Friday, October 12, 2007 Ocampo: The vanishing race By Tek Ocampo Newsroom
I WITNESSED a ritual performed by different tribes of Lumads coming from the different provinces in Region 11 or the Davao Region. They placed tobacco leaves, different herbs, a coin and jewelry on a plate. It means the heart to love, respect for their rights and beliefs. A white chicken was butchered as a sign of sacrifice. The blood was allowed to drip on the plate to show their unity even if it means sacrificing their own lives.
This was when a delegation of Lumads representing the Mandaya, Mansaka, D'babawon, Ata-Manobo, Ata-Matigsalog, Tagabawa, Obo-Manobo, B'laan, and Bagobo tribes picketed the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) office at Ecoland in Davao City last Tuesday.
They were demanding that the implementation of the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act or IPRA be stopped.
One of the goals of IPRA as implemented by the NCIP is to determine areas, which are being occupied by Lumads. After identifying them, the tribes will be given a Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title or CADT. However the CADT will be only be in the name of the tribe not in favor of a particular individual. The reason for this is to prevent Lumads from selling their lands so they can preserve them for their descendants.
However, leaders of PASAKA, a confederation of lumad organizations, argued that IPRA was not created to protect their lands from invading corporations and wealthy businessmen. Instead, IPRA became an instrument for large companies to come in and use their ancestral domains for profit. IPRA does prevent the lumads from selling their land but not from leasing them.
NCIP Regional Director Roque Agton Jr. said that under IPRA, any company or businessmen could apply for a lease contract to use lands of ancestral domains. Such agreement, according to Agton, should contain terms and conditions agreed upon by both the Lumads and the leasing party. But the Lumads reserve the option to turn down any agreement.
According to Mel Elio of the Bagobo tribe, NCIP has been transformed from being protector of Lumads into being an agent for companies who want to exploit their ancestral domain lands. NCIP is contributing in exploiting the Lumads by luring them to sign deceptive contracts, Elio charged.
Agton admitted that many ancestral domains have already been converted by large companies into vast banana plantations and other agricultural ventures. This was done through lease contracts of up to 25 years.
Here in Davao City, many areas in the third district that used to be sacred grounds of the lumads are now converted into banana plantations. In Kapatagan, Davao del Sur, what used to be part of ancestral domain and part of the Mt. Apo Forest Protected area are now planted with export cavendish bananas. In little Baguio in Malita, Davao del Sur, what used to be a heavily forested area and a sanctuary for the B'laan and Tagacolo tribes is now a vast land planted to bananas.
Many areas in Surigao, Agusan, Compostela Valley province are soon to be exploited for their mineral deposits by both foreign and local mining firms. Lumads fear that most if not all of them will be displaced very soon. There are countless cases where Lumads were enticed to accept offers from big entrepreneurs in exchange for the use of their lands.
As a lumad from Davao del Sur, I have seen how the natives there were displaced by wily businessmen who lured them with offers they could not refuse.
I think the government should revisit IPRA and make sure that our Lumads will always have the right to land and self-determination. If the government is sincere in protecting the rights of the Lumads and preventing our culture from becoming extinct, ancestral domains should remain with the lumads and must be protected from exploitation through lease contracts and land conversions.
Educated and concerned Lumads dread the day when our rich culture will be nothing more than just a subject in school and pictures to look at. Let's do something about it before the lumads truly become a vanishing race. (tbocampo@gmanetwork.com.)
