[轉錄] Cordillera Day的背景 - 菲律賓

取自戈地椰拉人民聯盟（Cordillera Peoples' Alliance, CPA）網站：
http://www.cpaphils.org/

A Background on the CORDILLERA DAY celebration

April 24 is a very significant date for the peoples of the
Cordillera. It was in the evening of this day in 1980 that
soldiers belonging to the Philippine Army’s 4th Infantry Di
vision, under Lt. Leodegario Adalem, fired at two houses in
the village of Bugnay, Tinglayan, Kalinga. The attack meant
to kill two prominent leaders of the Kalinga and Bontok peop
les opposed to the World Bank-funded Chico River Basin Hydro
electric Dam Project of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.
These were Ama Macliing Dulag and Pedro Dungoc. Macliing Dul
ag, a respected pangat (tribal chieftain) of the Butbut trib
e, died from multiple gunshots while Pedro Dungoc survived.
Pedro Dungoc later joined the New Peoples Army (NPA) and die
d a red fighter.

If there is one thing positive in this military terrorism
and cowardly act, the Macliing assassination served to stren
gthen the determination of the Kalinga and Bontok tribal peo
ple. It further strengthened their unity to defend their col
lective rights over their land and resources and against a c
ommon enemy – the Marcos dictatorship and the world-bank fu
nded Chico dams. Rather than intimidate the people into pass
ivity, state fascism since the early ‘70s was a major facto
r in firming up the commitment of the Chico communities to t
he anti-Chico dam struggle. This later broadened into a mass
movement of the Cordillera peoples and advocates into the s
truggle for the defense of ancestral land and for genuine re
gional autonomy.

The commemoration of the death of Macliing Dulag from 1981
to 1984 was called Macliing Memorial. But with the broadeni
ng of the Cordillera mass movement encompassing all the prov
inces of the Cordillera, the commemoration started to be cal
led as Cordillera Day in 1985 to symbolize the widening unit
y and solidarity amongst the different indigenous peoples of
the Cordillera, and with advocate and support groups at the
regional, national and international levels. The first cele
bration of Cordillera Day was held in Sadanga, Mountain Prov
ince. It was also in June 1984 that the Cordillera Peoples A
lliance (CPA) was founded and took the lead in the celebrati
on of Cordillera Day.

Since then, Cordillera Day has been held all over the Cord
illera region with particular focus per celebration, in cons
ideration to burning regional issues, and major national and
international developments as well as the urgent issues of
host community. The past celebrations were attended annually
by delegates ranging from 3,000 to 4,500 individuals. It ha
s become the biggest annual political solidarity gathering o
f indigenous peoples in the Cordillera with friends and advo
cates. The general programme for the two- day celebration in
cludes workshops on major issues affecting indigenous people
s, presentations on the regional and national situation and
challenges; on experiences and lessons from struggles in def
ense of indigenous peoples rights and human rights and vario
us cultural presentations presenting the issues of communiti
es and sectors, commemoration of Cordillera martyrs, and lot
s of mass dancing, playing of gongs and community chanting.
The festive atmosphere of each celebration remains political
but colorful and inspiring.

Because of the nature of this gathering as a political sol
idarity event, several host communities were intimidated and
harassed by the military and some government officials, but
these communities as well as others who had to do a lot of
work in preparing the ground for the celebration and hosting
thousands of delegates remain nonetheless proud, enriched a
nd inspired.

The celebration of Cordillera Day has also expanded overse
as which is a clear manifestation of the growing internation
al solidarity for the Cordillera indigenous people’s moveme
nt. For several years already, Cordillera Day has been celeb
rated in Hongkong, Belgium and Macau. These are being organi
zed by Cordillera migrants and workers together with interna
tional solidarity partners and advocates of Cordillera strug
gles and indigenous peoples rights.

More than just a gathering and sharing, Cordillera Day is
a political statement on present realities by the militant C
ordillera peoples’ movement. It carries with it the histori
cal advances of the mass movement for self determination and
national democracy. It is the affirmation of principles and
struggles for defense of the ancestral domain and for self
determination and pursues what the Cordillera martyrs and he
roes have fought for. The solidarity and camaraderie forged
during celebrations serve to enhance the particularity of th
e Cordillera peoples struggle and to inspire others. At the
same time, it strengthens the unity of the Cordillera people
s with other indigenous peoples and sectors across the regio
n, and at the national and international levels.

The struggle for the peoples’ aspirations for social just
ice, genuine development and peace, freedom and democracy ar
e still far from over. Macliing Dulag and all our other mart
yrs did not die in vain. Cordillera Day and our continuing c
ampaigns and struggles shall be raised to a higher ground un
til our aspirations become a reality.

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