#kababayan4change

[anakbayanlb]

Can't come to LAKAD but still wanna get involved in the Peace Tour? We have 2 other events happening this weekend that you can make it out to, a peace forum on Thursday night at Rosewood UMC in LA and an action outside the Philippine consulate on Friday night! Come and rise for peace in the Philippines! #justpeaceph #kababayan4change #lakad4peace

[elteodoro]

'There has been a general assault in the last 25 years on solidarity, democracy, social welfare, anything that interferes with private power, and there are many targets. One of the targets is undoubtedly the educational system... If you want to "regiment the minds of men just as an army regiments their bodies," you’ve got to undermine these subversive notions of mutual support, solidarity, sympathy, caring for other people, and so on and so forth. The attack on public education is one example... And you know what that means. All of these are part of the general effort, I think, to create a socio-economic order which is under the control of private concentrated power. It shows up all over the place.' Adapted from Chomsky, Noam. 'Assaulting Solidarity - Privatizing Education, May 2000. MARCH 4 EDUCATION ACTION PLAN: please join @anakbayanusa and @anakbayany alongside various national formations in the #TakeBackOurEducation campaign on MARCH 4TH, 2017. Youth and students across the U.S. will hold actions and teach-ins to demand the following: (1) Redirect funds for military spending towards public education (2) Unseat Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education (3) Channel funding into public education towards free, quality, and accessible education for all, not towards “school choice” (4) Protect undocumented students and the undocumented community. Join our fight against the privatization of education #PeopleFirstNotProfitAndWar #OpposeDeVos #DefendLilManila #Kababayan4change #JustPeacePH #ServeThePeople #NoDAPL

[fuckyeahmarxismleninism]

New York City: March4Education

Saturday, March 4 - 9:00 am to 3:00 pm

Join Anakbayan New York in the Filipino Youth and Student Contingent in the March4Education!

The time is ripe to rebel! With the worsening social and economic crisis, we must seize the time to organize for resistance! Anakbayan New York will participate in #March4Education alongside various national formationsas a part of Anakbayan-USA's national #TakeBackOurEducation campaign! Youth and students across the U.S. will hold actions and teach-ins to demand the following: (1) Redirect funds for military spending towards public education (2) Unseat Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education (3) Channel funding into public education towards free, quality, and accessible education for all, not towards “school choice” (4) Protect undocumented students and the undocumented community. Join our fight against the privatization of education! #PeopleFirstNotProfitAndWar #OpposeDeVos #DefendLilManila #Kababayan4change #JustPeacePH #ServeThePeople #NoDAPL

[anakbayaneastbay]

Fact Finding Mission at Fort Magsaysay

For Immediate Release:

September 27,2016

Reference: Roberta Ryan, Secretary General, robertaruthryan@gmail.com

Anakbayan East Bay strongly condemns the brutal massacre of four unarmed farmers at Fort Magsaysay Military Reservation (FMMR) at Nueva Ecija, Philippines.

On September 3, 2016, over 40 farmers entered Lot 28 of FMMR to participate in bungkalan or collective farming as a part of the organization Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid na Nagkakaisa 3100 (ALMANA), which roughly translated means Alliance of United Farmers. At 2:30PM, the first gunshot was heard, followed by 30 minutes to an hour of continuous shooting. The farmers scattered and ran. The first casualty was Eligio Barbado, who was shot and fell off the roof of a hut as he attempted to escape. After the shooting ended, members of ALMANA accounted for one another and found that 3 farmers were missing. Sisters Baby Mercado and Violeta Mercado and Gaudencio Bagalay were found huddled underneath a bed in a hut. Their bodies were unrecognizable: 21 gunshot wounds were found in one victim, several exit wounds, arms and limbs detached from the bodies. 3 of the victims were new recruits, and it had been their first day to farm on the land.

On September 12, 2016, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) and Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid ng Gitnang Luzon (AMGL) organized a fact finding mission to validate details of the incident, collect history of the land and human rights violations, assess immediate needs of the survivors, and show solidarity and support for the victims. Over 20 participants from regional, national, and international organizations interviewed survivors of the massacre and families of victims and investigated the scene of the crime. These are the findings and observations generated by the delegation.

