listening to the cries of the poor in cotabato city

i entered the city of cotabato to buy some muscle relaxants. (i was sore from hiking mount apo--the highest peak in the philippines.) there was a student demonstration going on. i forgot about the muscle relaxant and went right in the middle of the rally. i took some pictures. the rally organizers immediately approached me and asked for my identification. they are very careful about government agents taking pictures of them.

these student activists remind me of my days at the university of the philippines. i have some idea about the sacrifices and the risks these young men and women are taking to express their hearts and minds in the midst of an unjust society. i prayed for their safety, for their search for justice and peace--both spiritually and socially. i also expressed my respect for their leaders--who are literally putting themselves vulnerable to the forces of unjust political, military, and paramilitary structures around them. many of their colleagues simply disappear--their tortured bodies are later found floating on the river.

why would these young people risk their lives in this manner? not for fun. not for money. it's their sense of hope and conviction that somehow, their families can be alleviated from poverty and injustice. they are hopeful that through their political struggle, a better life and a better future will come.

what are they crying about? the poor all over the philippines are crying against president gloria macapagal-arroyo's proposed increase in value added tax (vat) which is similar to canada's goods and services tax (gst). this proposed tax increase is especially harsh if implemented among the war-torn communities here in mindanao. their placards say: "the masses are hungry! kick gloria out!" they are also crying against george w. bush's "war on terror" as the philippine government uses it to further suppress the muslims in the south. their placards accuse bush as a liar; they feel that the hawkish u.s. administration is using the "war on terror" to continue their military hegemony over the philippines in general, and over mindanao in particular. the philippine government, with u.s. military supplies and equipment, is perceived by these demonstrators as "berdugos" or "executioners." one of the posters i saw states: "war on terror. muslims are oppressed. stop illegal arrests!"

there are always two sides to every story. the government's side is well-publicized in abs-cbn--"the philippines' largest network." what i'm sharing with you are from placards and posters that have limited exposure. i hope that the poor in cotabato will be heard beyond the time and space given them by the local authorities here who issued their public meeting permit.