Injustice in the Philippines: the plight of the Lumads

United Methodist Videos

14 May 201604:08

Summary

TLDRThe 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.

Outlines

00:00

🏞️ Displacement of the Lumads

The Lumads, an indigenous people with a deep connection to their ancestral lands, are facing displacement due to economic interests from big corporations and government actions. Their way of life, including political, economic, and cultural aspects, is intrinsically linked to their land. The government is accused of targeting the Lumads for their resistance against the aggressive commercial exploitation by multinational mining corporations. The script describes the forced evacuation to centers like the one in Davao City, where 700 people are contained in a small area, highlighting the stark contrast between their traditional community life and the current situation.

👶 Impact on Lumad Families and Children

The displacement has severe repercussions on Lumad families, including the presence of over thirty newborn babies in the evacuation center. People are not only being forced to leave their communities but also their sustainable farms, leading to a profound sadness and longing for their homeland. The summary emphasizes the emotional and practical challenges faced by the Lumad people, such as the limited space for farming and the yearning for their traditional lifestyle, which is now out of reach.

🛡️ Resistance and the Role of the Church

Community leaders of the Lumads have been subjected to extrajudicial killings, and their schools, which are vital for preserving indigenous traditions, are being shut down in favor of mainstream education that disregards their cultural heritage. The church, represented by Bishop Ciriaco Q. Francisco, is called upon to oppose militarization and speak out against the injustices faced by the Lumads. The script also features a 9th grader, Lando Dalin, who has walked for hours to have his voice heard, demanding an end to the attacks on their schools, teachers, and people.

📚 The Struggle for Education and Cultural Preservation

The script highlights the importance of education for the Lumad children, who are being denied the opportunity to learn about their indigenous traditions and their place in the world. The shutting down of their schools and the imposition of a mainstream curriculum that does not honor their way of life is a significant point of contention. The children express their anger and desire to fight for their rights, despite the exploitation and miserable treatment they face.

🌏 Global Awareness and Support for the Lumads

The Lumads' struggle against big corporations and for their land rights is a question of how an indigenous community can stand up against such powerful entities. The script calls for the church and the global community to listen to their voices and bring their struggle to the world's attention. The narrative includes a call to action for intentional response to the cries of the Lumads, emphasizing the need for global awareness and support for their cause.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Lumads

The Lumads are the indigenous people of the Philippines, known for their deep connection to their ancestral lands. In the video, they are portrayed as a peaceful and proud community whose way of life is under threat due to displacement from their homes. The term is central to the video's theme of cultural and environmental preservation.

💡Ancestral land

Ancestral land refers to the traditional territories of indigenous peoples, which are of significant cultural, spiritual, and economic importance. In the script, the Lumads' ancestral land is described as the foundation of their political, economic, and cultural life, highlighting its integral role in their identity and survival.

💡Evacuation center

An evacuation center is a place where people are temporarily relocated for their safety, often due to conflict or disaster. The video describes how the Lumads have been forced into such centers, illustrating the displacement they face and the stark contrast between their traditional way of life and the conditions in the centers.

💡Displacement

Displacement refers to the forced movement of people from their homes, often due to conflict, persecution, or economic pressures. The script discusses how the Lumads have been displaced by big corporations and military forces, which is a key issue in the video's narrative of resistance and struggle for rights.

💡Commercial exploitation

Commercial exploitation in this context refers to the aggressive use of natural resources for profit, often at the expense of local communities and the environment. The video mentions multinational mining corporations exploiting the Lumads' lands, which is a central conflict driving the displacement of the community.

💡Militarization

Militarization is the process by which a society or area becomes increasingly influenced by military values, ideas, or the involvement of the military. The script includes a call from Bishop Ciriaco Q. Francisco to abolish militarization, indicating its role in the oppression and displacement of the Lumads.

💡Extrajudicial execution

Extrajudicial execution is the unlawful killing of a person by government or military forces without a fair trial. The video mentions community leaders being extrajudicially executed, illustrating the severity of the conflict and the risks faced by those advocating for the Lumads' rights.

💡Indigenous traditions

Indigenous traditions refer to the customs, beliefs, and practices that are passed down through generations within indigenous communities. The script discusses the closure of schools that teach these traditions, emphasizing the cultural loss and the struggle to preserve the Lumads' heritage.

💡Mainstream curriculum

A mainstream curriculum is the standard educational program taught in most schools, often not tailored to the specific cultural needs or histories of indigenous communities. The video criticizes the replacement of indigenous-focused education with a mainstream curriculum, which does not honor the Lumads' way of life.

💡Sustainability

Sustainability in the context of the video refers to the ability to maintain a lifestyle or system without depleting resources or causing long-term harm to the environment. The Lumads' sustainable farms are mentioned as a contrast to the limited resources available in the evacuation centers, highlighting the importance of their traditional practices for ecological balance.

💡Cultural preservation

Cultural preservation is the act of maintaining and protecting the cultural heritage of a community. The video's theme revolves around the Lumads' struggle to preserve their culture in the face of external threats, including displacement and the suppression of their traditions and education.

Highlights

The Lumads are peaceful and proud indigenous people whose way of life is deeply connected to their ancestral lands.

The term 'Bobolan' in the Manobo dialect signifies that all aspects of life are intertwined with the ancestral lands.

Large corporations are attempting to displace Lumads for economic interests, complicating the issue.

The government is accused by Lumads of targeting them due to their resistance against the commercial exploitation of their lands by multinational mining corporations.

The ancestral lands are considered sacred by the Lumads as the origin of their lives and the place where they lost everything.

Bishop Ciriaco Q. Francisco calls for the church to oppose militarization affecting the Lumads.

Military and paramilitary forces are driving the Lumad people from their ancestral lands into evacuation centers.

700 people are crowded into a 3-acre evacuation center in Davao City, highlighting the dire conditions.

Evacuation centers cannot replace the sustainable farms and communities the Lumads had, causing sadness and displacement.

Community leaders have been extrajudicially executed, and refugee encampments have been attacked.

Indigenous schools are being shut down in favor of mainstream education that disregards Lumad traditions.

Children are denied education about their heritage and are being exploited and mistreated.

Lando Dalin, a 9th grader, walked five hours to demand an end to attacks on Lumad schools and teachers.

The children sing about their fight for survival and the desire to return to their community.

Lovely Coquille expresses the wish to return to the community and the anger of parents over land theft.

Salvador Malana, III questions how a Lumad can fight against a big corporation.

Israel Painit emphasizes the church's role in amplifying the Lumads' struggle and responding to their cries.

Lovely Coquilla describes the unhappiness of living in a city far from their parents and community.