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PRESS STATEMENT
18 January 2008
Statement of Support to the Peasant Caravan, 14-22 January
CARP extension and the intensifying oppression of the US-Arroyo
regime against the peasants and the toiling masses
We. the workers under the militant regional labor center Pagkakaisa ng
Manggagawa sa Timog Katagalugan-Kilusang Mayo Uno (PAMANTIK-KMU) express
our warmest support to the peasants, our comrades-in-arms, who are holding
their protest caravan which took off from the different countrysides and
regions in the country and will culminate in the gates of Malacañang. The
workers chant in unison with the peasants’ against the plans of the
US-Arroyo regime to extend the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program
(CARP) and enforce other oppressive, anti-peasant and anti-people
policies.
With the coming of the New Year, the US-Arroyo regime welcomes the
peasants and the Filipino people with intensifying oppression and poverty.
After the two-decade implementation of the empty and anti-peasant
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
seeks to extend and intensify the program beyond 2008. Considered
“certified urgent bill”, Arroyo wishes to railroad the immediate
ratification of CARP extension in the re-opening session of the 14th
Congress this January. Arroyo’s intention for CARP is attuned to her plans
for the “Super Regions”.
The peasantry and the people are left with no option but to band their own
strength. Together with the workers, the people are launching this first
month of the year immediate and massive protest actions to thwart the
US-Arroyo regime and all its plans to pin to dire poverty, oppress,
harass, and kill the legitimate interests of the people.
20-year CARP implementation, 20-year agony for peasants
Then Philippine President Corazon Aquino, truly obvious to the interests
of her landlord class, implemented CARP in 1987 despite massive protests
from the peasants. Aside from the first 13 farmers massacred in Mendiola
by the US-Aquino regime on January 19, 1987, CARP and the landlords
exploited tens of million lives in the countrysides.
In the Southern Tagalog region, CARP characterized the massive land-use
conversions. Millions of peasants were tragically displaced as their lands
were converted into executive townhouses, subdivisions, golf courses,
dams, circumferential roads, international ports, industrial parks, and
others.
CARP even expanded land monopoly by landlords and comprador big
bourgeoisie. In the latest events, Fil-Estate and Henry Sy are still in
control of Hacienda Looc. Peasants in Hacienda Roxas are still harassed
and intimidated. More than 13,000 hectares of land were mercilessly taken
from peasants in Calatagan, Batangas by the Zobel family, while the Yulo
family wrecks havoc anew with 7,100 hectares in Laguna.
Meanwhile, Arroyo declared as Special Tourist Zone the whole town of
Nasugbu in Batangas on August 2, 2007. While this declaration opened wide
the town for the exploits of foreign investments, it also nullified all
legal documents – such as emancipation patents (EP), certificates of land
transfer (CLT), and certificates of land ownership award (CLOA) – proving
peasant ownership of lands in the said town.
In its 20 years of implementation, not a single moment has CARP served the
interests of the peasants and the people.
Intensifying harassment and repression
Not satisfied with the eviction and displacement of peasants, the
US-Arroyo regime implemented the Human Security Act on July 2007 and
intensified militarization thru Oplan Bantay Laya II (OBL II).
The presence of the revolutionary NPA is used as a statement by the
government to conceal the real intentions of military operations conducted
in Hacienda Reyes in San Narciso, San Andres, and Buenavista in Quezon
province involving 10,000 hectares of peasant land. Moreover, government
troops are deployed in the 81,000 hectare Umiray-Nakar stretch to commence
the Pacific Coast Project.
OBL II concentrated military operations to the urban areas since last
year. After sowing terror and harassment in urban poor communities along
the railways in San Pablo City, Laguna, military operations are now taking
place in Phase II-Lakeside of Southville Relocation Site in Cabuyao,
Laguna to silence the throng of discontent on the government’s housing and
relocation program.
As of the start of this year, elements of the 202nd Army Infantry
Batallion are deployed in industrial centers in Laguna such as in Santa
Rosa, Cabuyao, and Calamba. The militarization’s main intent is to conduct
surveillances, suppress, and harass workers’ activities.
Further advance the struggle
The Arroyo administration has long turned its back against the people. Her
cliché “ina ng bayan” dictum has turned passé. The people expect not a
tiny speck of anxious concern from her while she broadens the expanse of
her power and plunder beyond 2010.
