AN international group of lawyers from more than 20 countries denounced the police attack against thousands of farmers in Kidapawan on April 1, saying it violates international human rights treaties that the Philippines has committed to uphold.
The International Association of Democratic Lawyers, a non-governmental organization with consultative status in the United Nations, also criticized President Aquino for his silence over the attack, which signifies that he tacitly supports the illegal police action.
“The actions of the Filipino police violate the rights to life and to be free from arbitrary detention enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; and the right to food guaranteed by the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,” IADL said through its president, Jeanne Mirrer.
On April 1, police armed with M-16 rifles broke up a four-day blockade by about 6,000 farmers on the Cotabato-Davao highway, killing two protesters.
The farmers had gathered to press the government into giving them food aid amid a five-month drought that had left them and their families hungry.
Some 116 people from both sides were hurt, and about 78 farmers were arrested and detained.
Some 3,000 others sought refuge in a Methodist Church, which was quickly surrounded by heavily armed police.
The international lawyers group reminded Philippine authorities that the 1990 United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials provides that law enforcement officials may only use arms under stringent conditions and only when strictly necessary. Under the 1985 Philippine Public Assembly Act, the carrying, use and discharge of firearms by members of any law enforcement agency in a public assembly is prohibited.
“The attack against unarmed civilians also violates the 1998 Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Law, to which the Philippine government is a party,” the IADL said.
“These illegal police actions are tacitly supported by President Benigno Simeon Aquino III, as exemplified by his silence on the matter,” the group added.
IADL called on the Philippine government to indicate immediately its unequivocal support for the Human Rights Council Resolution; to release immediately those being arbitrarily detained; and to bring all those responsible to justice.
The group also recognized the work of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers, its Philippine affiliate in working with the farmers and lumad to obtain justice and accountability for the violence against them and their communities.
The international aid group Oxfam, meanwhile, called on the government to provide immediate and adequate food and livelihood assistance to affected farmers and their families, especially in the hardest-hit areas of Mindanao.
“In times of crisis, the most vulnerable must be supported and protected, and therefore, Oxfam decries the use of force against the drought-stricken farmers,” said Jermaine Bayas, Oxfam’s DRR and emergency preparedness and response coordinator.
Oxfam had earlier warned about the impending disaster and the threat of food insecurity in areas that were projected to be hardest hit by the strong El Niño. To date, as many as 135,000 families are already affected across the country, 95 percent of which are in Mindanao.
“At this point when food and water relief is essential, a long-term view must also be taken. Evidence of the economic impact must be collected and analyzed, so that a timely response continues beyond the food packs, towards how farmers and fishers can recover their livelihoods and incomes in the next six to 12 months,” Bayas said. “We have a very small window to prepare to meet the needs of the people in a timely manner.”
Oxfam, together with its partner civil society groups, has been supporting communities to prepare for and adapt to climate-related events for the last five years in 10 municipalities in Mindanao.
During the forum held in Koronadal, farmers said they were first advised about El Niño in October 2015 when the local agricultural office went around the different villages in the municipality. Four months later, many farmers suffered crop damage as a result of lack of rain and rat infestation. Since then, they have not been able to plant anything.
“This is the first time in my life I’ve experienced anything like this. There’s no food around—nothing. There are no agents who lend money. All the water sources have dried up. Everyone is struggling so we can’t even ask our neighbors for help. We had to sell our carabao six months ago because we absolutely had nothing. It’s the worst we’ve ever seen,” said Maceda Sibya, 36, from Pigcawayan, North Cotabato, while holding back tears.
“Coming here is not just about me and my family. It’s about my village, my community. Everyone depends on the land like I do. We need action now, not tomorrow, and that’s why I’m here,” Sibya added.
The Koronadal forum, entitled “ El Niño- and Climate Financing: Assessing National and Local Readiness” was the second in a series of fora sponsored by Oxfam and UP-Center for Local and Regional Governance.