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Lumad Struggles: Rights and Violence in Mindanao

The Lumad people in southern Mindanao, Philippines have faced threats from paramilitary and military groups seeking to exploit the region's natural resources. Over 60 indigenous leaders have been killed since 2010, displacing over 40,000 Lumad. The Philippine government's embrace of neoliberal economics prioritizes private industry over Lumad rights and culture. Lumad communities have established schools to educate youth, but President Duterte has ordered the schools closed and teachers arrested. Lumad organizations document increasing military attacks, including 21 aerial bombings, since Duterte took office. The military clashes endanger Lumad lives and violate their basic human right to a safe environment.

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70 views3 pages

Lumad Struggles: Rights and Violence in Mindanao

The Lumad people in southern Mindanao, Philippines have faced threats from paramilitary and military groups seeking to exploit the region's natural resources. Over 60 indigenous leaders have been killed since 2010, displacing over 40,000 Lumad. The Philippine government's embrace of neoliberal economics prioritizes private industry over Lumad rights and culture. Lumad communities have established schools to educate youth, but President Duterte has ordered the schools closed and teachers arrested. Lumad organizations document increasing military attacks, including 21 aerial bombings, since Duterte took office. The military clashes endanger Lumad lives and violate their basic human right to a safe environment.

Uploaded by

Franchesca Valerio
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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“To bomb, or not to bomb…”

Indigenous people living in the Southern Mindanao region of the Philippines termed as
Lumads are currently facing a great dilemma for a quite long period of time now. This group
grew out of a political awakening among tribes during the martial law regime of President
Marcos and reflects the collective identity of 18 Lumad ethnic groups.
More than 60 indigenous leaders in Mindanao have been killed extrajudicially by
paramilitary and military groups since 2010 (Varona, 2015). The attacks, which almost always
precede the entry of mining and the establishment of plantations, have displaced more than
40,000 Lumad, according to the human rights group Karapatan.
The Philippine Government’s co-optation of neoliberal economics, and neoliberal
globalisation results in Lumad [Link] its principle of unfettered markets as the driving
force of development, neoliberalism has resulted in extravagant consumption, massive pollution,
exploitation and degradation of the environment.
Unequipped with the ability to understand modern land tenure systems, the lumads have
established educational institutions around their community, supplying knowledge to young
adults and youth on how to protect their rights, property and culture. These schools have always
been posing a threat, therefore, President Duterte has taken the unprecedented step of directing
the Department of Education to close the schools, then encouraged the killing and arrest of
lumad teachers.
According to Jong Monzon, Secretary General of the Lumad group Pasaka in Southern
Mindanao, was trying to determine how many bombs had been dropped in the area and how
much damage it had caused. Pasaka had documented 21 cases of aerial bombardments in
Southern Mindanao since President Duterte assumed office. The Militant groups claimed the
military had escalated attacks on lumad communities, leading to mass evacuations and abuses.
Last August 25 2018, a teacher and school children also heard gunshots that lasted 30 minutes
less than 500 meters away that traumatized teachers and students. Spokesperson of the Eastern
Mindanao Command, Maj. Ezra Balagtey stated that there was a clash between soldiers and
communists rebels on Aug. 27, 2018 in Dagohoy.
According to Hawkins (2010), “the connection between social justice and environmental
justice, defining environmental justice as the right of current and future generations to a clean,
healthy and safe environment.” In addition, she cites Hancock’s (2003) definition of
‘environmental human rights’ as the human right to live in an environment free from toxic
pollution and to exercise control over local natural resources. Those who are the poorest people,
the marginalized communities and the ethnic minorities pay the greatest cost for ecological
damage, including loss of access to natural resources. It can never be emphasized enough that it
is essential to secure environmental justice as a basic human right.
Hawkins CA (2010). Sustainability, human rights, and environmental justice: Critical
connections for contemporary social work. Critical Social Work 11(3): 68–81.
La Viña T (2015). Leave the Lumad alone! [Link], 14 September. Available at:
[Link]
Mabalay AE (2015). Gathering for Lumad weaves peoples’ high resolve for solidarity,
justice. [Link], 22 September. Available at:
[Link]
solidarity-justice.

● [Link]
holding-class-is-a-struggle
● [Link]
● [Link]
%20indigenous%20people,assembly%20on%20June%2026%2C%201986.
● [Link]
[Link]

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