This 2008, the US-Arroyo regime welcomes the already worse conditions of
the people with continued exploitation thru the passage of unjust laws,
military deployments, and more anti-people policies.
We cannot allow to be displaced from the land where our forebears toiled
so our generation and the next generations may live with pride. We will
not wait for our children to die with open eyes of hunger. We will not
allow the rape of our rights and dignity as human beings and as a people.
All the more, we cannot allow a regime which does not serve our interests
to deceive and exploit us again. Not without a fight.
We are left with no other option but to unite our strength as a people.
Let us further consolidate and expand our ranks. Let us struggle against
and thwart the US-Arroyo regime.
CARP extension, fake and anti-peasant! Struggle for genuine land reform!
Thwart Oplan Bantay Laya II and Human Security Act! No to militarization
in the countrysides and urban areas! OUST US-Arroyo regime, NOW!
Reference: Marlon Torres, Public Information Officer, Mobile Number:
09215376379.
Download statement
■
Lakbayan marchers arrive in Metro Manila
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Southern Tagalog peasants determined to reach
Mendiola, to call for scrapping of CARP
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Militant farmers picket DOJ for demonizing rallies!
Insist Mendiola rally tomorrow is for genuine agrarian reform and justice
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“Sec. Gonzalez adding insult to injury on peasant
plight!”-KMP
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“Another peasant leader killed!”-KMP; Farmer
supposed to participate in Mendiola Massacre commemoration activities
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Southern Tagalog urban poor condemn NHA for
displacing, deceiving families
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Youth, students commemorate Mendiola Massacre
victims; March with farmers in Mendiola rally; Slam bogus CARP |
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Photos courtesy of BAYAN Press
Information Office
March from Alfonso, Tagaytay,
Silang, Dasmarinas, Imus |
Press Release Reference: Orly Marcellana
January 19, 2008 Secretary General: KASAMA – TK
SOUTHERN TAGALOG PEASANTS DETERMINED TO REACH MENDIOLA
TO CALL FOR SCRAPPING OF CARP
Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim's firm stand that he will not allow protesters at
Mendiola is not dissuading peasants from Southern Tagalog from continuing
their March for Land, Food, and Social Justice which they intend to
culminate there on January 22.
"We have been marching for three days and are on the fourth day of our
protest march to air our call for genuine land reform and the scrapping of
the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP). We have already
surpassed numerous blockades, endured the sun and rain, and sacrificed
much of our time and effort. In the first place, there is no reason for
the police and military to block us because our calls are legitimate,"
Orly Marcellana, secretary general of KASAMA-TK, said.
The peasants began their march in Nasugbu, Batangas last Wednesday in a
bid to highlight their call against the government's plan to extend CARP
and for the implementation of a genuine land reform program embodied in
the Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill (House Bill 3059).
The peasants have been blocked by police two times since the start of
their protest march – at the boundary of Alfonso and Tagaytay and at
Pala-Pala, both in Cavite. Earlier, members of the military went around
communities in Nasugbu in an effort to prevent peasants from joining the
Lakbayan.
Marcellana called on fellow peasants to unite with them in pushing for a
land reform that will truly answer their problems instead of superficial
land awards under CARP that are easily reclaimed. "We call on all peasants
to look at the real picture of CARP and no longer be deceived by its
illusion of land distribution. The nineteen years of its implementation
has already proven its falsity; the numerous agrarian cases siding the
landlords prove this. Extending the CARP or simply reforming it will only
let us sink deeper into poverty," Marcellana said.
At around 10AM today, more peasants and supporters from Laguna and Quezon
joined the other peasants from Southern Tagalog who already held vigil in
Brgy. Bayanan, Muntinlupa yesterday. They were joined by peasants from
Bicol region and supporters from communities in Manila, increasing the
number of protesters to around 500.
The protesters marched from Alabang to Zapote junction where they
converged with the peasants from Cavite and Batangas who have walked
taking the route from Nasugbu to Bacoor to Zapote. The convergence of the
peasants was marked with a flag dance and a cultural performance depicting
the plight of peasants under the bogus CARP.
The peasants then marched to Baclaran church where church groups warmly
welcomed the delegation with a short program.###
____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ For more
information, pls. contact Glen 09196404399 Media Officer of LAKBAYAN 2008
KASAMA-TK/ KMP
Katipunan ng mga Samahang Magbubukid sa Timog Katagalugan
c/o 306 Brgy. Maahas, Los Banos, Laguna
Tel # (02)4018843
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