Cattle and the communists

By Marifi Jara

We, the so-called Generation X – roughly those who are in their 30s now and early 40s -do not fully comprehend the implications of the Martial Law era. We were newborns or toddlers when its dark hand took hold of the country beginning in September 1972. We only hear of stories about the underground movement in the 1970s and 1980s from those who came a generation ahead of us; these are not our generation’s true tales.

But the progression of our political awakening starting with the murder of Benigno Aquino, Jr. in 1984 and the consequent 1986 EDSA Revolution – THE original EDSA revolution – still binds us deeply to the reality of Martial Law. For some of us, the ties are as close as to the loss of a parent we never got to know or other immediate relatives or close friends of our parents who were victims of the countless disappearances during those dim days in our country’s history.

For the Generation Y – those in their 20s now and younger – the idea of Martial Law is quite remote; just another chapter in the subject of Philippine history. And so for majority of them, all the talk over the Human Security Act of 2007 must be boring, if not mind-numbing. For many of them, Ninoy is just the face in the P500-bill and the martyred father of Kris Aquino, one of Philippine pop culture’s inescapable icons (either you love her or you hate her, but you can never avoid or not know her – but that would be another story).

But if the HSA does get implemented effective today, there is a real, clear and present danger that vestiges of Martial Law will come to the fore. Here. Now.

In the period of the Generation X and Y, in OUR time. Arbitrary arrests, disappearances and political harassment are not unimaginable. The call of Governor Amado Espino Jr. to eradicate the elements of the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People’s Army in the province becomes frightening in light of the HSA.

The world has changed. So has our country. But basic human rights and the fundamentals of democracy, which we Filipinos enjoy at a level incomparable to most of our Southeast Asian neighbors, remain the same.

The CPP and NPA, for example, are now recognized political institutions here. I do not agree with their principles, but I believe that our democracy gives us all the space to agree to disagree.

They are fighting for beliefs related to the distribution of wealth, among others. I may not agree with their means but I do agree with the end that the Philippine government needs to address the huge gaps that create stark differences among the economic positions of people within our society. The government cannot and should not subvert political beliefs, but it can put a stop to poverty. People, including the marginalized in the countryside and the urban poor, who are given opportunities for a stable means of income and perceive infrastructure, social and overall economic development around them would most likely not be tempted to stop believing in democracy.

Why train our efforts on hunting, arresting and jailing the CPP and the NPA? Communism has fallen most elsewhere in the world. Even China and Vietnam are opening up. Let’s leave those who have been time trapped in the Communist era. Let’s look towards addressing our more persistent and pressing economic problems.

Cattle rustling, for example, is a more valid and compelling trouble for our farmers here in Pangasinan than the minimal harassment caused by CPP and NPA elements. Gov. Espino is right on target in telling the police to go on an all out campaign against these cattle thieves.

With the significant lack of manpower in our provincial police force û more than 3,000 short of the ideal number – the people and our agricultural province would benefit more if they concentrated on the cattle criminals.

If the farmers continue to lose their valuable animal help and consequently fall into income difficulties without feeling any help from the government, there comes the threat that they will be swayed to start believing in something other than our democracy and our government.

Without poverty, if people at the grassroots actually experience progress, we can all be assured of a more authentic and deep feeling of security.

(For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/roots/)

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments