Lumad School in Surigao Persists Amid Continuing Threats

Published on November 7, 2009

Continuing Threats

The look on the faces of the students reveal their anxiety every time they get news of soldiers operating near their communities and school.

On September 29 and 30, families of Logdeck and 18 families of Magkahunaw communities evacuated again when the military conducted operations again in their communities. The residents reported that the soldiers were forcing them to join the Task Force Gantangan -Bagani Force and were harassing villagers. They sought sanctuary in the communities near ALCADEV while the MAPASU organization facilitated their stay and provided them with farm lots where they can continue planting despite the displacement. Most of these families are parents of ALCADEV students.

On September 22, an ALCADEV student tasked to do the marketing in Diatagon was harassed at the military checkpoint, where a soldier of the 36th IB interrogated her for eight minutes. The soldier even took a photo of her despite her refusal. Because of fear, she did not give her real name when the military asked to sign in their logbook. This, however, was not an isolated case. Several teachers who were bringing in rice bought in bulk to feed the students still get badgered by soldiers at the checkpoint.

Although the surrounding Lumad communities of MAPASU areas are again in an unstable condition due to the continuous military operations by the 58th and 36th IB, students and parents show more efforts in creating economic sustainability amid the difficulty brought by the evacuation.

ALCADEV trained the students as channels to their communities to introduce agricultural knowledge and skills to their parents, which they can use to better cultivate and develop their farmlands. In a school meeting on October 5, parents updated the school staff and personnel with the progress of the community’s agricultural activities after the evacuation. With the school as their venue for their communal sharing of knowledge and experience, they appear, for a while, to forget the unstable conditions in their communities.

Inspite of this, holistic formation continues in ALCADEV to pursue its aim of assisting the indigenous youth and their parents in fulfilling the Lumad’s aspirations for an education that responds to their needs, for enriching their culture, and developing and protecting their ancestral lands. (Posted by Bulatlat.com)

Marife Magbanua is the executive director of ALCADEV.

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