Woman Lumad leader on state abandonment of education: ‘No other alternative but to build our own sch
“Education is a basic right. It is essential in preserving our culture and ancestral land that our forefathers have valiantly fought for and defended against foreign colonizers.” This is the idea that Femia Cullamat, a woman leader of Manobo and the spokesperson of Kahugpungan sa mga Lumadnong Organisasyon sa Caraga (Kasalo Caraga or Organization of Indigenous Peoples Organizations in Caraga) remembers every time she speaks with high-level officials of the United Nations and other international entities to drumbeat the situation of indigenous-initiated education amidst militarization in Mindanao.
Cullamat, 57 years old, was part of the Philippine UPR Watch who lobbied the human rights situation in the Philippines during the 36th UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland. Cullamat also joined the group in trooping other UN bodies and international offices situated in Geneva as well as in Belgium and the Netherlands.
Cullamat, together with other Filipino delegates of the Philippine UPR Watch, had also a chance to visit the embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela based in Hague, Netherlands. “I am very much overwhelmed on how your government upholds the education of your children because it is far different from what we have in the Philippines,” Cullamat said to Venezuelan Ambassador Alvaro Cordero upon learning that the Venezuelan government has been providing free and quality education to its citizens.
“In our country, elementary and secondary schools are usually located far from indigenous communities, especially in Mindanao - leaving lumad or indigenous children without any option but to walk for hours every day just to attend their classes. Our children have long been deprived of education, with 90% of them have never attended school,” Cullamat added.
According to her, “for decades, the Philippine government has abandoned its responsibility in providing us with basic social services. We’ve found no other alternative but to assert our right to self-determination and establish our own schools,” added Cullamat. She proudly shared that the Lumad people have built more than 200 schools with the assistance of cause-oriented organizations.
“We are able to overcome state abandonment, but we are now being confronted with bigger challenges – militarization and environmental plunder,” Cullamat opined.
According to Eule Rico Bonganay, secretary general of Salinlahi Alliance for Children’s Concerns and lead convener of Save Our Schools Network, the Lumad community schools in Mindanao especially those situated in communities that strongly oppose mining operations and other environmentally destructive activities were subjected to military attacks. “There were 89 lumad community schools attacked by elements of Armed Forces of the Philippines since July 2016. Instead of heeding to our demands, President Duterte even threatened to bomb their schools which subsequently led to more violations including the killing of a Lumad student last September 5.” Bonganay was referring to Obillo Bay-ao, a grade 6 pupil of Salugpongan Ta Tanu Igkanogon Community Learning Center, who was mercilessly killed by Ben Salangani, member of Citizen Auxiliary Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) and Joven Salangani, member of paramilitary group Alamara in Talaingod, Davao del Norte.
After the brief discussion, Cullamat gave Mr. Cordero a bead necklace weaved by Manobo women as a symbol of solidarity with the indigenous people’s struggle for land and self-determination.
Reference: Eule Rico Bonganay, Salinlahi secretary general