By ARTHUR L. ALLAD-IW
www.nordis.net

The move by powerful states to block the Palestinian bid for statehood and full membership to the United Nations showed the unjust and unfair treatment towards the Palestinians. Particularly the moves by the United States of America and United Kingdom continue to perpetuate injustice to the Palestinian people. The US took a stand that it will veto in the UN Security Council any Palestinian statehood resolution.

Both the UK and UN claimed that peace for Palestine and Israel will be achieved through Palestine and Israel’s negotiation. UK’s Tony Blaire warns on the UN bid by Palestine: “You can pass whatever resolution you like at the United Nations, or at the Security Council and it doesn’t actually deliver you a state. And if you don’t have negotiation, whatever you do at the UN is going to be confrontational.”

This move by the US and UK shows that they do not like true peace in the Middle East and that any effort to address the Palestinian statehood and on peace at the UN can be trampled by these two powerful states. Palestine possesses all the requirements to be recognized as a state. That is loud and clear.

In understanding the Palestinian bid and the unpeace in the Middle East, history must be reviewed and appreciated.

Prior to the World War I and II, the oppressed Jews from Europe moved to old Palestine, which included today’s Palestine and that occupied by Israel. The British, who had controlled that area, gave way to Zionism or the claim by the Jews that they have a promised land in that area. The British divided the old Palestine into two: one for the Jews and one for the Arab Palestinian.

After World War II, the British partition of Palestine was reiterated by the UN General Assembly Resolution 181 approved on November 29, 1947. The resolution divided Palestine into Jewish and Arab Palestinian states, and creating a special international zone for the Jerusalem area. The UN resolution was unacceptable to the Palestinian and the Jews embraced it as it was patterned by their powerful allies in UN for them (Israel). On May 14, 1948, Israel declared its independence. The Arab states declared war against Israel which won the war due to the support from UK and its powerful allies. On May 11, 1949, Israel was accepted as a member of the UN.

The historical development showed how the imperialist states like the UK, US and their allies exploited the situation in the Middle East and perpetuated their economic interests there. Aside from their strong military presence in that region, they utilized the military and expansionist policies of Israel by supporting them. Israel neither confirm or deny the support from these imperialist states but that had been going on for decades. Hence the tiny state of Israel is powerful in that region – militarily.

The US and UK particularly do not want real peace in that region. They wanted their peace design where Israel, their ally, will rule that area (in the guise of peace), to ensure their economic interests. US and UK are among those that have great oil interests in that area. This explains why US and UK insist that Palestine statehood and peace in the region will be achieved by its (Palestine) negotiation with Israel and they hard headedly insist that it cannot be achieved via the UN.

US President Obama said that a Palestinian state can only be granted out of negotiations with Israelis. And what is ironic, when Israel applied to the UN for statehood, the US and its allies did not require that Palestinians agree to it. These imperialists rhetorically backs pro-democracy demonstrations in Libya and Syria and elsewhere, but when Palestinians seek freedom, they can block it by trampling even the UN processes.

It must be pointed out that Washington brokered peace between Palestine and Israel for more than two decades. Nothing happened. It is a failure as their peace efforts are designed for their interests – not for the Palestinian interests.

A real peace advocate’ organization for Palestinian wrote that on November 13, 1974, the late Yasser Arafat, then Palestine Liberation Organization president, told UN in a General Assembly that he carries “both an olive branch and a gun.” After which the world body grants the PLO an observer seat, which it holds to this day. Arafat agreed for the two state for Palestine. But that state for Palestine was not realized while the Jews already had Israel. If this negotiated (or imposed) two state Palestine will not be realized, would not the Palestine pushed for the total justice which is justly and rightfully theirs – to claim the old Palestine set-up? Not anymore through the olive branch but by gun? Is that not a just war for a just aspiration too? # nordis.net

By MARY LOU MARIGZA
www.nordis.net

September 21, 1972. Where were you? Were you one of those hunted down? Were you one of those imprisoned? Were you a parent crying for a son or daughter who was captured by the military and put behind bars? Were you even born yet?

