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More killings feared in wake of Aquino’s support for paramilitary deployment in mining areas

Thursday, October 20, 2011

 More killings feared in wake of Aquino’s support for paramilitary deployment in mining areas

The government remains blind to everything except the money that it gets from the mining firms – but this money is tainted with our blood; and no amount of money can ever compensate for the loss of our slain tribal leaders who fought for our rights to our own lands.”

By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
Bulatlat.com

MANILA – In the immediate aftermath of President Benigno Aquino III’s decision to support the call of the military to deploy paramilitary groups in mining areas, leaders and members of indigenous groups have sounded the alarm over the worsening militarization in their communities.

Last October 11, six leading members of the indigenous people’s organization Linundigan in Agusan del Sur went into hiding after feeling extremely threatened by members of paramilitary forces. The six individuals said they have strong reasons to believe that their lives are in danger and that they are targets of a possible attack by the paramilitary group Salakawan (“enforcer of all laws” in the local dialect). Their group has chapters in the villages of Sinakongan, Agsabo, Kinamaybay, Bakingking, Maasin and San Jose, all within the municipality of Esperanza in Agusan del Sur.

Earlier in August, some 23 other individuals from the area, including their families, were also forced to go into hiding because of threats from the paramilitary group.

According to Linundigan, its officials and members are being targeted by Salakawan.

Only last June 30, the group’s director Arpe Belayong and his nephew Solte San-ogan, a 21-year old deaf mute, were killed by elements of Salakawan. Belayong was reportedly killed because of his refusal to sign a document on ancestral domain. His signature was needed so loggers could start operations within their ancestral domain.

Belayong’s children, Michelle Belayong, 14, and Adeb Belayong, four years old, were also injured in the attack, sustaining gunshot wounds in the back. Belayong’s widow Maysee and her children were forced to leave their former home. In a report by human rights group Karapatan, the Salakawan members involved in the attack were armed with a garand M1, M14 and carbine rifles. Seen among them was a man known to be a member of the security detail of Mayor Nida Manpatilan, wife of former Mayor Deo Manpatilan..... MORE

SourceBulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2011/10/20/more-killings-feared-in-wake-of-aquino%e2%80%99s-support-for-paramilitary-deployment-in-mining-areas/

1 comment

Jesusa Bernardo said...

hindi ba masama ang pumatay ng walang laban o ng walang naman talagang kasalanan kundi mag.ingay para protektahan ang kapaligiran at kalusugan (laban sa pinsalang dulot ng pagmimina)? bakit ganito militar natin? sarili ninyong lahi naman....

"Last October 11, six leading members of the indigenous people’s organization Linundigan in Agusan del Sur went into hiding after feeling extremely threatened by members of paramilitary forces. The six individuals said they have strong reasons to believe that their lives are in danger and that they are targets of a possible attack by the paramilitary group Salakawan (“enforcer of all laws” in the local dialect). Their group has chapters in the villages of Sinakongan, Agsabo, Kinamaybay, Bakingking, Maasin and San Jose, all within the municipality of Esperanza in Agusan del Sur."

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