Bukidnon farmers receive threats

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

MORE farmers are expected to join in Thursday’s protest action after allegedly receiving threats from a group called Tribal Reform Indigenous Organizing in Mindanao (Triom Force).

Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas-Northern Mindanao Region (KMP-NMR) secretary general Richard Colao said the group is led by a certain “Taruc”.

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Colao said farmers from barangays Kibongkog, Namnam, Dao, Bonacao, Mabuhay, Magkalungay, San Jose, Little Baguio and Halapitan, all from San Fernando, Bukidnon, who received death threats from the said group, will walk from their area toward Cagayan de Oro to join the celebration of the Peasant Month this October.

The protest is dubbed “Lakbayang mag-uuma alang sa yuta, katungod ug katilingbanong hustisya” (Peasant Protest March for Land, Rights and Social Justice).

Colao said the group targeted owners of vehicle used as transportation for mass mobilization of peasants and indigenous people, and threatened them of a massacre if they would join the region-wide protest.

“This is a violation of our human rights. Our way of celebrating the peasant’s month is a mere exercise of democracy. All we want is for our legitimate demands to be heard. We experienced hunger and poverty on a daily basis, there is no need to give us bullets when all we simply want is land!” he said.

Colao said the region-wide protest will push through Thursday despite the threats. He said they will march toward Cagayan de Oro City along with the 10,000 farmers across the region to protest for land, rights and social justice.

“The incidents of threats gave us more reason to demand from the government of our claims. It fueled our every step and strengthened our screams,” Colao said.