To those of us who have survived Martial Law, we need to retell the events and stories of those dark years in our history. As a people we have such short memories or maybe we simply want to forget bitter events because we are already suffering so much pain in our daily lives and labor. However, we need to remember and teach the young generation to treasure freedoms and not trade liberties. We need to remember the pain, the torture, the dark days, the deprivations but most of all, we need to remember so the architects of martial rule will not come back to punish us once more.

We need to remember the looong weeks of media blackout and when media organizations were finally allowed to print and broadcast, they were only allowed to broadcast the good, the true, the beautiful, never mind if the military camps were filled with young people in shackles, tortured and bruised. We need to remember the looong weeks of TV and radio playing marches and cartoons airing over and over, “Sa ikauunlad ng bayan, Disiplina ang kailangan” and warbling “May bagong silang, may bago nang bayan…Bagong Lipunan” while checkpoints and curfew limited free movement. We need to remember that only the crony press was allowed to broadcast and can only broadcast what was “approved” by higher ups.

We need to remember the attempts to beautify and screen the ugly truth about martial rule. Marcos acting in behalf of his US bosses attempted to paint the Philippines on the verge of economic development and independence while the people experienced grinding poverty as well as suppression of union rights, indigenous peoples rights, human rights. We need to teach the young generation that blaming the “Islam terrorists” did not start with 9-11, martial law had Jabidah massacre. We need to tell the young people and we need to remember that the option to use clan vs clan, tribe vs tribe, family vs family was perfected by the architects of martial law under the tutelage of US state officials.

We need to remember how elections were disregarded, how presidential decrees dictated our laws, how the processes of democracy became mere trappings and how legislation and implementation became the domain of one man – the dictator. Whatever Imelda wants to retell of her version of the good and beautiful, Marcos was Hitler-Diktador-Tuta ng US to my recollection.

However flawed our elections and selection process of officials now, it is still a better option to a bogus National Assembly and bogus election under martial law. For we need to remember how the first “election” allowed under martial law was farce to the highest degree. We need to remember that Marcos had to hoist an unknown opponent just so he can say there was an election for national offices when he was pressured by US to call for elections.

We need to remember that the military was virtual overlord and that the remnants of these military minds are still in our midst. We need to remember how the military establishment became mere goons to the appointed powers not protectors of the people and the country. We need to remember how favored local kingpins became judge and executioners of their perceived enemies.

We need to remember the dark period of martial law. And we need to remember that not all were asleep during the “days of disquiet and days of rage” even at the cost of death. We need to remember the first ever strike by a labor union under martial law, the La Tondeña strike and the support it received from a wide sector. We need to remember the creation of Task Force Detainees of the Philippines by the Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines. We need to remember the creation of the Free Legal Assistance Group who helped peoples, unions, individuals with their court cases. Closer to home, we need to remember the mighty resistance to the proposed construction of four dams along the Chico River. We need to remember and celebrate the wide resistance to the twin projects to log the Cordillera forests through Cellophil and Cellulose companies. We need to remember that even inside the prison camps the shackled could not be silenced and they resisted.

We need to shout Never Again to Martial Law! We need to protect, assert, defend our rights and liberties because it took a mere piece of paper for Marcos to rule for more than two decades. We need to remember and teach the young generation to treasure freedoms and not trade liberties. We need to remember the pain, the torture, the dark days, the deprivations but most of all, we need to remember so the architects of martial rule will not come back to punish us once more. # nordis.net

By KATHLEEN T. OKUBO
www.nordis.net

It is in the angriest terms and strongest emotions that we condemn the cause of the violent death of that young boy in grade five. He could have been our son too, or grandson, brother, or nephew. We can now only share the deep sympathies for the parents and families of the victims — all three children who figure in that terrible classroom incident.

Any grandparent and or parent who have to and do entrust their grandchildren or children to the school most of the days of the week can not help feeling more terrified by the thought of an unseen enemy that can snuff out a child’s life in a flash in the safety of a classroom.

