In solidarity with the rural poor

Some people say that in order to get freedom one has to give his/her life in exchange. The plight of the farmers in Hacienda Velez Malaga is a challenge to the present struggle for a genuine agrarian reform. From this experience one can see that the law does not all times hold the solution.

The farmers of Hacienda Velez Malaga tried to follow the law and the rules on Agrarian Reform. They rejected the easier path of taking arms. They went through the process of DAR , appeared before the Municipal Trial Court, the Regional Trial Court, Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court to answer the cases filed against them.

They underwent hunger strike in front of Quezon Circle and went back to Velez Malaga to start tilling the lands awarded to them. They never lose reason, they continued to claim what is due them according to the law and in a lawful manner. They ended up watering the land awarded to them with their blood. What else will they need to do to get their land?

The Rural Poor Solidarity, a gathering of Farmer’s Organizations and Non-Governmental Organizations aiming to attain genuine social justice through agrarian reform, salute Teresa Mameng, Pepito Santillan, Alejandro Garcesa and Ely Tupas, and those who still fight with their lives so that the landless tillers may have freedom from the bondage of hacienderos.

We continue to support the struggle of the remaining farmers for their full and immediate installation over the agrarian reform covered land. We condemn the government especially the DAR for delaying the implementation of the CARP exposing the farmer beneficiaries to more harasment and death. We condemn the state, the DAR in particular for failing to protect farmer beneficiaries.

The government is accountable to the injury and death that befell the farmers hoping to get their awarded land. The police and military must side with the helpless farmers rather than being used by big landowners in protecting their private interests. The police and military could have prevented the recent massacre in La Castellana if they heed this.

Finally, We vehemently condemn the landlords particularly Roberto Cuenca who continue to resist the CARP through legal and illegal means...They fail to realize that they are no longer the owners of the land and that it is a criminal act to hold on to big landholdings at the expense of landless tillers who suffer from poverty. We renew the call for full implementation of the CARP with strong political will and healthy participation from the peasant sector.