HISTORY OF AGRARIAN DISPUTE (See KMP statement for further details): Since 1993, the farmers have advocated for the land to be distributed among the farmers. After the eruption of Mount Pinatubo, 3,100 hectares (Lots 18, 23, 28, and 29) of Fort Magsaysay (73,000 hectares total) was granted to the surviving farmers. Farmers organized themselves and formed ALMANA, in an advanced system under which farmers can apply and get approved to farm on a plot of land. Farmers must be able to till their plot of land and not yet own land. New ALMANA recruits are oriented on the risks of the area, given the long history of harassment. Under the bogus Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), the farmers of Fort Magsaysay legally own the land. However, landgrabbers, including the military, politicians, and bureaucrat capitalists, and their goons have harassed farmers and demolished/divested property. Survivors testified that men entered the hut of landgrabber and suspected perpetrator Colonel Rigor the night before the massacre. The first gunshot was heard from Rigor's hut. After the massacre, goons blocked off the area of the incident so that farmers could not enter then went to Rigor's hut. Landgrabber, Marcos crony, and suspected perpetrator Cuevas owns nearby resorts and a mini zoo and plans to build a resort at Lot 29. Areas are fenced off with signs that say "No Trespassing," on the land that rightfully belongs to farmers of ALMANA.

HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS: Farmers at Fort Magsaysay have long suffered harassment and surveillance, escalating to the systematic and brutal killings on September 3. In January 2015, huts were torched and burned down. In March 2016, farmers heard indiscriminate firing. More recently in July 2016, someone was shot. They have recovered and are currently out of the hospital. In mid August 2016, the month leading up to the massacre, farmers were harassed by Col. Rigor's goons and caretaker (from notes: surprise visit, 4 others confront surprise "tungkol"). On August 26, farmers heard 2 gunshots at 9:00PM and 9:30PM. Before the massacre on September 3, survivors allegedly heard a helicopter that may have transported weaponry or goons. The state of the bodies and bullet shells found demonstrates the excessive brutality with which the victims were killed. They were shot in excess with long rifles at close range.

GOVERNMENT RESPONSE: Local government and state authorities have not responded to or acted on the massacre. Possible connivance is suspected. On the day of the massacre, Palayan PNP arrived at 4pm at the nearby army bunkhouse but did not enter the premise, claiming it was not within their jurisdiction. Laur PNP arrived at 5PM but did not enter, claiming it was raining too hard. The bodies were retrieved by the state at 11PM, meaning they were laying out for at least 8 hours. The fact finding mission delegation visited the nearby 7th infantry division bunkhouse during the mission, inquiring a statement or response. The representative stated that if the perpetrators were connected to Colonel Rigor, they would not do anything because it would not be within their jurisdiction.

TAMPERING OF EVIDENCE & SURVEILLANCE: Houses were destroyed, including the houses where the bodies were found. Homes of survivors were ransacked. While it was reported that victims had as many as 21 gunshot wounds, only 6 bullet shells total were found. The delegation noted being followed on the road on the way to the fact finding mission and binoculars from Col. Rigor's hut.

CONTINUED HARASSMENT AND DISPOSITION OF SURVIVORS: Survivors reported that unidentified military personnel visited wounded victims in the hospital and families of victims in their homes, in a continuation of harassment and intimidation. Families who lived and worked at Lot 28 are not able to return to the site of the massacre out of trauma and have fled to a nearby community. There is a high need for psychosocial, legal, and medical assistance.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Launch an immediate and independent investigation to be done by a special body.

Assertion of the farmers' right to till and the genuine distribution of the disputed 3,100 hectares of land at Fort Magsaysay.

Further organizing, consolidating, and strengthening ALMANA.

Pursue legal redress and the persecution of perpetrators.

Further assistance from organizations: livelihood, medical, psychosocial, legal.

