DAVAO CITY—Tribal groups belonging to the progressive bloc would hold the first inter-tribal conference across Mindanao to address intermittent intrusion of soldiers in tribal schools and killings of their leaders.
Called “Dumalongdong Mindanaw,” the five-day conference begins on April 21 here.
B’laan leader Monico Cayog, chairman of the tribal group Kalumaran, said participants would include a cross section of their society: datus (chieftains) and women and youth leaders. Groups would come from many areas in Mindanao.
“Lumad leaders coming from the different regions of Mindanao would gather to unite various indigenous peoples’ communities in Mindanao to defend their ancestral lands from plunder and militarization in their communities,” Cayog said.
He explained the dumalongdong is a traditional and political gathering that advances intertribal, intergenerational, and intergender unity and solidarity against the Lumad people’s common enemies: land grabbing, state violence, and national oppression.
The gathering also calls for the disbandment of Lumad paramilitary groups, stop of attacks of Lumad schools, extrajudicial killings and trumped-up charges, according to Dulphing Ogan, secretary-general of Kalumaran.
There would also be a conference of the Datu and the Bai (men and women leaders), documents provided by Ogan said. Other activities would include the commemoration of the Earth Day on April 22, a fluvial protest at the Davao River, education festival and a concert.
Manuel T. Cayon