Injustice in the Philippines: the plight of the Lumads

Summary

The indigenous Lumad people of the Philippines are facing displacement from their ancestral lands by big corporations and militarization. Forced into evacuation centers, they struggle to maintain their cultural identity and resist the loss of their land, which is central to their political, economic, and cultural life. Community leaders are being killed, and schools teaching indigenous traditions are closed. Despite hardships, the Lumads fight for their rights, seeking global support to preserve their way of life.

Takeaways

• 🌍 The Lumads are a peaceful and proud indigenous people whose way of life is closely tied to their ancestral lands.
• 🏞️ They have been forced from their homes into evacuation centers for their safety due to conflict over their lands.
• 🌾 The Lumads' ancestral lands are essential to their political, economic, and cultural life.
• 💼 Big corporations are attempting to displace the Lumads for economic gains, complicating the issue.
• 🛡️ The Lumads claim the government targets them for their resistance against the forceful possession of their lands by multinational mining corporations.
• 🌳 The environment is sacred to the Lumads, as it is where their lives began and where they have lost everything.
• 🙏 Church leaders are advocating for the abolishment of militarization affecting the Lumads.
• ⛺ Military and paramilitary forces are driving the Lumads from their lands into overcrowded evacuation centers.
• 👶 The evacuation center in Davao City houses 700 people on just 3 hilly acres, including many newborn babies.
• 🌱 The Lumads have sustainable farms in their communities but are unable to return, leading to severe hardship in evacuation centers.
• ⚖️ Community leaders are being extra-judicially executed, and refugee camps are being attacked.
• 📚 Schools teaching indigenous traditions are being replaced with mainstream curricula that do not honor the Lumads' way of life.
• 😭 Children like 9th grader Lando Dalin and Lovely Coquille express their distress over the attacks on their schools and the killing of their people.
• ✊ The Lumads are fighting for survival and demanding the cessation of attacks on their schools, teachers, and community.
• 🌐 Church leaders call for the global community to hear the Lumads' voices and respond to their plight.
• 🏙️ Despite being in a city, the Lumads live unhappily in evacuation centers, far from their ancestral lands and parents.

Q & A

What does the term 'Lumads' translate to and what does it represent?

The term 'Lumads' translates to 'the indigenous people' and represents their deep connection to their ancestral lands, which is integral to their political, economic, and cultural life.

Why have the Lumads been forced to evacuate their homes?

The Lumads have been forced to evacuate their homes due to the aggressive actions of big corporations and the government, which are targeting them for their resistance against the forceful possession of their lands for economic exploitation, particularly by multinational mining corporations.

What is the significance of the ancestral lands to the Lumads?

The ancestral lands are sacred to the Lumads as they are the foundation of their lives, encompassing all aspects including their political, economic, and cultural existence.

What role do military and paramilitary forces play in the displacement of the Lumads?

Military and paramilitary forces are driving the Lumad people from their ancestral lands they have farmed for centuries, forcing them into evacuation centers for what is perceived as their safety.

How many people are contained in the evacuation center in Davao City mentioned in the script?

The evacuation center in Davao City contains 700 people on just 3 hilly acres.

What is the situation regarding the children in the evacuation center?

There are almost thirty-two individual newborn babies in the evacuation center, indicating that families with young children are among those displaced.

Why do the Lumads feel that the evacuation center is not 'home'?

The Lumads feel that the evacuation center is not 'home' because it lacks the sustainable farming and the cultural and spiritual connection to the land that their indigenous community provides.

What has happened to the community leaders and schools of the Lumads?

Community leaders have been extrajudicially executed, and the schools where Lumad children learn their indigenous traditions have been shut down or replaced with a mainstream curriculum that does not honor their way of life.

What are the demands of the Lumads as expressed by Lando Dalin?

Lando Dalin, a 9th grader, expresses the simple demands of the Lumads: to stop the attacks on their schools and teachers, and to stop the killing of the Lumads.

What does Lovely Coquille wish for regarding the future of her community?

Lovely Coquille wishes to someday return to her community, expressing the longing for the land that has been stolen from them and the desire to fight for their rights.

How does the church plan to support the Lumads in their struggle?

The church, represented by figures like Bishop Ciriaco Q. Francisco and Israel Painit, plans to amplify the voice of the Lumads, bring their struggle to a global audience, and respond intentionally to their cries for help.