Hunger strike in Negros:

►to demand the passage of Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill (HB 3059)

►stop extra-judicial killings and criminalization of agrarian cases

 

Negros

 

January 20, 2010

 

 

   
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Photos courtesy of KMP Negros
           
           

 

Negros Peasants and farmworkers start Hunger strike today
January 18, 2009

For reference:

Isidro Castillo, NFSW Chair
Mobile phone: +639082571678
Greg Ratin, KMP NEGROS Media Liason Officer
Mobile phone: +639214550046

The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas Negros together with National Federation of Sugar Workers today start its indefinite hunger strike in front of the Negros Occidental Provincial Capitol to demand the passage of House Bill 3059 (Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill), the stoppage of extra-judicial killings and criminalization of agrarian cases in the province, particularly, landholdings covered by Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.

“We are on hunger strike today to send a strong message to Malacanang and to the provincial capitol leadership that the peasants and farmworkers in Negros are hungry for land, food and justice. Land monopoly in Negros by big Hacienderos is prevalent causing landlessness of peasants, meager wages of thousands of farmworkers that is being pushed everyday into the quagmire of poverty,” said Isidro Castillo NFSW Chairman.

The hunger strike was participated by combined members of KMP and NFSW listed as follows: Floredelona Dablos (43), Elizabeth Hortellosa (44), Theres Villarte (39), Modesto Villaganas (46), Junjie Balenaryo (35), Tanie Umadlaw (33), Romnick Montinola (19).

Hunger strikers also demand to disarm and dismantle para-military groups like the Revolutionary Proletarian Army responsible for the extra judicial killings and abductions in the province but remained unaccountable by Philippine National Police.

Karapatan recorded 11 cases of extrajudicial killing of farmers and farmworkers in 2009 while NFSW and KMP cases of criminal and civil cases filed against their members ranging from qualified theft, usurpation of real property rights, grave coercion, robbery in band and forcible entry especially lands under Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program coverage.

“The rise in 2009 to 2010 of the criminalizations of agrarian cases only proves that CARP is inutil in Negros . The landlords and the court connives in order to reconsentrate their lands and to deny the peasants of their land to till and maintain the PhP 60 to PhP100 wages of farmworkers in the haciendas,” Castillo ended. ###
 
     
           
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Negros Farmers & Farmworkers Continue Hunger Strike against
Criminalization of Agrarian problem and Extra judicial Killing
January 19, 2010

For reference:

Isidro Castillo, NFSW Chair
Mobile phone: +639082571678
Greg Ratin, KMP NEGROS Media Liason Officer
Mobile phone: +639214550046

Initial documents revealing the rise in the criminalization of land cases were recently supplied by members of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas and the National Federation of Sugar Workers, as they enter the second day of their hunger strike today.

The number of cases documented by the group totaled to 374 covering malicious mischief (51), Libel (17), Grave Coercion (103), Unjust Vexation: (17), Usurpation of Real Property (51), Forcible Entry (31), Robbery in Band (41), Qualified Theft (52), Ejectment (11). At present 80 members of the group have pending arrest warrants, while 13 are currently being detained in various detention cells in the province.

In addition, Karapatan has recorded a total of 11 cases of extra-judicial killings in 2009 alone.

“We went on hunger strike because we want food, land and justice for farmers and sugarworkers. Our legitimate struggle for land in sugarlandia are being attack by big planters in order to re-concentrate their lands and deny us our basic right for land to till,” said Isidro Castillo, National Federation of Sugar Workers Negros Chairman.

In addition to the protest against extra-judicial killings and the criminalization of agrarian problems, Castillo revealed that the group is also calling on the passing of House Bill 3059 (Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill), passed by Anakpawis Party-list. They reasoned that they are pushing for the passing of the bill because huge land especially big sugar plantation in Negros was exempted under CARP coverage.

“CARP is a failure story of agrarian reform in sugarlandia instead it’s a story of land reconcentration of big planters in Negros especially of Danding Cojuanco, Jr,” said Greg Ratin KMP Negros Spokesperson.

The group is calling on the public to support their struggle for land, food and justice by participating their gahod sang gutom held every 6:00PM at Lacson St. infront of the Provincial Lagoon everyday.

“We ask the motorist to honk their horn and the public commuters to make a noise when they passed Lacson st. every 6:00PM as a signed that they do not agree to the killings and criminalization of agrarian problem done to the farmers and farmworkers which are the producers of the food of the nation,” Greg Ratin explained Kilusag Magbubukid ng Pilipinas Negros media liason officer.

Nine of the strikers refused to take in solid food, insisting on starving themselves to symbolize the hunger that the present unfair land policies of the Arroyo Administration. Those who are on hunger strike are Floredelona Dablos (43), Elizabeth Hortellosa (44), Theres Villarte (39), Modesto Villaganas (46), Junjie Balenaryo (35), Tanie Umadlaw (33), Romnick Montinola (19), and Carlos Cansis (19). ###

 
     
           
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