The organisation Migrante Australia said it is outraged by the vicious attack committed by the police In Manila, Philippines on an otherwise peaceful protest action by various indigenous groups in the Philippines and their supporters at the US Embassy.
Migrante said the Manila rallyists were calling for an end to the presence of US troops – scrapping of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) and other unequal treaties with the US, and an end to the US-instigated Oplan Bayanihan. It was also a show of support for President Duterte’s independent foreign policy.
The statement was handed by a protest group led Migrante Australia Chairperson Mr.George Kotzakis and Campaign Coordinator Lina Cabaero,
“ Even with instructions from President Duterte (who was in China when the violent dispersal happened).”to exercise maximum tolerance when policing rallies,” the statement said,” the police water cannoned, teargassed, truncheoned and most horrifyingly, used a police van to repeatedly run-over protesters. Colonel Marcelo Pedrozo chose to “not to lose face” with US Embassy officials by ordering his men to attack those who were merely exercising their right to peaceful assembly. Such dereliction of duty is contemptible!
According to Migrabnte, the Manila rally was part of the ongoing Pambansang Lakbayan ng mga Pambansang Minorya (National Indigenous Peoples’ March) 2016, a mobilization for the defence of land, the environment and human rights. The indigenous peoples are in Manila to draw attention to the continuing killings and militarization of their communities in their ancestral lands.
The indigenous peoples were at the forefront of the rally for a reason – they bear witness to the brutal military operations under the US-initiated Oplan Bayanihan. They have direct experience of US military presence and intervention. In Mindanao, lumad ancestral lands have been devastated by operations of foreign mining companies., Migrante said.
“Oplan Bayanihan protects these companies against opposition by the lumads by forcibly evacuating communities, closing down schools and assassinating lumad leaders. The unprovoked attack on the protesting lumads and their supporters was an attack to the right to self determination of indigenous peoples.
“It was also in defiance of President Duterte’s support, respect and understanding of the plight of the lumads of Mindanao. It is possibly also be a deliberate move to cast a shadow on the ongoing peace talks in the Philippines.
Migrante added, “There was no need whatsoever to exercise brute force on the peaceful rally. The police should serve and protect the Filipino people’s interests. The police should not stop the Filipino people from exercising their right to freely express their opinion and their right to assemble. But no, the police acted with such impunity! We call on President Duterte to investigate and punish the Philippine National Police officials and personnel responsible for the brutal dispersal.
Migrante continued,”We also call on President Duterte to heed the call of indigenous peoples to immediately halt and withdraw Oplan Bayanihan or any other counter-insurgency program. We call for an end to police brutality. Justice for the indigenous peoples of the Philippines! Respect and uphold their right to self determination!”