March 3 CARPER Mass and Procession to Mendiola

HUNGER FOR LAND, HUNGER FOR JUSTICE

invites everybody to join

The Concelebrated Mass for CARPER
Malate Church, Tuesday, 3 March 2009, 2:30-4:00 pm


Main Celebrant:
His Excellency Jose S. Palma, DD
Archbishop of Palo, Leyte

4:00-6:00 pm
Procession, Prayers, and Rosary
from Malate Church To Mendiola


Program and Candlelit Vigil of Farmers to Follow

God Hears the Cries of the Poor
(cf. Exodus 3, 7-9)


OUR POOR FARMERS ARE IN MANILA! THEY HUNGER FOR LAND AND JUSTICE!

1. Congress passed Joint Resolution No. 1, Series of 2009, extending the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) for six months without compulsory acquisition. Worse, the Department of Agrarian Reform issued Memorandum No. 09-01804 halting processing of pending land acquisition folders already in the pipeline;

2. The House Committee on Constitutional Amendments approved Resolution No. 737 which would amend the Constitution to allow foreign ownership of land. Our farmers are deprived of the right to own farmland so that landowners can sell land to foreigners? This is treasonous. Not only does it mock the social justice spirit of the 1987 Constitution, it also would endanger food and environmental security and strip farmers of their right to development.

3. From 2001 to 2008, 48 farmers have been killed and 19,800 others have become victims of various agrarian-related human rights violations perpetrated by agents of the state, landowners, their goons, and other armed groups.


OUR FARMERS CALL ON PRESIDENT GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO AND OUR LEGISLATORS TO:

1. Ensure the immediate passage of House Bill No. 4077 and Senate Bill No. 2666, which both extend CARP with several reforms. This would effectively set aside Joint Resolution No. 1, Series of 2009, and DAR Memorandum No. 09-01804.

2. Render justice and provide protection to all victims of agrarian-related human rights violations.

Ref: PEACE - 434 3003


Hunger for Land, Hunger for Justice Campaigners

Task Force Mapalad, Negros Federation of Farmers Associations(NOFFA)-UNORKA, Bishops Businessmen Conference (BBC) Cluster on Labor and Employment, PEACE Foundation, Balay Mindanaw Foundation Inc., KAISAHAN tungo sa Kaunlaran ng Kanayunan at Repormang Pansakahan, BALAOD-Mindanao, CAPP-SIAD, SALIGAN, ALG, Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan, ACCORD; PARRDS, JPICC-AMRSP, Augustinian Missionaries of the Philippines, Education for Life Foundation, Federation of Free Farmers, COPE, Task Force Anti-Eviction, Task Force Detainees of the Philippines, IDEALS, PAKISAMA, FGS, FTA, PRRM, PKSK, CSI, RCM, Akbayan!, ARC, Asian Social Institute, MFDC, PKKK; PARFUND; PAHRA; Kababaihan-Pilipinas, DAREA, Urban Poor Alliance, Partido ng Manggagawa, Daughters of Charity, AR Now!, ANGOC, Radio Veritas, Catholic Mass Media Network, APL, Sumilao Farmers, TAIDI Farmers, Calatagan Farmers, Banasi Farmers, Valderama Farmers, Duque Farmers, Dr. Mina Ramirez, Former DA Sec. Leonardo Montemayor, Former COMELEC Chairman. Christian Monsod, Dr. Rene Ofreneo, and many other Church and CARPER personalities