April 14, 2010
PRESS RELEASE

Youth group Anakbayan joined farmers from Hacienda Luisita today in a picket outside the house of Presidential aspirant Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III along Times Street in Quezon City to demand justice and genuine agrarian reform. The youth group also relayed fears of an HLI massacre repeat should Noynoy Aquino be put into power.

“Up to now, the Cojuangco-Aquino family’s hands are still tainted with the blood of the Luisita martyrs. Justice for the HLI martyrs is still far away. Not a single piece of land has been given back to the farmers, and no one has been punished for the bloody massacre back in 2004,” said Anakbayan chairperson Ken Ramos.

“Is Noynoy blind or deaf? Simply put, the Luisita farmers demand a redistribution of the land they till. Without this kind of justice, the HLI massacre will only repeat itself in the coming years,” Ramos added.

In 2004, 14 farm workers from the Hacienda Luisita, Inc. (HLI) were killed in a bloodied clash between armed forces hired by the HLI and striking workers. Early November last year, Noynoy Aquino promised to settle the HLI issue the same time he declared his bid for presidency.

Anakbayan further expressed its fears of an HLI massacre repeat should Noynoy be put into power. “Back as a Congressman, Noynoy failed to address this issue. Months after he declared to put an end to this issue, nothing has happened. With Cojuangco as his main backer in the coming elections, he will surely be beholden to the interest of the biggest landlord family in the country.”

Ramos further added that “the presidency will only give Noynoy more armed forces and legal machineries at his disposal. His track record points to his stance to block genuine land redistribution and reform. He may become even more violent than Arroyo was in 2004 considering his class background. And the HLI massacre may occur in other parts of the country.”

“Noynoy will not escape the fact that he remains loyal to his landlord class. The struggle of the HLI farmers and their families embodies the Filipino farmers’ clamor for genuine land reform. And the brutal massacre that they experienced demonstrates the predisposition to violence that the landed elite are capable of when dealing with the growing movement for land reform,” Ramos concluded.

The youth group vowed to join the HLI farmers in their fight for justice. Next week, the youth group will also join the caravan that will be held by HLI farmers. (Bulatlat.com)

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