Pursue dialogues with relevant governmental departments.

Condemn the inaction of the 7th infantry division and perpetuation of impunity.

Disband and disarm all paramilitary groups and private armies.

Liberation in the Philippines is rooted in our collective right to the land. Our right to exist peacefully, to have our basic needs met, to defend ourselves against harassment, intimidation, and death by corporations and the state.

Stop killing our farmers!

Disband private armies!

End the culture of impunity!

Land to the tillers!

Justice for the victims of Fort Magsaysay Massacre!  

[anakbayanlb]

3 Days Left until Lakad 5k for Peace! Folks can still do regular registration for $30/person or $25/per person for a team with 10 participants minimum! Please send a donation today! 🕊Did You Know?🕊 One of the alliances that is cosponsoring the event, ICHRP SoCal (International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines) is a network of organizations who are concerned about the human rights situation in the Philippines and working towards justice and peace. ICHRP has chapters in San Francisco, New York, and worldwide! Please like the ICHRP SoCal Facebook page or visit www.humanrightsphilippines.net for more info! #lakad4peace #justpeaceph #kababayan4change

[anakbayanlb]

7 Days Left until LAKAD 5K for Peace! Early Registration is now closed but you can still do regular registration for $30/person individually or $25/person for teams (minimum 10 people). Sign up now! #lakad4peace #justpeaceph #kababayan4change . . . 🕊Did You Know?🕊 Last year when we hosted the first ever annual LAKAD 5K walk-a-thon fundraiser, we raised over $6,000 to create a water system for a Lumad indigenous community in Mindanao, Philippines. Join us in our goal this year to raise $10,000 for Salugpongan Lumad schools for the youth and students!

[anakbayanlb]

Thank you @kabaatuci for letting us guest speak at your annual KabaKon gathering ☺️ Much love and solidarity to UCI students who are down to support the Lumad indigenous struggle and promote peace in the Philippines! Join us for our Lakad 5K walk-a-thon fundraiser this April 29th to learn more and raise money for the Salugpongan schools in Mindanao! Register at tinyurl.com/Lakad5K2017 #kababayan4change #justpeaceph #lakad4peace (at University of California, Irvine)

[elteodoro]

Hella tired, but N30 today was agit AF. Thank you @ossianmendoza @amandaleeart @amillustrator for collaborating with me and turning up for @anakbayanny on such a special occasion. #educationisahumanright #kababayan4change #defendlilmanila #servethepeople #revolutiongo #justpeaceph #newyorkcity

[anakbayanlb]

Kabataan 4 peace! #justpeaceph #kababayan4change (at Karl Anatol Center)

[elteodoro]

Attention NY FOLKS!! Come celebrate N30 with @anakbayanny on: This Saturday, Dec. 3rd at Hunter College Thomas Hunter 105 / 695 Park Ave, New York 10065. Get hyped and agit as we celebrate our strong Filipino heritage with the youth here in the US. More details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/958938684210372/?ti=icl @ossianmendoza @autumnmorg @amillustrator@blackwolf1977 @decolonizethisplace @nycsjp @gabrielanewyork @anakbayannj // #educationisahumanright #kababayan4change #revolutiongo #justpeaceph #newyorkcity #repost // And if y'all like good local music, revolution-inspired art, Filipino food, connecting with down-to-earth people and want to organize later, or all of the above then definitely come through this weekend. // Collab Promo animation with @ossianmendoza // http://www.ossianmendoza.com/ Collab Art with @amandaleeart // http://www.amanda-lee-art.com/

[elteodoro]

N30 // ANAKBAYAN NY Anniversary Celebration DEC 3RD, 2016 // Event details: https://www.facebook.com/events/958938684210372/?ti=icl // @ossianmendoza & EL collaboration // See more of his work: http://www.ossianmendoza.com // @amandaleeart @autumnmorg @blackwolf1977 @amillustrator @anakbayanny // #educationisahumanright #kababayan4change #revolutiongo #justpeaceph #newyorkcity #huntercollege