Minorities call to lift martial law, end killings
National minorities demanded the termination of militarization and fascism in the country last Aug. 31 as they were direct victims of discrimination and state forces.
The League of Filipino Students, Anakbayan, Tanggulan Youth Network and student political parties joined in the protest of the national minorities from various ethno-linguistic groups to fight for their right to self-determination and to call for an end on the militarization of national minorities.
“[N]andito tayo ngayon para suportahan ang kanilang paglaban sa kanilang mga karapatan at pansariling determinasyon o yung karapatan para kilalanin sila, bilang mga tao at bilang parte ng ating bansa at maibigay sa kanila ang kanilang mga karapatan at yung mga dapat pong tinatamasa nila,” Jeremy Pasion of LFS-UST told The Spiral Journal.
Minorities from the North contingent, which includes those from Ilocos, Cordillera, Cagayan Valley and Central Luzon, were welcomed in Blumentritt, while those from the South contingent, composed of people from Southern Tagalog, Visayas and Mindanao, were welcomed at the Taft-Vito Cruz area.
Progressive youth groups welcomed and joined them in their march to Mendiola to call for the lifting of martial law.
“Ang pagbaba ng martial law ay hindi lamang sa usapin ng terorismo dahil alam naman natin ang mga kasalukuyang nangyayari sa Mindanao. Isang usapin din siya ng paglaban talaga ng mamamayang Moro doon sa sariling pagpapasya nila o sariling determinasyon,” Jayro of Anakbayan National-PUP told The Spiral Journal.
National minorities ended their caravan at the University of the Philippines together with progressive youth groups from different universities.
The University of Santo Tomas will also host this year’s Lakbayan, which is set to welcome 50 indigenous people on Sept. 11 to 21.
Lakbayan ng Pambansang Minorya is a caravan of national minorities since 2014, when the struggling Lumad and Moro peoples troop to Manila to demand food, peace and rights across the Philippines and abroad. Bea Nicole Amarille