The more than a century old, historical heritage Baguio Central School, my almamater, is the most populated elementary school in the city. A closer look into the school: the ratio of teacher to pupils, the janitor to the utilities and school conveyances to maintain or clean, the classroom size to the class size, etc. The service quality for more than 3000 pupils is scandalously wanting. Check-out its budget, financial and audit reports and it can only reveal more of the lack of and the deteriorating government support for our children.

It is considered a normal tendency in crowds or places where people gather that both healthy and adverse competitive behaviors can occur at different degrees. One such adverse behavior is bullying. Studies show that bullying in schools happen anywhere in or out of school; at all levels and among all age groups, not only among pupils but also adults. Bullying can be physical, verbal, or emotional and is usually repeatedly inflicted.

The act of being bullied or to bully can scar for life any of the two sides or participants in the action. Though some people may dismiss it as part of growing up or of school life; that it will make the child more prepared to face life or be more competitive, etc. It can also be fatal as what had happened.

I am sure that all would agree that bullying should not be allowed to even start or be encouraged. In some countries there are even laws against bullying. It is also covered by laws against discrimination, excessive violence and human rights.

The internet’s Wikipedia says, “Bullying can also be perpetrated by teachers and the school system itself: There is an inherent power differential in the system that can easily predispose to subtle or covert abuse (relational aggression or passive aggression), humiliation, or exclusion even while maintaining overt commitments to anti-bullying policies.”

Reading of the country’s support for public education, it looks like the biggest bully is the government. The lack of national budget allocatted to the Department of Educational triggers a domino effect that greatly reduces support for the elementary school education. Wanting are: livable wages for teachers, administrative, and school utility workers, etc.The refusal of national government to increase the budget allocation for education, has resulted to teachers vending snacks (usually pupil-affordable junk food and sweets); underwear, cosmetics and even insurance in and out of school to cope with the lack of decent wages to support themselves and their families.

Meanwhile, the school children are deprived of the time, focus and attention the teacher may spend with and for them instead of being a part time sales agent.

The lack of national funding for schools causes the school administration to scrimp and save and therefore greatly reduce school supplies like chalk, blackboards, cleaning materials, books, chairs desks, computers, communications, water and energy services. And, even building funds for more classrooms.

Aside from being exposed to graft and corruption practices in the system; school administrators and principals are forced to lobby and beg, seek funds to build more classrooms, chairs and tables, water tanks, toilets and necessary maintenance and security for the school infrastructures. Instead of having time to organize, hone and implement progressive programs or curriculum for the better education of the children in school.

Anti-bullying programs are designed to teach students cooperation, as well as training peer moderators in intervention and dispute resolution techniques, as a form of peer support. In the Cordilleras close community ties used to be able to prevent bullying from being dangerous or even progressing. Community ties has also brought resolution to common issues like impending tribal wars, and even the protection of the pine tree stand in front of the convention center, among others.

There was a time that members of Baguio’s finest would reprimand and carry any kid of school age found outside of school during class hours back to class. This kind of community support can be a goal for any one nurturing the dream for a “better Baguio”. Just like that mobilization to City hall to bring the public concern over the case of the 5th grade boy’s death in school to the urgent attention of the City government.

The challenge is out to sustain this endeavor, this citizen’s concerted effort to achieve concrete solutions for a growing social problem among our youth, in our public schools, in Baguio’s education system.

To those who started and to those at its helm, may they draw strength and see it to fulfillment and not just wilt away, “ningas cogon”, like sparks of anger or emotion that are mistakenly labelled people’s power. Don’t get bullied into inaction! # nordis.net

By ALDWIN QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

There is more stupidity than hydrogen in the universe, and it has a longer shelf life — Frank Zappa

Last week, the Philippine transport sector led by a militant jeepney operators and drivers organization staged a nationwide protest against the unabated overpricing of oil and other petroleum products in the country, the oil cartel, the arrogance of the three big oil companies, the government’s Expanded Value Added Tax that shoot up the overpricing and the inutile and diversive response of the administration to the angst of the drivers and small operators as well as the commuters.

