Are Lumads Left Out in the Quest for Peace in Mindanao?

“It seems that the leadership of the MILF has forgotten our sapa (pact) when they enlisted our ancestral domain in the BJE,” he said.

When asked if the situation could lead to violence, Limikid said: “We are afraid to break this ancient pact because we know that breaking this will lead to further misery to our people.”

Timuay Nanding says the Lumads have always been for peace. “We have peacefully coexisted with our Moro brothers for a long time. There is always a way to dialogue.”

The tribal leaders maintain that the Lumads and the Moros have the same aspiration: self-determination.

In their declaration, the tribal leaders also recognize the right of the Moros to claim their ancestral lands in turn: “The right to self-determination of our Moro brethren is also enshrined in laws and in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and that we recognize their struggle and efforts to achieve recognition of this right as a legitimate cause and has historical basis.”

But Timuay Nanding sums up the apprehension of the Lumads: in drawing up the BJE, the MILF would encroach in their territories.

Respect and recognition

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But not all Lumads sing and dance the same tune on the halted Bangsamoro land pact. Some, especially those in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, support it while others say it would raze their right to self-determination. MA. CECILIA RODRIGUEZ
The word Lumad, which means ‘grown to a place’, is a generic term that refers to members of the 18 major ethno linguistic groupings in Mindanao. The tribes are the Subanen, Manobo, B’laan, Ata, Mandaya, T’boli, Higaonon, Tiruray (Teduray), Mansaka, Bagobo, Bukidnon, Dibabawon, Tagakaolo, Banwaon, Ubo Manobo, Manguwangon, Lambangian and Mamanwa.

Sub-tribes have been formed by tribal intermarriages over the years.

Latest statistics show that the population of indigenous peoples in Mindanao is around 2.5 million, or 5 per cent of the island’s population. This estimate however includes only those who have registered with the authorities. Many Lumad families do not formally register births.

The 1997 Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) or Republic Act 8379 recognizes the inherent right of the indigenous peoples to own and possess ancestral domains, the right to self-governance and self-determination, and the preservation of their culture, traditions and institutions.

These rights are also embodied in United Nations declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples (UNDRIP) which specifies that indigenous peoples can “freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development” (Article 3).

No common stand

But, in asserting their right to self-determination, the Lumads face the dilemma of unifying all tribes towards one course of action.