DOCUMENT: KAL-BON.TXT Kalinga-Bontoc Peace Pact Holders Association July 9, 1984 "Defy the Armed Invasion On Our Land, Resist This New Colonization" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We speak to our Brother Filipinos in the midst of an ongoing war being waged by the Armed Forces of the Philippines on the tribal Kalinga and Bontoc people. For the past month up to present, we have witnessed an atrocious military campaign designed to coerce our tribes into acceding to a new colonization of our ancestral lands. Starting from the last week of June, our people have suffered from the escalating military abuses being dealt by the AFP. Using helicopters and warplanes, our villages and our lands have been strafed and bombed. A number of Kalingas have already been killed during the military campaign. Our Kalinga women, whom the criminal AFP troops treat so lowly, have been subjected to worse indignities such as body searches and gang-rapes. And in the midst of their genocidal campaign, we have been ordered to stop harvesting the palay from our payaos, our mere presence outside our homes being used as pretexts for wholesale manslaughter. We raise a call to all our brother Filipinos to help us put an end to this bloody carnage being perpetrated on our people. No amount of government and military effort to win back out "hearts and minds" will convince us to accept this unlawful intrusion into our domain. The government and its military criminals have acquired a notorious reputation to the mountain tribes of Bontoc and Kalinga- Apayao. In the mid-70's, they tried, unsuccessfully, to construct four huge dams over the Chico River that will destroy our payaos, desecrate the burial grounds of our ancestors, and leave us homeless, all for the benefit of transnational corporations in need of hydroelectric power. Our brother Tingguians in Abra, together with the Kalinga and Bontoc people also resisted the planned deforestation of over 400,000 hectares of pine land for the Cellophil Resources Corporation, a local partner of transnational paper companies. Our leader, Macliing Dulag, who valiantly resisted all bribes and threats made by the PANAMIN, the local government, and the military was felled by assassins bullets in April 1980 and up to new, his assassins have not been punished. The consistency with which the government and the military have persecuted our people have taught us to be more vigilant and courageous despite exploitation and oppression. We shall face this new attempt at colonization in the same manner that we did for the Spanish, Japanese, and American colonizers. In the face of all these atrocities, we demand the immediate and total withdrawal of all military detachments and troops in the areas of Bugnay, Basao, Ngibat, Buscalan, Tinglayan, Kalinga- Apayao and in the villages of Annabel, Aguid and Agawa, Sagada and Bontoc. We demand justice for all victims of military atrocities. Punish the military men, their officers and field commands, and the AFP chiefs of staff who planned, participated in and led the attacks on our sacred land. General Ver has reported that heavy casualties have been inflicted on NPA rebels operating in the area. The fact is that the Kalinga and Bontoc people are those that suffer most from such an operation. We reiterate a call to all Filipinos, individuals, groups and organizations to help the Kalinga and Bontoc people in their struggle against this insanity of the AFP. We, the Kalinga and Bontoc people have been known for our peace. Yet, we are also recognized as warrior people. This early, we warn the armed transgressors on our land. We shall shed blood if only to defend our sacred land and our ancestors domain from their desecration by the military. Our murdered pangat, Macliing-Dulag has said it clearly before, "The land is sacred, it will become more sacred when it is nourished by our blood". Kalinga-Bontoc Peace Holders Association July 9, 1984 Signed: Ama Carlos Patungao (Council of Leaders) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :: -= THE FOURTH WORLD DOCUMENTATION PROJECT =- :: :: A service provided by :: :: The Center For World Indigenous Studies :: :: www.cwis.org :: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Originating at the Center for World Indigenous Studies, Olympia, Washington USA www.cwis.org © 1999 Center for World Indigenous Studies (All Rights Reserved. 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