DELEGATES from around the world joined Filipino peasants and indigenous peoples in an international learning and solidarity mission (ISM) held from Oct. 11 to 15, marking Peasant Month with calls for justice and resistance against what they described as “the crimes of the US-backed Marcos administration.”
In an emailed statement, the Federation of Free Peasants and Struggles (FFPS) said participants from several countries joined the mission “to extend the international community’s solidarity, learn from the Filipino masses their conditions and experiences, and amplify their call to expose and oppose” government abuses.
“ISM teams visited several regions emblematic of the issues faced by peasants and indigenous peoples who experience land grabbing, displacement, and destruction of livelihood in the name of private and foreign-backed development projects,” the group’s statement reads.
According to FFPS, participants documented reports from rural areas where residents are allegedly subjected to military control, requiring farmers to log in and out before working their fields.
“In these areas, clear evidence of a de facto martial law exists, where civilian rule has been overpowered by military rule,” the group said, citing these measures as part of the Marcos administration’s National Action Plan for Peace and Development (NAP-UPD), which it described as an effort “to end all forms of struggle and dissent.”
The group also claimed that the mission’s delegates faced harassment and intimidation from state forces during their visits.
“From day one, all ISM teams experienced continuous harassment, intimidation, and surveillance by state forces. This only further implicates the regime and underscores that they have a lot to hide,” FFPS said.
Despite the tension, FFPS said delegates witnessed the resilience and organization of peasant communities, which strengthened their commitment to global solidarity.
“The mission highlighted the justness of the struggles by the Filipino peasantry,” the group said. “Real change and lasting peace — a people’s peace — can only be brought about through the people’s democratic revolution that fights for national and social liberation.”
FFPS called on the international community to stage solidarity actions on Oct. 21, recognized as Peasant Day in the Philippines, to support rural communities and their campaigns for land rights and justice.
“We encourage organizations and individuals to hold propaganda and creative actions to amplify the struggles of the Filipino people,” the group said. “For maximum participation, we call for demonstrations and protest actions in front of Philippine embassies and consulates worldwide.”
