Act on Hacienda Luisita farmers’ plight, KMU tells Noynoy

Presidentiables challenged on concrete platforms, action amid much electoral buzz

After Sen. Mar Roxas’ declared support to Sen. Noynoy Aquino’s to run for president, Kilusang Mayo Uno challenged Noynoy to intervene in the Hacienda Luisita Inc.’s (HLI) plan to drive away thousands of farmers.

More than 500 families of HLI farmers still grapple with land ownership problems after years of struggle, which has resulted in the massacre of 14 workers and farmers last Nov. 2004 by military units deployed to the 6,000-hectare hacienda.

The Department of Agrarian Reform has already ordered the granting of full land ownership to the farmers, but the HLI management has issued a memorandum in December last year telling farmers to leave the land on or before Oct. 30, 2009.

“At a time when ‘self-sacrifice’ for the nation among presidentiables is being praised and clamored for, we challenge Noynoy: Stop the plan of HLI to evict the farmers, and stop the Aquino family from claiming the right to own the hacienda lands,” said KMU Chairperson Elmer “Bong” Labog.

“Giving land to those who till it is a democratic move that addresses the interest of the majority of the country’s population. Ordering the military to stop harrassing farmers and to leave the hacienda immediately is most consistent with opposing dictatorships and repression.

“Workers, farmers and their children died fighting for livelihood in the hacienda. We challenge Noynoy to make a timely gesture of self-sacrifice – something concrete that will immediately benefit the farmers of Hacienda Luisita. That would be a move the Filipino people can truly praise,” Labog said.

Much buzz on electoral plans, no platform
KMU further criticized the excessive focus on the electoral plans of candidates with concrete platforms still missing.
“Where’s the platform? Last night’s television spectacle left us asking for more,” said Labog, reacting to Mar’s declaration to support Noynoy.

Labog said the people knows that both Mar and Noynoy pride themselves as opposition figures, opposing Mrs. Arroyo’s worst anti-people moves, and that the death of former Pres. Cory Aquino awakened in the people the desire for a leader who will shun graft and corruption in government.

“But we are forced to ask: Is that all? Is that everything we ask of someone who wants to replace Mrs. Arroyo? As a ticket that projects itself as the response to the people’s clamor for change, and as an opposition to the Arroyo regime, Noynoy and Mar should set the bar higher – declare platforms, make concrete moves for the people, and not merely talk about who will run for what position,” he said. #