In some regions, the transport strikes triumphantly drew attention to these issues as they paralized transport. In the rest of the country, transport groups in their respective areas did their best to express their outrage and to explain the issues to the public. They went to jeepney terminals and central parks and held noise barrages. Other sectoral groups adapted creative and new forms of catching the attention of the authorities like planking on the road among others.

The transport sector vowed to schedule more protest actions until concrete actions from government are made on their demands.

While organizations who are concerned and have the intellectual capacity to understand that the issue of the oil price hike is not just the drivers’ problem but also its domino effect on the prices of basic goods and services, support the “Transport strike”. There also are some people who seem to choose the attitude of “paki ko basta kumakain ako”, and groups who have no guts at all to voice out whats wrong or bad and prefer to criticize the protest actions. Many say that the protesters are just creating disturbance out of nonsense things. Some of them say that the protesters committed a civil disobedience as a reaction to the dialogue with the president.

According to the leader of the progressive transport organization, their talk with the president was useless as he only repeated empty promises and no solutions to the oil overpricing and the Oil Deregulation Law that gave license to voracious big oil companies to dictate prices. They said that instead of the president recognizing the law that burdens Filipinos should be scrapped, he only shall recommended that it be reviewed and reformed. Obviously, the president had no plan at all to look deeper into the causes of that uncontrollable oil price hike.

Because of that, the progressive transport group and other sectors marched as they promised they would after the failed dialogue. For some groups, they were satisfied with the yellow reaction. Another noisy group boastfully threatening a nationwide strike before the talks had nothing but praises for the president without considering their loss from the failed talks. When the palace officials called for the dialogue, they were the first one to go and praised the president’s words that did not have anything for the drivers, the transport sector and those affected by the unfair oil price hikes.

People who say that the protesters are just barking and barking and instigating disturbances should in a way be ashamed of themselves. They seem to like being squeezed dry of their hard earned money and livelihood, just keep quite because it is the law and they even tell others to be dumb and say nothing at all.

There are people who instead of objectively analyzing why there are protests actions use their subjective views to castigate people and organizations who are actively and intelligently mobilizing their fellow workers to fight against anti-people measures and repressive laws.

Stupid, if they say that they are not affected by the unbearable rise of prices drowning the lowering buying power of salaries and incomes of Filipinos.

Unless they are among the super rich then it must be ok for them that the price of a single grain of rice reach to a hundred pesos. But irritatingly, people whomake these kind of comments are those who are also mamirmiraut (consiredably poor).

There are officials who instead of seriously looking at how to address the problems of their people, think adversely and pursue deceptive maneuvers to quell discontentment on their inactions. They also create and spread false information and intrigues against people’s legitimate leaders and organizations to divert public attention from the issues being raised. There is a president who instead of thinking how he can fulfill his tuwid na daan promise to his kababayans here and abroad choose to comment more on his loveless life and that his ex is already engaged to someone else.

There are countless brave and witty people who risk their lives looking for a better or long lasting solution to the people’s common issues. In this case for Malacañang, it would have been simpler to call for a stop to: the unjust overpricing of oil, and scrap the oil deregulation law and nationalize the oil industry. Is that hard to understand? # nordis.net

By MANNY A. LOSTE
www.nordis.net

(Speech given by ret. Prof. Manuel Loste on 17 September 2011 at the multi-sectoral activity commemoration of the 3rd year of James M. Balao’s enforced disappearance and the 39th year since Martial Law was declared.)

Magandang umaga mga kababayan,

Tayo po ay nagtitipon ngayong araw upang muling gunitain ang mga karanasan at aral na dulot ng batas militar o martial law mga tatlumpung taon na ang nakakalipas mula nang ipataw ito ng dating pangulong Ferdinand Marcos sa ating bansa. Ginagawa natin ito hindi upang ipagdiwang ang mapait at malagim na karanasan ng mamamayang Pilipino nuong panahon ng martial law, kundi upang ipaalaala muli sa atin ang mga paghihirap at sakripisyo na dinanas natin nuon at nang sa ganun ay hindi na sana maulit ang mga ito.

