Militants seeks Capitol intervention
Over hunger woes
By EDMUND B. SESTOSO
Militant farmer leaders troop to the Capitol last Thursday afternoon to seek the intervention of the provincial legislators in their plight as hunger hit their sector for several months now due to the skyrocketing prices of basic commodities and including rice.
The farmer leaders belonging to the militant Kapunungan Alang sa Ugma sa Gagmayng Mag-uuma sa Oriental Negros (KAUGMAON), an affiliate of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas has sought the help of the legislators that in coping up with the crisis as they themselves had been hit.
Fermin Lorico of the District Farmers Alliance, also an affiliate of KAUGMAON told the boardmembers that one of the major reasons why they had suffered and had faced the rice crisis was due to the fact that many of the agricultural lands in the province for the past years was converted to other uses which presently includes the plantation of jathropa, cassava and other so called plants that can be an alternative to the rising cost of fuel and petroleum products in the country.
Lorico said that in effect, it has reduced the lands intended for farming.
He said that they are not supposed to be feeling this brunt of hunger since they are the ones producing for the foods, however he said due to the wrong prioritization and policies of the government has contributed to the worsening hunger woes faced by the famrers.
The farmers claimed that aside from hunger woes faced by the farmers, they are also faced with the massive militarization in the countryside and in areas where they are densely populated.
He lamented that military men operating in the respective farmer areas and where farmer organizations are strong, harassment continue and they are falsely link to the underground New People’s Army, an armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front.
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Sun Jun 08, 2008 8:19 pm