As the ceasefire deal between Israel and Gaza continues, the struggles of the Palestinian people find stark parallels in the historical and ongoing oppression faced by the Lumad and Moro communities in the Philippines.
In the forum titled, “Atenistang Kritikal: Ang Usaping Palestine,” spearheaded by the Samahan ng mga Mag-aaral ng Agham Pampulitika ng Ateneo (SAMAPULA) in collaboration with Ateneo 4 Palestine (A4P) – AdDU Chapter, speakers gathered to dissect the historical roots of the Palestinian genocide and its resonance with the displacement and violence experienced by indigenous and Moro groups in Mindanao.
A4P-AdDU convener Allena Sofia de Castro underscored how Israel’s occupation of Gaza and the West Bank, which displaced Palestinians, is financially supported by “white supremacists, right-wing, and fascist elements,” naming American imperialists as the main perpetrator.
She noted Palestine’s potential asset due to its oil reserves and strategic location to economic waterways, making it a coveted asset for global superpowers such as the United States.
“Today, Zionism relies on US imperialism… the US government alone, regardless of the administration, gives Israelis $3.8 billion per year for arms and weapons,” she said.
de Castro also pointed out that under the Duterte administration, the Philippines acquired $484 million worth of arms from the United States, which were deployed in extrajudicial killings, the war on drugs, and the martial law in Mindanao.
“We are complicit in this genocide. We are actively participating in the killing of the Palestinian people because our taxes are used to buy arms from these imperialist states… The same people oppressing the Palestinians are the same people oppressing the Filipino people,” she asserted.
Oppression in Mindanao
In the Philippine context, indigenous and Moro peoples are also victims of violence and forced displacement at the hands of capitalistic forces.
Anakbayan-Southern Mindanao Region Chairperson Fauzhea Guiani cited the Liguasan Marsh in Maguindanao del Sur, a wetland rich in oil reserve.
“Ilang bilyon na oil reserve yung andun sa kanya and sinusubukan siyang kunin ng mga imperialist countries, mga capitalist countries for their own benefit kasi maraming pera sa langis, kaya malaki rin ang interest nila sa Gaza,” Guiani explained.
Similarly, Lumad communities continue to resist large-scale illegal mining operations encroaching on their ancestral lands, according to Panalipdan Youth Davao chairperson Mawing Pangandas.
“Dili mi gusto nga naay makasulod nga mining… kay dili lang kami ang maapektuhan. Labi na ang Pantaron Range nga makita nimo diha sa Talaingod,” Pangandas said.
The Pantaron Mountain Range, which stretches from Misamis Oriental to Davao del Sur, is the source of the Davao and Talomo Rivers, and Pulangi River in Talaingod, Davao del Norte.
Losing this mountain range to illegal mining and logging poses environmental damage and health risks not only to the indigenous communities occupying the mountains, but also to the wider population in the cities.
Beyond resource exploitation, Guiani, who hails from Cotabato City, said that the Lumad and Moro people are also experiencing violence due to systemic brutality perpetuated by these forces.
“Di dapat tayo mag-bank on lang sa resiliency kasi una, dapat hindi normalized yung mga kaso ng pagpatay because who does that in a democratic country that we claim to be? Bakit normal ang pumatay? Kasi ang mga imperyalistang bansa ay kumikita kapag may gyera. Kumikita sila kapag nag-create sila ng mga sigalot or mga war na hindi naman natin gusto,” she remarked.
To advance the liberation of the Palestinians, Lumads and Moros, de Castro urged the youth to move beyond passive support.
“The youth, the most capable machinery of liberation, must not stop in merely boycotting, must not stop in merely addressing the situation, but rather mobilizing the entire community. Because if there is sympathy, then what else?”
A4P-AdDU Internal Vice President John Makiling also suggested the use of social media platforms to combat Israeli disinformation, and accentuated the impact of educational discussions in putting an end to people’s ignorance to these realities.
“[The] Philippines is considered to be the social media capital of the world… We can spread information about Palestine, and at the same time, we can use it to combat fake news of Israeli propagandists. We [also] need to have educational discussions… to clarify our doubts and remove our ignorance… So if we are able to have awareness, consciousness, and knowledge of what is happening in this world, we would be able to realize our potential as a human being because [to be a] human being means you are able to feel empathy when there is injustice.”
The roundtable discussion was held last February 7 in 3F Conference Room D, CCFC Building, Ateneo de Davao University.
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Editor’s Note: This article was originally published last February 12.