links: http://www.afp.mil.ph/index.php/8-afp-news/460-on-the-alleged-militarization-of-lumad-communities
On the alleged militarization of Lumad communities
The Armed Forces of the Philippines
categorically denies the militarization of Lumad communities in Mindanao
and the alleged attacks on the rights of Indigenous Peoples (IP)
camping in the University of the Philippines. These allegations by Bayan
Muna Representative Carlos Zarate follows the same rethoric they had in
2015 and covers up the exploitation of the Lumad by left-leaning
groups.
The AFP’s presence in IP communities has
always been in response to the presence of armed NPAs as reported by
Lumad leaders. It is the NPA who have militarized these areas by setting
up camps and by using Lumad schools for indoctrinating, agitating, and
recruiting new cadres.
This has been corroborated by an
Affidavit of Unified Declaration of Tribal Leaders of Talaingod, Davao
Del Norte submitted by Lumad leaders who condemned the abuses and
exploitation done by left-leaning organizations in the UCCP-Haran
incident, where the Lumads lived in horrid conditions in 2015.
Testimonies from former NPA recruits, test papers from Lumad Schools run
by left-leaning organizations, and photos of operations against NPAs
also debunk the aforesaid claims of Representative Zarate.
We condemn any action that use the
Lumads for propaganda against the government. This UCCP Haran incident
in 2015 is unacceptable as these actions endanger the lives of Lumads,
particularly their women and children, and disrupt their way of life.
Rest assured that the AFP will not stop
in proactively seeking solutions through continuous dialogues with local
leaders, government agencies, and non-government organizations to
ensure that the rights of the Lumads are protected from exploitation and
violence perpetrated by the New People’s Army and its front
organizations. @@@
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