“The demand for an independent investigation is a respite for the Filipino people, especially the rural people who have to bear with poverty and militarization of their communities, from the spike of state-perpetrated attacks. More importantly, it will send the message to other UN member states like in Latin America and Asia where killings are just as rampant to address the situation and hold the perpetrators accountable,” Mallari said.
PCFS urges its members and networks to call out the Duterte regime and demand its accountability for violating the rights of its people especially the land rights defenders. Let us urge for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners in the Philippines!
The Executive Committee (EC) of the People’s Coalition on Food Sovereignty (PCFS) concluded its annual meeting on June 21, 2019. The Global Co-Chairpersons Razan Zuayter and Sylvia Mallari led the EC meeting. Other EC members and regional representatives including LAC coordinator Alex Barrios, Africa interim coordinator Gershom Kabaso, Europe coordinator Julie Smith, and Global Secretariat Coordinator Rhoda Gueta also attended the meeting.
PCFS calls its members and networks to extend our solidarity to the Palestinian people by supporting their campaign to return to Palestine and urging our states to contest and denounce the “Deal of the Century.” Let us raise the Palestinian flag for genuine food and national sovereignty!
PCFS slams the Aung San Suu Kyi-led Burma government for pushing this law and its impracticable amendments – a far cry from its promise of protecting the land rights of farmers. In fact, the VFV law was made stricter. Four years since NLD broke the country’s military junta, the government has opted to abide with the trends on land policies perpetuated by international and development finance institutions that undermine food sovereignty and deny the land rights of farmers and Indigenous Peoples. No plan to amend the law or even the constitution will be able to resolve landlessness in Burma if the development framework is to “draw more investment.”
Our voices here today could only resound the calls that the Indigenous Peoples of Cordillera have been demanding the government to heed for a long time. Policymakers must now begin to recognize the rights of one of the most vulnerable segments of the society, to protect and promote their access to and control over lands and resources, and to advance their right to genuine pro-people development.