#ricenotbullets

"NYC SJP recognizes the parallels between the reactionary government in the Philippines and the settler-colonial state of Israel. Like the Zionist state, the Aquino regime in the Philippines depends on U.S. imperialist aid to survive, receiving $79 million in U.S. military aid in 2015. AnakBayan NY notes, “This aid goes directly to the repression of the people’s just resistance against their oppressors as this recent incident in Cotabato shows. The shooting of unarmed protestors exposes the cowardice of the Malacañang government and their desperation to hold onto their power.” Similarly, Israel ranks as the number one recipient of U.S. military aid, receiving $3 billion in 2015, in addition to regularly receiving annual lump sums as much as $1.9 billion. Both the Government of the Philippines and the Israeli state operate as U.S. outposts in Southeast Asia and the Middle East, advancing the interests of U.S. hegemony at the expense of the Filipino, Palestinian, and oppressed nations all over the globe."

RICE > BULLETS

Starving farmers and families of Kidapawan ask for rice. The government’s promise for relief never happens. Instead, they were given bullets.

#BigasHindiBala #RiceNotBullets

KIDAPAWAN, Philippines, April 6th, 2016

Germa Lumundang of Malapat, Antipas takes turns with her husband watching over their 18-year-old son Victor at the Midway Hospital’s intensive care unit.

A bullet had hit Victor on his upper chest, just below his throat. The bullet exited out of his left shoulder. Three more slammed into his upper thighs, two on the left, one on the right.

Lumundang had earlier been identified as among the dead by Pedro Arnado, head of the Northern Mindanao branch of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP).

“I can’t talk to him anymore,” said Germa about her son. “When I got here he didn’t have a voice anymore. It was hard for him to talk. If he wants something from us he’ll gesture instead. If something hurts somewhere he’ll signal to us where.”

The Lumundangs are tenant farmers. Victor is one of 8 children. The banana and corn plantation they farmed yielded at most P300 [$6.50 USD] a week.

Victor attended the protest with many of the family’s friends and neighbors.

“I told him not to go. He said, ‘Ma, if I go, I might bring home rice.’”

Germa Lumundang.

#RiceNotBullets #BigasHindiBala

For Immediate Release

Reference: Nicole Manzana, Anakbayan East Bay, Chairperson

On the morning of April 1st, 2016 a group of 5,000 farmers and community members staged a peaceful protest in Kidapawan City, North Cotabato. As a result of El Nino and climate change, this region has been in a state of severe drought which has led affected community members to join forces to demand immediate relief and aid from the Philippine government.

While community members called for 15,000 sacks of rice and calamity funds, both the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) instead opened fire into the crowd which killed 5, injured 100, and led to 87 missing (including children) which are believed to be abducted by the police and soldiers to unknown destinations.

Anakbayan East Bay strongly condemns the violent attacks on the farmers and indigenous peoples of the North Cotabato region. “The Philippine government and the police are criminal for opening fire against community members simply asking for food, aid and relief. Shame on the Philippine government because three years after Typhoon Haiyan, they are still ill equipped to serve the needs of the masses affected by climate change. They are withholding relief goods and making the lives of people most affected secondary to corporate profits and development,” stated Nicole Manzana, Chairperson of Anakbayan East Bay.

The US Congress recently increased military aid to the Philippines to $66 million dollars financed by the pockets of US taxpayers. Anakbayan East Bay calls on US taxpayers to spread awareness and demand stop supporting the Aquino government that continues to increase human rights violations and mass bloodshed against farmers and indigenous peoples!  We call on the immediate distribution of relief to the farmers for their livelihood and not bullets that lead to their deaths! We demand genuine agrarian reform and a government that clearly uplifts the rights and needs of the people!

Justice for the North Cotabato farmers!

Bigas hindi bala! Rice not bullets!

Stop Lumad killings!

Fight for genuine agrarian reform!

####

BAYAN USA’s ACTION CALLS:

Take Action NOW to Demand Accountability for Police and Military Violence Against Farmers and Indigenous People Protesting the Government’s Withholding of Food Aid!

PROTEST: At the Philippine Embassy or local Philippine Consulates

CALL: the Philippine Embassy in Washington DC to protest the violent dispersal and killing of peaceful protesters, demand accountability, and demand the immediate release of food aid to farmers. Call, Office of the Philippine Ambassador to the U.S., Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr., Tel: 202.467.9366

WRITE: President Aquino to register your condemnation of the violence of state forces against farmers and indigenous people.  Cc members of the U.S. Congress Appropriations Committee.

EDUCATE: Conduct activities to educate the community about this issue and to urge them to take action

HOST: a delegation of Lumad indigenous people from Mindanao is coming to the U.S. from April – May. Host a speaking engagement for them to educate more members of your community about the issues of indigenous people. Contact [email protected] for more information.