Claro Gawilan, chairman of the Nagkahiusang Mag-uuma sa White Culaman (United Farmers of White Culaman) from Kitaotao town in Bukidnon speaks during their protest rally in San Pedro Street, Davao City in this photo taken in September last year. The protesters accused the Army as responsible for the continuing harassment and killings of Lumads in Mindanao. (davaotoday.com file photo)
DAVAO CITY—Some 200 visitors from 25 countries worldwide will attend a conference on human rights, focusing on the killings of the indigenous peoples (IPs) or Lumads in Mindanao.
In a courtesy call at the City Council on Tuesday, Dr. Angie M. Gonzales of the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) said they chose Davao City as the venue of the conference to highlight the plight of the Lumad people.
“As you very well know the killings and the attacks of the communities, especially in the communities, had become very rampant in recent years so it was a conscious decision to hold this conference in Davao,” she said.
Gonzales said the conference is a gathering of organizations, movements, institutions and individuals “in solidarity of the Filipino people’s struggle, to assert their rights as a people and achieve just and lasting peace.”
“Hopefully by seeing that, we are able to come out with a plan how to support the Filipino people in their continuing struggles or the attainment of just and everlasting peace in our country,” Gonzales said.
Gonzales said that the international conference will also discuss the situation of the people from other countries.
“We will be tackling the situation of people’s rights in Africa, Asia and as well as in Latin America,” Gonzales said.
Aside from Gonzales, leaders of indigenous people’s organization Kalumaran represented by its chairperson Monico Cayog and secretary-general Dulphing Ogan appeared at the City Council’s regular session.
The ICHRP will be holding its 2nd General Assembly on July 21-22 at the Brokenshire Hotel and Convention Center.(davaotoday.com)
