KMU Condemns CARP Extension: one of Arroyo's worst legacies

We condemn the signing of the CARP extension bill into law. This is one of the worst programs the US-Arroyo regime will be remembered by.

We likewise condemn the wily regime for taking advantage of the national mourning over former Pres. Cory Aquino’s death to extend this anti-farmer, anti-people program. The regime prattled about not using Cory’s death to advance political interests, but it is clearly the one who did this.

This is a betrayal of the spirit of People Power which showed signs of surging in the past few days.

We believe that CARP is an essential program in the monopoly control of lands by landowning classes in the country. It is an attack on democracy where farmers, who compose the majority of our society, are denied of their basic right.

It is instructive to note that big landlords and businessmen approved of CARP, despite the “progressive” cloak bestowed upon it by pseudo-progressive groups in the country. Where is democracy in a so-called land reform program only 7% of which target is bigger than 50 hectares?

CARP’s promise of distributing lands is bogus and deceitful. It is still riddled with exemptions and continues to legitimize so-called land reform schemes that do not actually distribute land, including the stock distribution option which distributes nothing but worthless pieces of paper to farmers.

We call on the people to continue People Power in fighting for genuine democracy and land reform. We believe that it is the People Power of our rural folks in the countryside who will thwart this anti-farmer and anti-people program’s implementation.###