Lumad Electoral Consultation Successfully Held in Maguindanao

MindanaOne-Maguindanao Province Chapter held a successful Lumad Electoral Consultation last 17^th of March 2016 at Tuladan Center, Sitio Kefengfeng, Upi, Maguindanao. It was attended by more than 50 clan and community leaders of Teduray and Lambangian tribes from all over Maguindanao province.

The consultation discussed the situation of the Lumads in the province and on how to engage the 2016 National and Local elections in the country for the benefit of the tribes and communities.

These are the following key agenda agreed during the consultation:

       1.  Full support to Delineation of the Ancestral Domains

    2.  Fulfillment of Indigenous Peoples’ Rights

a.       Recognition and Full Inclusion of IP Rights in all Peace Processes and Agreements between the government and revolutionary fronts;

b.      the implementation of the proposals of the Transitional Justice and Reconciliation Committee of the GPH-MILF Peace Talks;

c.       Implementation of Indigenous Peoples Rights Act in Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM);

d.      Implementation of Muslim Mindanao Act 241 (IP Rights Law in ARMM)

e.       Recognition of the Indigenous Peoples Structures and Organizations’ Key Role in electing Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative in Local Government Units;

    3.   Promotion of Ecological Justice and Care and standing against Development Aggressions;

  4. Justice for the Killings and Harassment of IP leaders and communities standing for rights and environment.

    5. Access to Social Services without discrimination.

The support to candidates in the local, regional and national posts in the May 2016 elections will be based on the above-mentioned agenda.

The consultation also resolved to support and campaign for Partido Manggagawa (PM) Partylist and independent Senatorial candidate Walden Bello after the deliberations and review of PM and Walden Bello’s track records.

“Both Partido Manggagawa and Walden Bello stood with us in bringing our assertions at the national level and their consistencies in standing for rights of every poor, women, workers, minority nationality member like us made us decide to campaign for them. We need them in the legislative struggles,” said Ludz Marcelino, a Teduray community leader.

“We are also supporting a member of our tribe aspiring for a seat in the Maguindanao Provincial Council representing the First District in the person of Santos Magay Unsad. We need a representative in the council but not exclusive only for the Lumads concerns but for all marginalized constituents of the province” Mr Marcelino added.

Teduray, Lambangian, Dulangan Manobo and other tribes inside and outside ARMM have been faced with multiple problems from their ancestral domain claims to human rights and environment. Common to Lumads or Indigenous People tribes is the connection of their existence to their Ancestral Lands and environment.

“We knew that, election is the arena of the well-connected and well-fueled candidates but we have to make our voices be known to all every time,” said Norena Suenan, the IP Committee head.

“Election remains popular and we can maximize election to push for IP rights” she added.

At the same time, the consultation appealed to all voters in the country to include their agenda and issues in making decisions in the coming May 2016 elections.

To note, Maguindanao IP electorates are to vote for the candidates for the regional posts of the Autonomous Region.