Today, December 30, 2024, marks the fourth year since the Tumandok Massacre, where nine (9) Tumandok leaders were brutally killed, and 16 others were unjustly arrested during a joint police and military operation in Tapaz, Capiz, and Calinog, Iloilo. These individuals were targeted for their vocal opposition to destructive projects such as the Jalaur and Pan-ay Mega Dams, which threaten to displace their communities and desecrate their ancestral lands.
The massacre remains a glaring example of the state’s use of violence to suppress dissent. Under the guise of counterinsurgency programs like the Retooled Community Support Program (RCSP) and the operations of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), Indigenous leaders were red-tagged, their communities militarized, and their legitimate resistance criminalized. The use of fraudulent Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) processes further enabled these violations.
This massacre, along with others such as the Bloody Sunday killings, demonstrates the Duterte administration's culpability in perpetuating systemic violence against Indigenous Peoples and activists. Rodrigo Duterte must be held accountable for these crimes against humanity, which underline the need for justice and redress. However, the violence has not ceased under the Bongbong Marcos administration, which continues to support militarization and counterinsurgency operations targeting Indigenous communities.
Katribu Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas demands the immediate cessation of all military and police operations in Tumandok territories and other Indigenous communities. We call for:
1. Justice for the victims of the Tumandok Massacre and other state-sponsored atrocities.
2. The abolition of the NTF-ELCAC and the repeal of the Anti-Terrorism Law, which have enabled human rights violations.
3. The accountability of the Marcos Jr. administration for perpetuating systemic violence and repression.
The Tumandok Massacre remains a powerful reminder of the urgent need to uphold Indigenous Peoples’ rights to land and self-determination. As we enter another year, we renew our calls: Justice for the Tumandok Massacre victims! Jail Rodrigo Duterte! Hold the Marcos Jr. administration accountable! Stop the attacks against Indigenous Peoples!
Reference:
Beverly Longid
KATRIBU National Convener
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