As the National Lawyers Guild is a member of the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP), our comrades in the ICHRP Northern California Network have invited us to participate in a 24-hour solidarity fast with the farmers and Lumad victims of the Kidapawan massacre. The fast will begin on April 7 at 9pm EST (April 8 at 9am in Philippines). This initiative is being launched in coordination with the Global Day of Action for Food & Justice.
By joining this fast, we as the NLG, you as an individual, and our communities can stand in solidarity with the farmers and indigenous people in Cotabato and raise awareness about the issue.
To join the fast:
1. Take a photo or video of yourself with a sign that states:
“I am fasting for 24 hours in solidarity with the protesting farmers in Cotabato and their struggle for food & justice!”
2. Post your photo or video on this Facebook page and your social media accounts with the official hashtags #RiceNotBullets, #
3. Tag ICHRP Norcal on Facebook (Ichrp Norcal), Twitter (@ichrpnorcal), and instagram (@ichrp.norcal).
During your fast, we encourage participants to fundraise and gather donations by asking for sponsors to contribute $$ per hour, per meal or for the entire day. Donations can be made on www.tinyurl.com/kidapawando
Break your fast with other #FastForFilipinoFarmers participants, and post the photos with the official hashtags!
Thank you for your support, and long live the protesting farmers of Cotabato!
Posted on April 4, 2016
Over the weekend, Filipinos from around the globe launched protest actions in condemnation of the Kidapawan massacre that killed at least five farmers and injured scores of others.
Filipinos from Hong Kong, Canada, South Korea, Australia, the United States, New Zealand, Italy and Japan held different forms of protest in solidarity with the Kidapawan farmers.
Last April 3, vigils and rallies were held in Vancouver, Alberta, Toronto and Montreal, Canada; as well as in front of Philippine Consulates and Embassies in Hong Kong; North Wales, Australia; Milan, Italy; and North California, San Francisno and New York, USA. Forums were also held at the Jangseok and Osan Dason Churches in South Korea. Filipinos and New Zealanders also held a protest action in solidarity with the Kidapawan farmers.
Meanwhile, Filipinos in Japan, Taiwan, Middle East and other parts of Asia and Europe resorted to social media to express their outrage. The hashtag #BigasHindiBala has already registered 63.5 million Twitter impressions, surpassing the record-high 41 million Twitter impressions for the global social media phenomenon AlDub.
Calls for relief goods and donations for the Kidapawan farmers are also underway and being facilitated by Migrante chapters here and abroad.
“Our kababayans abroad are outraged that the government deprives farmers of the assistance they need and which we have helped pay for through our remittances and taxes. Those rice subsidies are not personal donations of officials. Walang karapatan ang gobyerno para ipagkait ito sa mga magsasaka. Those are people’s aid, especially for those ravaged by calamity,” said Garry Martinez, Migrante Partylist 1st Nominee.
Martinez added, “Our kababayans are all the more outraged by the continued harassment and state terrorism happening in Kidapawan. Hindi pa rin tapos ang pandarahas sa mga kababayan nating magsasaka, tapos malalaman nating ginawaran pa ng medalya ang mga pulis na nagpaulan ng bala sa kanila. We continue to call for worldwide vigilance. We reiterate our call for the immediate pullout of PNP, SWAP and AFP troops in Kidapawan. Stop the harassment now. We demand for an independent investigation of the massacre. Those responsible for the carnage should be punished, no official should be spared.”
A Global Action Day is set on April 8. Filipinos abroad are expected to hold different forms of protests in front of PH posts, while a big rally will march to Mendiola to hold the Aquino government responsible for the massacre.