May ilang mga nagsasabi na huwag na natin balikan pa ang nakaraan. Isara na natin ang tsapter na yan ng ating kasaysaysan at magpatuloy na tayong mabuhay. “Let’s have a closure and let’s move on” sabi nga sa English.

Ang sagot naman po natin ay may tamang pagsasara at may maling pagsasara ng nakaraan at lumipas na. May pagsasara na may paalaala sa mga aral na dapat hindi kinakalimutan at natututo sa mga ito, at may pagsasara naman na gustong kalimutan na ang lahat at kung minsan ay gusto pa ngang baguhin ang husga ng kasaysayan at gawing bayani o pawalang sala ang mga salarin at traydor sa bayan.

Halimbawa nito ay ang kagustuhan ng pamilyang Marcos at mga kaalyado nila na ilibing ang labi ng yumaong diktador sa Libingan ng mga Bayani matapos ang isang parangal na pang presidente. Maliwanag na isa itong pagbaluktot sa husga ng mamamayan nuong Pebrero 1986 kung saan pinatalsik sa Malacanang ang kinamumuhiang rehimeng Marcos. Ang ganitong pagsasara ay isang sampal sa mukha sa mga naging biktima ng batas militar – ang mga libo-libung pinatay, kinulong at pinahirapan nuong umiiral ang batas militar sa ating bansa.

Binabale wala rin ng ganitong pananaw ang malawakang pandarambong o plunder na ginawa ni Marcos at mga kaalyado nito sa kaban ng bayan nuong nasa poder sila – yaman na ginagamit nila ngayon para makabalik sa poder at pagtakpan ang mga krimen nila laban sa bayan. Mukhang isa ito sa mga aral na pinapanghawakan ng mga naghahari-harian sa ating bayan: kapag nasa poder, magnakaw na nang todo at pagkatapos ay gamitin ang nakaw na yaman para mapagtakpan ang mga krimen at makabalik na muli sa poder.

Ito ang gustong gayahin ni dating pangulong Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at mga kasabwat nito sa pandarambong sa kaban ng bayan at paggamit ng terrorismo ng estado para patahimikin nuon ang kanyang mga kritiko. Ngayon lang nagsisimulang lumabas ang mga detalye ng malawakang korupsyon at pandarambong na ginawa nila. Kagustuhan nating mamamayan na lumabas ang buong katotohanan hinggil sa mga isyu na ito kasama na ng malawakang paglabag sa mga karapatang pantao nuong nasa poder sila GMA at mapanagot ang mga responsible sa mga krimeng ito.

Hangga’t hindi napapanagot ang mga may kagagawan ng korupsyon at paglabag sa mga karapatang pantao ay walang duda na magpapatuloy ang mga ito tulad ng nangyayari ngayon sa ilalim ng pamumuno ni Pangulong P-Noy. Nagpapatuloy ang terrorismo ng estado kahit sa panahon ni P-Noy dahil hindi napaparasuhan ang mga salarin kahit nuong panahon ni Marcos at kamakailan lang sa panahon ni GMA. Wala silang dapat ikatakot kaya patuloy ang paglabag sa mga karapatang pantao dahil umiiral ang kulturang impunity

May isang aral ang itinuturo ng ating mga karanasan sa panahon ng rehimeng GMA. At ito ay ang katotohanang hindi kailangang magdeklara ng martial law o batas militar para makamit ang layunin ng martial law. Nagawa ni GMA na maging Presidente kahit hindi sya ang ibinoto ng mamamayan sa pamamagitan ng malawakang pandaraya gamit ang mga opisyales ng pulis at militar at COMELEC, ayon sa mga pinakahuling alegasyon ng mga testigo. Nagawa nyang makuha ng kanilang suporta sa pamamagitan ng pagsuhol sa kanila gamit ang mga milyon milyun ng nakaw na yaman mula sa kaban ng bayan.

