By ALWEN SARILING Correspondent ENRAGED over the recent lumad killings, human rights advocates from different parts of the island gathered for a three-day conference here with the aim to establish a broad island-wide network, and step up a campaign against the violations. The groups, responding to the recent attacks, demanded justice from the Aquino administration as they advanced the call against the so-called “Oplan Bayanihan.” Mae Fe Templa, co-convenor, said the indigenes were just trying their best to preserve their ancestral lands and promote their cultural heritage but have been the subject of alleged state-sponsored attacks. “We call it ethnocidal attack when you kill the lumads who are protecting and preserving our natural resources. We should not ignore this because the land that they are protecting is the source of their living,” said Templa. She also said the lumads are now experiencing continued human rights violations, citing 87 alternative lumad schools that have been attacked allegedly by soldiers or groups identified with the military. She said around 40,000 people have been displaced due to militarization, and more than 60 indigenous peasants, and environmental defenders have been arbitrarily killed allegedly by state security forces. “We should strengthen our efforts in addressing these pressing issues by broadening the organization, and let people know that these are really happening, and we will let the perpetrators pay to get justice for all lumads,” Templa said. One of the conference speakers, Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares said if these groups unite themselves, justice is within reach. “We will have a ‘counter-offensive’ against perpetrators of human rights violations. File a complaint and pursue the case until justice is served,” said Colmenares. He also put the blame on President Aquino’s administration for allegedly not solving any human rights concern. “PNoy doesn’t have the agenda of resolving human rights violations because he tolerates these actions,” he said. “But as long as people are united to end impunity, hopes are up to get justice at the end of the battle.” For his part, Bayan Muna Rep. Karlos Zarate challenged the human rights defenders in the conference dubbed as “Barug Katungod” to use all fora to legally counter the attacks, and the trumped up charges slapped against them.