Update of Indigenous Peoples (IPs) under threat in Mindanao
From March to October 2015, fourteen (14) lumad leaders, activists, and villagers that includes children were confirmed killed in five (5) incidents of extra-judicial killings and four (4) described massacres. There were at least six (6) incidents of forced evacuations from the provinces of Sarangani, Bukidnon, Davao del Norte, and Surigao Del Sur that involved ten different communities, of mostly indigenous peoples (IP). They fled their homes and communities, out of fear of death and presence of armed groups on their lands. At present, over 6,000 IPs are known to be displaced with more communities at-risk of displacement;
Common to all of these affected areas of the provinces of Bukidnon, Surigao, and Davao Del Norte, paramilitary groups known or perceived to be supported by the military are the main cause of the human rights violations against these IP communities and the cause of their displacement;
The 25 September statement by the Secretary of Justice on acts of violence against the lumad of Mindanao is welcome. Of concern is that similar incidents in these same communities have been documented and reported as far back as 2010 in the periodic report by the Special Rapporteur on Grave Rights Violations against Children in armed conflict and special investigations established still are pending identification and prosecution of perpetrators. Unfortunately, these communities under threat have not benefitted from State protection.