Para hindi mabulgar ang ganitong mga krimen at anomalya ay gumamit sya ng emergency powers at pinagbawalan na tumestigo ang mga alipures nya sa mga imbestigasyon sa Senado. Ang mga nasa mass media naman ay kinasuhan ng patong-patong na kasong libelo para takutin at patahimikin sila. Yung mga mamamayan na hindi kayang suhulan o takutin ng rehimen tulad ng mga aktibista at ibang concerned citizens ay malawakang naging biktima ng extrajudicial killings tulad nina Romy Sanchez, Pepe Manegdeg III, Alyce Claver o di man kaya dinudukot at nagiging biktima ng enforced disappearance katulad ng ating kaibigan at kamag-anak na si James Balao.

Nagtataka siguro ang ilan sa atin kung bakit patuloy na umiiral ang mga ganitong karumal-dumal na krimen may batas militar man na umiiral o wala. Ang kasagutan po sa ganyang katanungan ay makikita sa batayang katangian ng lipunang Pilipino.

Alam po natin na hindi nagbago ang batayang katangian ng ating lipunan kayat patuloy itong nakararanas ng tuloy tuloy na krisis. Ang ating ekonomiya ay nanatiling atrasado at hindi umuunlad kaya napipilitan ang marami nating kababayan na maging OFW para makapag hanap-buhay.

Samantala, dito sa ating bansa patuloy na mababa ang sweldo habang patuloy ang pagtaas ng presyo ng mga bilihin at serbisyo. Wala ring makabuluhang repormang agraryo na sana’y magpapabuti sa bahay ng milyon-milyon nating kababayang magsasaka. Maganda ang mga pangako at matatamis ang mga salita ng mga lider ng bansa, pero sa kalaunan ito ay lumalabas na hungkag at mga panloloko lang.

Marami pa tayong puedeng banggitin para ipakita ang kawalan ng pagbabago sa ating bayan kahit may ilang palitan na ng administrasyon mula nuong magtapos ang batas militar. Dahil dito ay patuloy naman ang protesta at pagtutol ng mamamayan laban sa mga di makatarungan at mapaniil ng mga programa at patakaran ng sino-sinong mga administrasyon na wala namang tunay na ipinaglalaban na interes kundi ang kanilang mga sarili at mga dayuhang sumusuporta sa kanila.

Kung hindi naman tututol o mag-proprotesta tayong mamamayan ay tiyak na lalala pa ang ating kalagayan tulad ng epekto ng malakihang komersyal na pagmimina dito sa Cordillera. Sa madaling sabi ay hindi talaga natutugunan ang ugat ng mga problema sa ating bayan. Kaya’t walang tunay na katahimikan at kaayusan na umiiral dahil hindi ito nakabase sa tunay na katarungan.

Sa kalaunan, itinuturo sa atin ng ating mga karanasan na wala tayong ibang maaasahan kundi ang ating mga sarili na sama-samang kumikilos, pag-aaral ng kalagayan at karanasan at patuloy na pakikipaglaban para ang ating mga karapatan anumang oras at panahon. Ito ang isang aral mula sa EDSA 1 at 2.

Ang ating pagunita na ito ng mga aral ng batas-militar at mga naging biktima nito kasama na ang mga huling biktima ng terorismo ng estado ay mahalaga para makamit natin ang katarungan at mapigilan ang anumang banta laban sa ating mga karapatang-pantao.

Maraming salamat po.# nordis.net

By REV. LUNA DINGAYAN
www.nordis.net

“The time will come when those who kill you will think that by doing this they are serving God.” — John 16:2

International Peace Day

September 21 is declared as International Peace Day. It is a day when people of various races or nationalities would call into remembrance our collective yearning for genuine and lasting peace. It is a day when people worldwide have to reflect and discern how we could ever realize that elusive peace which the world cannot give. Ironically, for us Filipinos September 21 rings another bell: it is for us a day of infamy when we were robbed of our national freedom and our country was placed under authoritarian rule for almost two decades.

