Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Peace advocates to hold Interfaith Mission in militarized areas; urges resumption of peace talks
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Press Release
October 21, 2009
DAVAO CITY – As a response to the increasing unrest in Lumad and peasant communities, around 200 members from church, academe, civil society, peace advocates and farmers groups led by the Exodus for Justice and Peace (EJP) are set to embark on a peace mission today (October 21) in several areas in Davao del Norte and Compostela Valley.
According to Pastor Jurie Jaime, convenor of EJP, " the aggravating plight of human rights in the region has become unbearable that many farmers and lumad communities were forced to leave their communities and farms."
Human rights group Karapatan had already recorded 1,042 individuals as victims of human rights violations in one municipality alone and only within less than 18 days.
“The statistics is very alarming and more than enough to call upon all peace advocates to gather in defense of the human rights in the region and also among the objectives in this mission -- to defend, to show solidarity, to bring immediate relief and give moral support to the victimized communities,” Jaime said.
Dubbed as the Interfaith Peace & Mercy Mission, EJP will be going to communities which have documented high incidence of human rights violations in 2009 such as in Talaingod Davao Del Norte, Baganga & Lupon Davao Oriental, Pantukan and Maragusan, Compostela Valley.
In Pantukan alone, Karapatan has documented 73 cases of human rights violations including the use of civilians in military operations as guides, violation of children’s rights to protection and safety, displacement, divestment and destruction of properties.
Meanwhile, the Ata-Manobos in Talaingod have long been suffering from destruction of properties, violation of domicile, illegal search, coercion, harassment, intimidation, threats and curtailment of fundamental civil and political rights to free movement, free association and free speech of civilians in the aforementioned affected areas. Since August this year, incidence of death due to hunger, trauma and deceases in Talaingod have already reached to more than 28 victims, most of them are children.
“Based on the initial psycho-social therapy conducted by Children's Rehabilitation Center, the continued forcible dislocation wrought by the intermittent militarization of their communities have resulted in the emotional and psychological trauma among children,” Jaime said.
"Lumad children have stopped schooling, traumatized as they are with the presence of the military in schools. Their parents witnessed how the military destroyed the crops and fences of their community farm,” he said.
The EJP is also reiterating its call for the government to resume peace talks and sincerely provide mechanisms on respecting human rights and ultimately bring peace and justice to our country.
“The continued military deployment has got to stop since the innocent civilians are the ones who bear the brunt of the government’s anti-insurgency campaign,” Jaime said. #
For reference:
Pastor Jurie Jaime
Convener
Exodus for Justice and Peace (EJP)
221-6920
This post was written by: Exodus for Justice and Peace
Exodus for Justice and Peace is a clergy-led peace group. Follow EJP on Twitter
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