AN OFFICIAL of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in Northern Mindanao Region said on Wednesday that the exploitation of resources in ancestral domains is a major driver in the spate of lumad (indigenous people) killings in the province of Bukidnon.
Lawyer Jerefe Bacang, CHR Northern Mindanao officer-in-charge, said fact-finding missions conducted by the CHR on the causes of the atrocities against the lumads in Bukidnon are linked to resource management issues.
“Pero dili lang ni mao daghan pay uban causes gitan-aw nato unsay hinungdan ug unsay epekto sa mga lumad,” Bacang said.
Bacang said last year, the CHR focused on the extrajudicial killings but most these cases reached a dead end where perpetrators were not even identified.
Bacang said the CHR is redirecting its effort this year to focus on the lumads.
“Tanan bug-at nga mga kaso pero atong gilantaw karon kining sa mga lumad killings kay any death is violation of human rights,” Bacang said.
Other issues that CHR is investigating are violations against women and children and child abuse, among others.
CHR legal officer Lawyer Rochelle Dagaraga said that they are awaiting the results of the public inquiry conducted about the lumad killings in Bukidnon.
“Galisod mi more on the security diha sa pag-validate sa area that’s why we coordinate for the safety of the investigators in going to the area and dili pa jud nato ma-identify who are really the perpetrators kay padayon pa man investigation,” Dagaraga said.
‘Higala sa Lumad’
Meanwhile, an interfaith solidarity network for Indigenous Peoples (IP) was launched on Wednesday to serve as a hub for lumads who are victims of rights violations.
Dubbed as "Higala sa Lumad," the network will unite various religious leaders and interfaith organizations to "synergize their respective professional expertise and relevant resources" for the lumads’ sake.
“Kini nga network ato pud namugna as a monitoring network for the lumad’s rights, alerting the public of any human rights emergencies that can play a strong protective role for a lumad leader and as well as to a community member,” said Sister Maria Famita Somogod, coordinator of Rural Missionaries of the Philippines-Northern Mindanao Region (RMP-NMR).
The members are called higalas and will campaign primarily through popularization such as social media campaigns, including fact-finding missions, lobbying, and legal support among others.
Knowing that lumads of Mindanao are under siege, it said ‘they can no longer afford to just be passive and observers while brethrens are persecuted.’
Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) Bishop Rody Juliada said the network can expect full-support from the church.
“Ang IFI bisan unsaon, dili kini pwede mutalikod kay ang IFI lumad pud na simbahan. Dasig kanunay ang simbahan sa pagsuport kay grabe na ang pagpanglapas sa ilang katungod, pati ang ilang panginabuhian ug ang mga yutang kabilin na sumpay sa ilang kinabuhi gipanghilabtan,” Juliada said.
The network is under the ‘Healing the Hurt’ project which aims to address the marginalization issues of lumad and targets to raise funds and other forms of support for the protection and security of lumads in Mindanao.
The project is also backed by RMP-NMR and the European Union through the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights.
“Dako baya pud ang network nga na-cover na nato, we have the professionals, religious groups, lawyers, doctors for the health sector, and even the academe all for the lumads,” Somogod said.
She said that as workers in lumad communities, they themselves experienced threats and harassments while doing community duties.
“We are glad that despite the attacks on the lumads and even its campaigns, many are still convinced that we are fighting for what is right,” Somogod added.
The network, she said, is open for membership to those individuals who have hearts for lumads.