Metro Manila-based youth peace advocates group Kalinaw Youth Network and Manila Youth Act Now announced the cancellation of the ‘Paskuhang Bakwit’ this December due to hazards presented by the existing and the extension of Martial Law in Mindanao.
In a statement, they also said the activity was cancelled due to the food blockade and the continuing crackdown on political dissenters by the Rodrigo Duterte administration.
In an interview with the group, they said they were informed of situations in various Lumad communities in Caraga and the Davao region where there were in fact situations of hamletting perpetrated by the military and their paramilitary groups. The Lumad cannot leave their communities and no one can enter the communities. Supplies cannot also be taken inside some evacuation areas. The organizers of the activity were also given various options on where to hold the activity on a smaller scale and also scaled down objectives, noting that it is important for the safety of participants to be able to leave the areas before night fall.
Duterte and the military have also repeatedly declared or called for no Christmas ceasefire, to the dismay of many religious and even local government leaders, and instead vowed continued offensives against the New People’s Army (NPA), with the military saying that majority of the NPA in Mindanao are Lumads.
In the end, the Paskuhang Bakwit organizers decided to cancel the activity for now with the participants and the Lumads’ safety as the utmost concern.
Registration of participants in the activity have reached 100 youth and students from various communities, colleges and universities in Metro Manila and some from Southern Tagalog region.
Save Our Schools Network, the campaign network for the defense of Lumad alternative schools, acknowledged the cancellation and said they were looking forward to the summer visit and continuing moral and material support of the youth from Metro Manila to the Lumad schools and communities in Mindanao.
Read the full statement on the cancellation here.
