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Remember Mendiola Massacre

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The 21 years of Mendiola Massacre’s memories, where 13 farmers died right in the middle of a mass mobilization remind the whole nation of the ruthless practices of the state to quell the people’s legitimate demands and aspirations for social equality.

“The injustices suffered by our Filipino farmers in the hands of the country’s past regimes have only worsened under the bogus and fascist presidency of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo,” Anakpawis southern mindanao spokesperson Editha ‘Inday’ Duterte said highlighting Gloria Arroyo’s thousand victims of political killings where 54% of it are innocent farmers.
 
Duterte added that Gloria Arroyo’s assumption of presidency through EDSA II is a reminder of her betrayal of the people’s trust and the Filipino farmers’ longstanding fight for genuine agrarian reform.
 
“The Arroyo administration had only magnified landlord exploitation with its intensified implementation of the sham Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program,” Duterte said.
 
Duterte also lambasted the proposal to extend CARP for another ten years stating the paltry, if not token, land distributions it had created for the past 19 years since its implementation.
 
“The fact remains that while the like of Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac owned by the Cojuanco’s remains untouched, 7 out of 10 farmers remain landless while CARP beneficiaries are being threatened of land confiscation,” Duterte added.
 
 
“More dangerously, Filipino farmers may lose control of over a million hectares of farmland under the agreements that the Arroyo administration has entered through JPEPA and the RP-China farm deals,” Duterte stressed.
 
“Such deals are possible to lead to the re-concentration of lands under the control of multinational and transnational corporations in which land distributed under land reform programs will be reverted to landlords,” Duterte explained.
 
Past experience has shown that arrangements wherein farmers are asked to enter into production and marketing tie-ups with agri-business corporations lead not only to farmers losing control of their lands, but losing ownership altogether.

Duterte also cited the Sumilao farmers’ case which remains unanswered by the Arroyo government. “Such concern is a manifestation of CARP’s inefficiency as a resolve for land conflicts between farmers and corporate interests,” Duterte added
 
“The Filipino farmers’ claim for land ownership is achievable only with the creation of a genuine land reform which will extend in giving subsidies for farm capitalization and sustenance,” Duterte raised.

For reference:  
Editha ‘Inday’ Duterte
Anakpawis Southern Mindanao Spokesperson
Regional Office: 558-8 Sacred Heart Apartment, Veloso St. , Bo. Obrero, Davao City
Tel. # : (082) 305-4962 Email Ad: anakpawis_smr@yahoo.com
 

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