Sunday, January 27, 2008 Silliman University backs up farmers' struggle By Edmund B. Sestoso
SILLIMAN University in an official statement declared its support to the continuing struggle of the farmers over the several unresolved issues of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (Carp).
Silliman's Justice and Peace Center decided to bring the issue to the Halls of Congress.
Dr. Muriel Orevillo-Montenegro emphasized that the farmers serve as one of the basic foundations of the country, thus its economic status would depend on how our government officials treated the "workers and makers" of the people's food.
Montenegro is the dean of the Silliman University Divinity School and executive director of the Justice and Peace Center.
Angel Turmon, coordinator of the Negros Farmers Council expressed its thanks for the church group in extending their moral support.
Turmon said the support from the internationally known university would serve as an inspiration and challenge to pursue the rights of farmers up to Congress.
Delegates from both the Negros Farmers Council and the Negros Farmlands had left for Manila last Saturday to present their gripes before the lawmakers, saying they could get resolution of the problem in the provincial level.
Eugene Quirante, liaison officer for Negros Oriental of the Centro Saka said there is now a need for congressmen sympathetic to the interest of the farmers to see to it that the farmers interest will prevail and help push in resolving the long decade agrarian issues.
He said if the farmers remain poor, the country will nevertheless has hard up economy.
If the farmers remain weak, the country will have no enough strength to fight the rigors of every day existence.
The land, according to Montenegro, is the sole source of all of foods for mankind. The land he said is also a source of strength, justice and freedom of the country.
