Soldiers in countryside to help, not to kill

I have read many articles about victims of military operations in Davao del Sur and other parts of Mindanao. At first glance, the articles are touching but as one reads on, the customary blaming of the military for the death of civilians becomes obvious.

For instance, the articles pinpointing the military for the woes of the lumad in Talaingod, Davao del Sur, and citing testimonies of military harassment, abuse and the like from residents.

The military denies all these allegations because they know that the New People’s Army organizers are the ones who have been forcing residents to evacuate their communities during military operations. The organizers are not from the place of the lumad, and what they have been doing has worsened the plight of the lumad. The lumad are usually forced to evacuate so that they would not be able to benefit from government-initiated activities that will help them improve their lives. The NPA rebels do not want these development initiatives to succeed.

I have worked before as a volunteer in one of the villages in Davao del Sur, and I saw and heard sad tales of indigenous peoples being forced to join the NPA. The depiction of the military in the articles run counter to what the military is doing in our poor communities. Soldiers come to help, not to kill.

—MARIE JANE ROSALES, [email protected]