BMFI

Dec. 23 update:
Sumilao farmers back in their homecourt

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Sumilao farmers arrived in Cagayan de Oro at around 7:30 am today on-board a C130 plane from Villamor airbase. Cagayan de Oro was the Sumilao farmers' first stop in their 1,700 kilometer walk from Sumilao, Bukidnon to Manila which started last 10 October 2007. It was during their walk between Sumilao and Cagayan de Oro when they received the news that the Office of the President dismissed their petition for cancellation and/or revocation of the conversion order. More than two months after, and after crossing almost the entire length of the archipelago, the Sumilao farmers return with the revocation order in their belt. They began the walk to Manila as a show of their frustration of the government's incapacity to provide justice for they, they returned as champions of the interests of landless peasants and agrarian reform.

"Sa among paglakaw paingon dire sa Cagayan de Oro niadtong unang adlaw sa among lakaw, naglakaw kami nga bug-at ang among mga kasing-kasing tungod sa balitang na-dismiss ang among petition sa office of the President. Karon sa among pagbalik, puno kami sa paglaum. Paglaum nga nagsumikad sa mainiton nga suporta nga among natagamtaman sa lain laing bahin sa Pilipinas, suporta gikan sa Simbahan nga gipanguluhan ni Cardinal Rosales ug mga Obispo, mga madre ug mga pari. Nakuha namo ang suporta lain-laing pundok sa katilingban. Mibalik kami karon, puno ug paglaum (During our walk to Cagayan de Oro on the first day of our walk, we walked with heavy hearts upon receiving the news about the dismissal of our petition. Now we return full of hope. Hope that is buoyed by the strong support we received all over the country, support from the Church led by Cardinal Rosales and the bishops, priests and nuns. We were able to gain the support of the different sections of our society. We are back and we are hopeful) said Toto Anlicao, member of MAPALAD.

Samuel Merida, President of the Mapalad Multipurpose Cooperative said that the hope that sprung from the support of the Church and the revocation of the conversion order and other small victories they achieved from their 1,700-kilometer walk gives Christmas for the Sumilao farmers a little more meaning. He also said that they will use this to rejuvenate and gather their strength for the long struggle ahead.

"Miuli kami dinhi tungod kay ang sunod nga mga lakang sa among pakigbisog ania man dinhi. Sa mga musonod nga mga adlaw among hagiton ang DAR dinhi nga mag-issue na sa Notice of Coverage ug paspasan na nila ang mga mosunod nga mga lakang aron mapatunhay na ang gisaad sa Presidente nga ibalik na kanamo ang 144-hectares. Hingpit ang among pagtoo nga tungod sa suporta sa mga Obispo, sa mga opinion sa lain-laing mga eksperto hilabi na ang mga kanhing mga Kalihim ug opisyales sa DAR ug ang mga saad sa Pangulo, wala na'y lain pang rason ang DAR para lan ganon ang pagproseso sa pagpatuman sa repormang agraryo. (We went back home because the next steps in our struggle will take place here. In the next few days, we shall challenge the DAR to immediately issue the notice in order to put into concrete actions the decision of the President. We firmly believe that because of the support of the Bishops, the opinions of experts like the former DAR secretaries and officials and the commitments of President Arroyo, we are confident that there is there is no more reason that theDAR to drag its feet on in proceeding in the implementation of agrarian reform."

Archbishop Antonio Ledesma SJ will meet with the Sumilao farmers later in the day and will escorted them back to San Vicente, Sumilao. Joining the farmers in a convoy are various members of people's organizations and local Church organizations led by the Social Action Center of the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro.

Several representatives from the various support organizations in Manila accompanied the farmers in the trip back to Cagayan de Oro. Among them are the Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan (SLB), Office of Social Concern and Involvement of the Ateneo de Manila University, SALIGAN, KAISAHAN and the Reform CARP Movement (RCM).