The island of Mindanao is rich in minerals and agricultural lands that multinational mining and agricultural corporations seek to extract. It is also rich in a culture of resistance to the destruction of indigenous communities, water and land resources that inevitably result.
Religious leaders have spoken out against the human rights abuses and murders of nonviolent rights defenders and community organizers; violence by which the central government seeks to protect foreign investment. The Bishop speaks of how he and other religious leaders have been tagged as "Reds", supporters of the armed Marxist group that have fought the colonial and imperial occupation of their land for over fifty years. Mindanao, is under marshal law and occupied by the Philippine army which operates a death battalion and terror campaign.
Yet the Bishop, and the others who defend the church, "the people", is undaunted in his quest for justice and peace. He lays out the campaign "that will help gather moral and spiritual support to human rights victims especially the Lumad and Moro peoples of Mindanao." He asks, " help us develop and sustain our peopleâs alternatives that are already being carried out such as the building and running of Lumad alternative schools, fair-trade startups, capacity-building programs, human rights sanctuaries, and other projects".
Bishop Calang mentions American human rights activists Brandon Lee whose attempted assassination by army agents the week before left him near death. Still menaced by the military, the American Embassy has refused to evacuate him to safety.
The U.S. Government green lights the repression in Mindanao to support multinational business and investment, providing guns, gun ships and military trainers in the field but over which U.S. citizens could organize to have some say.
Bishop Calang drew a laugh on opening by noting the 13 hour time difference between Manila and Chicago. He had been traveling all day and it may has well been morning again.
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