Together with Karapatan-Central Luzon, the Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Asyenda Luisita (Ambala) filed a new complaint with the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Central Office on October 20 against the military for its continuing harassment and Red-tagging of farmers in Hacienda Luisita.

Ambala members have become targets of coordinated attacks in recent months. Posters containing fake information circulated in the Hacienda Luisita community, claiming that Ambala was being “used” by its allied groups, the Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luson and the Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura. The military clearly aims to sow chaos and division among the farmers.

Soldiers also conducted house-to-house visits and interrogations while carrying photos of Ambala leaders. They told farmers not to “cooperate” with the organization and threatened them with imprisonment or death.

The 3rd Mechanized Infantry Battalion soldiers and the Northern Luzon Command threatened Barangay Parang’s Ambala chairperson Florence Dalapag, and Barangay Lourdes’ Ambala chairperson Analyn Baluyut.

“Such acts of intimidation, coercion, and red-tagging are clear violations of human rights and of the people’s right to organize, to express dissent, and to pursue justice. These are not ‘peace efforts.’ These are state-sponsored operations of repression aimed at dismantling the organized strength of the poor,” the group explained.

Karapatan-CL called on the CHR Central Office to immediately investigate and take concrete steps to protect the Ambala members and their families, and to hold accountable the soldiers and agents responsible for the harassment.