More than 100 tribal women gathered on Thursday here to denounce the militarization and mining in their community as they formed their first regional grouping.
More than 100 tribal women from various tribes in Mindanao gather for their first assembly of Sabokan To Mo Lumad Kamalitanan Confederation of Lumad Women. They call for a stop to militarization in their ancestral domain. (Ace R. Morandante/davaotoday.com)
They slept by day. At night, they left. Following the trail of the river, they walked, crawled, and stumbled. Datu Tungig Mansumuy-at didn’t use flashlights so that they won’t be seen. They first carried their children then went back for the ill.
Support groups of Manobo evacuees welcomed the announcement of government officials that troops would pull-out in Talaingod to enable them to return home peacefully.
After a month of seeking sanctuary here, Manobos are set to go home following an agreement brokered by Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Davao del Norte Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario who secured a word from the military to withdraw from their operations in at least 11 villages in Talaingod town.
Datu Doloman Dawsay, leader of the Talaingod Manobos listen intently to the finalization of the agreement between them, the provincial government of Davao del Norte and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. The parties agreed that the Manobo evacuees will return to Talaingod, Davao del Norte upon the temporary pullout of military troops in their communities. (John Rizle L. Saligumba/davaotoday.com)
Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said that a New People’s Army (NPA) leader had asked him to help the Manobo evacuees who left their homes three weeks ago because of alleged abuses and threats perpetrated by the Army.
The local government unit of a town in Zamboanga del Sur turned over 2,000 kilos of organic rice seeds and vegetable seeds to Manobo evacuees here in an activity facilitated by environmental groups.
The Talaingod Manobos highlighted an Earth Day protest rally here where they slammed government agencies for allowing the entry of five mining companies into their homeland in Davao del Norte.
In an Earth Day cultural performance at Davao City People’s Park, world-renowned Kaliwat Theatre Collective performed an original song while Talaingod Manobo evacuees joined in a dance. The performance was part of a benefit concert to raise awareness on human rights and mining issues in Talaingod, Davao del Norte. (Ace R. Morandante/davaotoday.com)
