyante sa loob ng University of Santo Tomas at sana tuloy-tuloy ito.”
(Translation: We are happy that there are youth groups in University of Santo Tomas helping us, and I hope this continues.)
(Youth groups from the University protest at Gate 1 while waiting for national minority group. Photo by Angelika Ortega, Dapitan Post)
The national minority group traveled to Manila to protest against the violation of rights of the administration, Bolinget further stated.
Kabataan Partylist Representative Sarah Elago was pleased with the welcome of the students.
“Nagagalak ang Kabataan [na] ang University of Santo Tomas ay nagbukas ng pintuan para salubungin ang pambansang minorya, partikular ang delegasyon ng Cordillera. Malaking bagay na makita ng mga estudyante na meron tayong mga mamamayan na naglakbay pa nang malayo upang mapagtanggol [ang] kanilang isyu at kanilang panawagan for their right to self-determination and just peace,” Elago said in an interview with Dapitan Post.
(Translation: Kabataan is pleased that UST opened its gates to welcome the national minorities, particularly the delegation in Cordillera. It's really important that the students witness this—that there are citizens who traveled far just to fight for their issues and demand for their right to self-determination and just peace.)
UST Central Student Council’s (UST-CSC) Public Relations Officer (PRO)-elect Francisco Santos also showed his approval with the visit of the national minority.
“Para sa akin, malaking tulong ito para sa ating Tomasino para mamulat [tayo sa] kung ano ba talaga ‘yung sinisigaw ng pambansang minorya at kung bakit kinakailangan pa nilang pumunta dito sa Maynila,” Santos stated in an interview with Dapitan Post.
(Translation: For me, this is a huge help for us, Thomasians, so that we would be aware of what the national minorities fight for and why they are here in Manila.)
(Cordillera Peoples Alliance in front of the University raises fists as a sign of protest vs Duterte regime. Photo by Angelika Ortega, Dapitan Post)
The University will host the satellite camp of the Igorot delegation at the Central Seminary Gym from Sept. 11 to 21. Discussions will be held as part of the program.
