Killing of poor farmers typify the Philippine social injustice
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By: Father Shay
Striking Filipino agriculture workers, including two
small children were killed when police and military opened fire during a
strike at a sugar plantation in Tarlac, Central Luzon. It typifies the
situation in the Philippines. The vast Hacienda Luisita owned by one of
the most powerful and wealthiest families were gunned without compassion
or mercy. They were protesting injustice and demanding land reform.
It highlights all that is wrong with the Philippines, massive wealth and
crushing poverty side by side. A few wealthy elite perhaps two hundred
families have more land, assets and money between them, some 70 percent
of the national wealth, according to some estimates, than the rest of
the 84 million Filipinos together.
Is it any wonder that millions have fled to the slums and streets of the
cities their children begging and living in cartons, or are pimped to
brothels to satisfy the rich? Those Filipinos with education and skills
have fled abroad to escape the social injustice, low wages and abysmal
unemployment. The protest at Hacienda Luisita was because of low wages,
land rights and the harsh working conditions on the vast feudal like
estate.
Protests are on the rise again. In Chile, at the APEC summit meeting
thousands demonstrated last week to highlight these very same issues.
The social injustice that leaves millions suffering hunger while the
elite wallow in sumptuous wealth and luxury cannot be ignored. The APEC
summit of the rich nations that are held responsible for the global
inequality, agriculture subsidies, unfair trade policies and the old age
oppression of the poor is epitomised by George W. Bush and his cronies.
It may sound like a well-worn cliche, it is, but nevertheless true and
we need constant reminding that is the way it is.
It is so sad that in this terrible killing of farmers in the Philippines
where the military and police opened fire on demonstrators without
restraint or tolerance happened on the huge land holdings of the
Cojuangco-Aquino families. The late Benigno Aquino, the martyred husband
of former president Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino is turning in his grave as
his son in embroiled in this fiasco. When he was assassinated by the
cronies of the Dictator Ferdinand Marcos, his wife Corazon
Conjuangco-Aquino came to prominence and led a peoples Power movement in
1986 to topple the tyrant.
She had the power the opportunity and the moral enlightenment to
initiate a powerful agrarian reform programme but she was assailed by
military coup attempts backed by vested business and landed interests
and got now here with land reform.
The great Spanish-Filipino families were allowed to continue owning the
land and industry (with American partners) during the American colonial
administration (1899 to 1945). Today they remain in the seats of power.
They form family dynasties and clans, forge interlocking directorates in
industry by marriage and alliances and do political battle with each
other over the presidency congress and senate.
With the levers of power in hand they legislate, approve appointments,
give themselves huge funds for pet projects and generally act to befit
themselves and their cronies. They place family members in the police
and military where corruption is equally prevalent and they are only too
ready to suppress protest and unrest.
The greater public good is at the bottom of the agenda if they're at
all. Education, health, social services are in the dumps. Schoolbooks
are, by law provided by private suppliers and are found full of
inaccuracies. Huge profits are made from this junk.
Unless this strangle hold of dynastic driven corruption is broken there
can be no end to the corruption, oppression and poverty. Small changes
and improvements can be made to the operation of government by
international bodies and local non-government agencies pushing for good
governance but they are fleas on an rogue elephant's back.
While the families of the striking sugar plantation workers bury their
dead, including two small children, and dress their wounds, there is
little hope that the blood will change anything other than harden the
hearts of the wealthy elite and blame militants for the bloodshed.
Instead of genuine land reform, the hacienda in Tarlac was reorganised
into a corporation with shares held by the workers. The impoverished
workers say this is a sham, yet most farmers working in the hacienda
either out of fear, intimidation or debts vote with the major
stockholders who are in fact still the de facto owners.
Congressman Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III the son of much admired former
president says he will abide by the vote of the majority. Jigs Clamora
spokesperson for human rights organisations under the banner of
KARAPATAN Alliance for the Advancement of Human Rights said: "Obviously,
the striking workers have no gainful employment and are not receiving
equal pay and the Hacienda Luisita have not met their workers' needs. We
understand that this is what impelled them to go on strike. We also call
for an impartial investigation and justice for the victims of human
rights violations committed by the AFP and PNP. They must be held
accountable for this dastardly act." To that we can only say, "Amen".[End]
