[imc-qc] News - Reflections from PREDA and Fr. Shay Cullen, Philippines # 155

[PREDA Information Office]

Killing of poor farmers typify the Philippine social injustice
(republishing, copying, no restrictions)
By: Father Shay Cullen

Striking Filipino agriculture workers, including two small children were 
killed when police and military opened fire during a strike at a sugar 
plantation in Tarlac, Central Luzon. It typifies the situation in the 
Philippines. The vast Hacienda Luisita owned by one of the most powerful 
and wealthiest families were gunned without compassion or mercy. They were 
protesting injustice and demanding land reform.

It highlights all that is wrong with the Philippines, massive wealth and 
crushing poverty side by side. A few wealthy elite perhaps two hundred 
families have more land, assets and money between them, some 70 percent of 
the national wealth, according to some estimates, than the rest of the 84 
million Filipinos together.

Is it any wonder that millions have fled to the slums and streets of the 
cities their children begging and living in cartons, or are pimped to 
brothels to satisfy the rich? Those Filipinos with education and skills 
have fled abroad to escape the social injustice, low wages and abysmal 
unemployment. The protest at Hacienda Luisita was because of low wages, 
land rights and the harsh working conditions on the vast feudal like estate.

Protests are on the rise again. In Chile, at the APEC summit meeting 
thousands demonstrated last week to highlight these very same issues. The 
social injustice that leaves millions suffering hunger while the elite 
wallow in sumptuous wealth and luxury cannot be ignored. The APEC summit of 
the rich nations that are held responsible for the global inequality, 
agriculture subsidies, unfair trade policies and the old age oppression of 
the poor is epitomised by George W. Bush and his cronies. It may sound like 
a well-worn cliche, it is, but nevertheless true and we need constant 
reminding that is the way it is.

It is so sad that in this terrible killing of farmers in the Philippines 
where the military and police opened fire on demonstrators without 
restraint or tolerance happened on the huge land holdings of the 
Cojuangco-Aquino families. The late Benigno Aquino, the martyred husband of 
former president Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino is turning in his grave as his 
son in embroiled in this fiasco. When he was assassinated by the cronies of 
the Dictator Ferdinand Marcos, his wife Corazon Conjuangco-Aquino came to 
prominence and led a peoples Power movement in 1986 to topple the tyrant.

She had the power the opportunity and the moral enlightenment to initiate a 
powerful agrarian reform programme but she was assailed by military coup 
attempts backed by vested business and landed interests and got now here 
with land reform.

The great Spanish-Filipino families were allowed to continue owning the 
land and industry (with American partners) during the American colonial 
administration (1899 to 1945). Today they remain in the seats of power. 
They form family dynasties and clans, forge interlocking directorates in 
industry by marriage and alliances and do political battle with each other 
over the presidency congress and senate.

With the levers of power in hand they legislate, approve appointments, give 
themselves huge funds for pet projects and generally act to befit 
themselves and their cronies. They place family members in the police and 
military where corruption is equally prevalent and they are only too ready 
to suppress protest and unrest.

The greater public good is at the bottom of the agenda if they're at all. 
Education, health, social services are in the dumps. Schoolbooks are, by 
law provided by private suppliers and are found full of inaccuracies. Huge 
profits are made from this junk.

Unless this strangle hold of dynastic driven corruption is broken there can 
be no end to the corruption, oppression and poverty. Small changes and 
improvements can be made to the operation of government by international 
bodies and local non-government agencies pushing for good governance but 
they are fleas on an rogue elephant's back.

While the families of the striking sugar plantation workers bury their 
dead, including two small children, and dress their wounds, there is little 
hope that the blood will change anything other than harden the hearts of 
the wealthy elite and blame militants for the bloodshed.

Instead of genuine land reform, the hacienda in Tarlac was reorganised into 
a corporation with shares held by the workers. The impoverished workers say 
this is a sham, yet most farmers working in the hacienda either out of 
fear, intimidation or debts vote with the major stockholders who are in 
fact still the de facto owners.

Congressman Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III the son of much admired former 
president says he will abide by the vote of the majority. Jigs Clamora 
spokesperson for human rights organisations under the banner of KARAPATAN 
Alliance for the Advancement of Human Rights said: "Obviously, the striking 
workers have no gainful employment and are not receiving equal pay and the 
Hacienda Luisita have not met their workers' needs. We understand that this 
is what impelled them to go on strike. We also call for an impartial 
investigation and justice for the victims of human rights violations 
committed by the AFP and PNP. They must be held accountable for this 
dastardly act." To that we can only say, "Amen".[End]

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