Extrajudicial killing has been the order of the day since then even as the status quo tried to rid itself of any opposition to its abuse of power and authority. I thanked God that my Church – the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) – at least its leadership, stood on the side of the victims of dictatorship, called for the lifting of Martial Law, and to put a stop to human rights violations and extra-judicial killings. Siding with the victims is not without a price to pay. Seeking for that genuine and lasting peace has been very costly, indeed. Many of our church workers and leaders have to pay even with their own life. The last of them is Rabenio Sungit.

Rabenio’s brutal death

The facts on Rabenio’s brutal death were e-mailed to me from our UCCP National Office. Details of the incident reveal that on September 5, 2011 at around 1:30pm, Rabenio Sungit was shot dead by an unidentified motorcycle riding man wearing bonnet using a .45 caliber pistol in the public market along Pagayona Street, Municipality of Quezon, Palawan Province. Rabinio was with his wife, Trinidad and son Rocky when the incident happened.

According to Trinidad, earlier that day, her family together with Rabenio and the children of Avenio “Abe” Sungit, (Rabenio’s brother) gathered at the UCCP local church in Quezon to receive the support from the UCCP National Office for the children of the Sungits. After the said meeting, they went to the market to buy some goods for the family. Trinidad, who was not far from Rabenio heard two gunshots and, in an instant, saw her husband fall to the ground. Trinidad saw the long-haired triggerman hurriedly leave the scene, using a motorcycle driven by another person. According to Rocky, he saw the perpetrators flee toward North.

Prior to the incident, Rabenio attended a Basic Human Rights Orientation Seminar in Puerto Princesa, Palawan organized by the UCCP South Luzon Jurisdiction. Trinidad and Winio (Rabenio’s brother) said that when Rabenio was still alive, they were frequently visited by elements from the Philippine Marines. Likewise, Rolbing, a nephew of Rabenio and chieftain of the Pelaw’an tribe, believed to be an informer of the military, was noticed to be always inquiring about the latter’s whereabouts.

Members of the family and the whole bereaved Pelaw’an indigenous tribal communities are seriously asking about the perpetrators of Rabenio’s killing and their motives in ending his life. According to them, the victim was known to be a simple and gentle person. He didn’t engage in vices like liquor drinking and gambling, but instead focused his energies on working daily to make ends meet for his family. He was a kind, just and respected figure—he was a leader of their community who stood up in defense of people’s rights. He championed the indigenous rights for ancestral lands against the encroachments of large-scale mining companies and other environmentally destructive projects.

Families and friends are further disturbed and angered by the incident, as this was not the first to happen in their family and tribal community. Rabenio’s elder brother, Abe Sungit, one of the Pelaw’an leaders, a known staunch opposition and organizer against destructive mining operations and human rights violations, was also a victim of extrajudicial killing. Their steadfast and active involvement in just social causes for their rights as indigenous peoples solicited ill-will from the military who tagged them as “leftists” or “communists.” Abe Sungit was shot dead also by unidentified motorcycle-riding men in 2005. The Sungits are still waiting for justice to be served if not in this world, surely by faith and hope in the world beyond.

In God’s Service

The Writer of the Gospel of John warned the Christians of his day. “The time will come,” he said, “when those who kill you will think that by doing this they are serving God” (John 16:2). “I have told you this so that you will not give up your faith” (v.1). The perpetrators of Rabenio’s untimely and brutal death or even that of his own elder brother Abe might be thinking that they are doing a “good job” in the service of God, or in the service of “peace,” or in the service of the powers-that-be. Indeed, this is the kind of peace that the world gives. It is neither genuine nor lasting. It is the kind of peace with the scepter and pangs of death. It is the peace of the cemetery.
On the other hand, genuine and lasting peace is a kind of peace based on justice and righteousness. This is the kind of peace that the Lord gives. This is the kind of peace that Jesus Christ our Lord lived and died for. This is the kind of peace that Rabenio and his brother Abe have also paid dearly with their own life, and which the world desperately needs. # nordis.net