The Seeds of Struggle
Peasant Rights Defenders Under the Repressive State
by Anya Nikita Donato
One blink, one “be safe,” one goodbye, one day away and the next, they are gone.
Every peasant month, support for farmers and fishermen and their calls against injustice grows louder. The significance of it may be lost on those with power until they are struck with the might of the people as the oppressed and all of those who are at the crux of the peasant struggle join hands, raise their banners, and register calls on the streets.
To weaken their resolve, the reactionary state threatens and red-tags, enforces disappearances, and hangs over people’s heads the dangers of imprisonment but to those who have seen the heart of the problem, all this is moot. The sharp threats disguised in kind smiles fail to deter the peasant defenders who see nothing but the hardships the peasants face, the injustices they are buried with, and the lies told to keep the truth sealed away in a box.
With the goal of opening Pandora’s box, Amanda Echanis, a peasant rights defender, holds the might of the pen even while imprisoned with her baby, Randall. Baby Randall turned four years old last October 25, what is supposed to be a joyous occasion is overshadowed by their life in captivity. This is generational, like the injustice felt by the peasant Echanis is fighting for, as her first imprisonment also dates back to her childhood. Just six months old, Echanis was detained together with her father, Randy Echanis, and mother, Linda Lacaba-Echanis, thus making her the youngest political prisoner back in 1990. Despite the generational oppression she has faced, Echanis continues to serve the people, especially the peasant sector, with her sharp words aimed at cutting those in power until they listen.
Even with the knowledge that there is a threat of danger from the reactionary state, peasant rights defenders shouldered on their fight. This holds true for James Jazmines, a writer for student, cultural, and labor advocacy organizations, and Felix Salaveria Jr., an advocate for the rights of indigenous peoples. With their unwavering dedication to serve the people, both activists resemble a flame that shines its light steadily to get rid of the darkness and ease the peasants’ fear, a danger to the elites who feed off the latter and work in the dark. With a mission to quell that light, a silver van seizes Jazmines and Salaveria in a blink of an eye. The enforced disappearance of these two activists, coupled with the lack of progress and enthusiasm on the police’s end, left a bad taste in the mouths of the grieving families as their demands for justice are pushed to the sidelines. The blatant display of indifference from the authorities serve as the loudest reminder yet as to where their loyalties lie.
This is the fate of those who speak up, this is the fate of peasant rights defenders. Peasant rights defenders are at the forefront of the dangers of actively fighting against the increasing militarization in the far-flung areas of the country. Speaking up for the rights of peasants should not equate to accepting a life of imprisonment nor the forced disappearance of loved ones right outside doorsteps.
Such was the case for Fhobie Matias who was a member of the peasant group Katipunan ng mga Samahang Magbubukid sa Timog Katagalugan and an organizer of farmers in Laguna. She was reported to be abducted and brought into a military camp; her current whereabouts remain unknown. Devastation and uncertainty followed her forced disappearance amidst the heightened military presence in the Southern Tagalog Region. All her family has left is her last message pleading for help and the knowledge that with no new information, there is not much they can do but take their fight on the streets.
With this incident, data from Karapatan indicate that there are at least 14 active cases of enforced disappearances under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration after Rowena Dasig was recently surfaced.
Silencing the oppressed is what tyrants do best to protect their image. The silence of their making is also the silence that haunts them. It is the kind of silence that wraps around the loudest street, seeps into the hardest concrete, crawls to the farthest regions, and whispers into the coldest hearts until people are forced to stop, listen, and wonder. For every pen raised, for every microphone on, and for every protest that people march, the silence turns into screams that tear down the wall of oppression hiding the darkest truths.
So long as there are people willing to fight, these continued attempts to silence the hearts and voices of the Filipino people will never prevail. So long as there are those willing to listen, learn, and help in the struggle, the disappeared will never be forgotten and the legacy of those we have lost in the fight will be written into history. The struggle for land, food, and justice that peasants face is a disease that continues to devour our people while the government turns a blind eye.
The peasant defenders led the way as the rest followed. Now, it is high time to step to the forefront and cut the disease at its root so it can no longer spread like a plague. Much has been done to silence and placate, but more can be done to attain the justice long overdue. Every voice heard and every word written form a melody sung by the people until even the blind at the top are left with no choice but to listen. While peasant month is the time for peasant struggle to take on the streets and the countryside, the struggle persists year-round. When lives are at stake, every second counts.
