Si Rep. Castro at ang mga Lumad

Binatikos ni Minority Leader at ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro ang ginawang diumano’y pag-atake at ilegal na pagpasok ng Alamara paramilitary group sa United Church of Christ in the Philippines Haran compound, Davao City, kung saan ang Lumad communities ay umalis at humingi ng masisilungan.

Binanatan din ni Castro,  ang mga opisyal ng kapulisan na pinayagan umano ang mga paramilitary group na umatake sa UCCP Haran at sa mga Lumad evacuee.

“We vehemently condemn in the strongest possible terms the attack of the Alamara paramilitary group against UCCP Haran and the Lumad evacuees. The paramilitary group Alamara forcibly entered UCCP Haran and tore down the wall protecting the sanctuary area of some 500 Lumad evacuees, the attack against Lumad communities seeking refuge in the church compound is a result of the continued red-tagging of UCCP Haran from the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict from President Duterte’s Executive Order 70. The illegal entry of these paramilitary groups came days after the regional Peace and Order Council issued a resolution demanding for the closure of the church compound. These are the same paramilitary groups carrying bolos and bows and arrows who harassed us when we tried to rescue Lumad students in Talaingod in 2018 which led to the police filing trumped up charges against us.”tirada ni Castro.

“UCCP Haran has been known for opening its doors to Lumad evacuees who seek refuge from the intensified militarization of their ancestral lands since 1994. The government is so quick to attack and harass organizations and the people who open their doors to protect victims of state terrorism. These paramilitary groups have instilled fear among Lumad communities and led them to evacuate and seek refuge far from their ancestral lands and now continue to attack them in their newfound sanctuary.” dagdag ni Castro.

Ayon sa ulat, ang mga paramilitary groups ay nakapasok sa church compound sa tulong diumano ng mga kapulisan na dapat managot sa ginawang pag-atake na dapat ang gobierno ang nagbibigay proteksyon sa mga pobreng alindahaw.

“Sapilitan na ngang pinaalis ang mga Lumad sa kanilang mga lupang ninuno dahil sa matinding militarisasyon sa kanilang komunidad at humanap ng pansamantalang kanlungan sa UCCP Haran, patuloy pa rin silang itinataboy ng Gobyerno at inaatake ng mga paramilitar sa tulong na rin ng lokal na pamahalaan at pulis,hindi kailanman magiging solusyon sa ugat ng kahirapan ang patuloy at tumitinding pandarahas laban sa mamamayang Pilipino. Sa katunayan, lalo lamang nitong pinapahirapan ang mamamayang Pilipino sa pagpatay sa kanilang buhay at kabuhayan.” banat ni Castro.