Correspondence Reports:
Cordillera Day 2004:
Celebrating a history of heroic struggle in the Cordillera

Basahin ang artikulong ito sa Pilipino

Those who attended Cordillera Day 2004 militantly celebrated the valiant history and the unrelenting and intense struggle of the national minorities and people of the Cordillera.

The celebration was held in Tocucan, Bontoc, Mt. Province on April 24. Over 3,000 people from various ili (communities) in the Cordillera, representatives of national minorities and other sectors nationwide, as well as allies and friends from within and outside the Philippines attended.

Cordillera Day began as the Macliing Memorial�the commemoration of the murder of Ama Macliing Dulag by elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines on April 24, 1980. Macliing was a respected Kalinga pangat (tribal chief) who, until his death, heroically opposed the construction of the Chico River Basin Hydroelectric Project (Chico Dam projects) during the US-Marcos dictatorship. The Macliing Memorial was held from 1981-1984, first as an annual commemoration by the Kalinga and Bontoc tribes of Macliing's struggle and martyrdom. Other Cordillera tribes joined the activity until it encompassed various sectors and areas in the Cordillera and included even non-minorities.

Since 1985, the celebrations have been called Cordillera Day (CD) to commemorate and affirm the continuing and more encompassing militant struggle of the people not only along the Chico River but in the entire Cordillera against class and national oppression. CD also embraces the issues and struggles of certain areas in the Ilocos region, which lies adjacent to the Cordillera.

The theme of this year's celebration was "Raise high the torch of the Cordillera martyrs! Strengthen the people's struggle against national oppression and imperialist globalization!"

This year's CD is also historic because it coincides with the 20th anniversary of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) which has led the struggle of the Cordillera people since then. The CPA also leads the annual celebrations of Cordillera Day.

This year, the celebration was also held in one of the ili along the Chico River that stood up against the Chico Dam projects. This has brought to the fore the fact that up to now, the reactionary ruling classes and state are still trying to seize the natural resources and wealth of the Cordillera like the Chico River even as they neglect, exploit and oppress the people of the ili.

In previous years, the CD was held in various ili to show the firm unity of the national minorities and people of the Cordillera and to feature the issues they confront such as the plunder perpetrated by gigantic mining companies, militarization, the seizure of ancestral lands and resources, government's denial of basic social services to the people, and the destruction wrought by "globalization" on agriculture and the people's livelihood.

More than being just a happy commemorative gathering, Cordillera Day is a vast classroom and a reverberating political statement by the militant mass movement in the Cordillera on existing realities �the onerous problems and the persistent struggle waged by the people in the region. In a span of three days from April 22 up to Cordillera Day itself, everyone who attended CD studied the various burning issues in the Cordillera through workshops. They shared their experiences and views on militarization, "globalization" (especially in agriculture), destructive projects, human rights violations, tribal wars and the military's intrigues to foment them, and many others. From the results of the workshops, they formed resolutions to firmly cooperate and advance struggles on the various issues in the Cordillera. Messages from the CPA and allied organizations and even from certain government representatives were read.

The participants honored the Cordillerans' selflessness in laying down their lives, property, strength, talents and wealth to advance the struggle and defend their land, life, livelihood and resources. They paid the highest tribute to the martyrs and heroes who pioneered the struggle of the Cordillera people.

To the sound of gongs and echoes of indigenous songs and chants, the participants called to mind more than a quarter-century of blood, sweat and sacrifice by the people and martyrs and pledged to carry on the torch of the martyrs and heroes of the national minorities. They also reaffirmed that as long as the national minorities do not enjoy genuine autonomy and the right to self-determination, the struggle of the Cordillera people will continue.

07 May 2004
English Edition

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