James Balao: Pursuing indigenous peoples rights

The disappearance of James Balao deserves the concern of every Igorot, every Cordilleran, every person concerned about human rights and Indigenous Peoples integrity. On the celebration of Indigenous Peoples month this October or any day for that matter, calls for identifying the selfless commitment of James Balao towards justice and recognition of Indigenous Peoples rights. If you are one, you have all the reason and cause to call for James Balao’s abductors to surface him now!

James Balao, 47, writer, social activist, and indigenous peoples rights advocate, had been missing for a month now. (He remains missing till now. This article is a reprint published October 2008). He was kidnapped on Sept 17 reportedly by elements of the Military Intelligence Group and Intelligence Service Unit of Region 1, in La Trinidad, Benguet.

Balao graduated1981 at the University of the Philippines College Baguio with the degree BS Psychology. He was a consistent honor pupil and topped the national exam maintaining his scholarship from secondary to college at UP. He served as editor-in-chief of the official student paper, Outcrop.

The idealist and the intellectual in him, Balao involved himself in research and writing for both academic and non-government organizations. One of Balao’s major research is "The land problem of the Cordillera national minorities."

Balao had also been a researcher with the schools-related non-government organizations NGO, Cordillera Schools Group which produced resource materials on socio-economic features of the Cordillera which serve as supplementary reading materials for secondary schools, now that the indigenization of the curriculum is widely recognized. He became a member of the Philippines’ Constitutional Commission where he drafted Constitutional provisions on Indigenous Peoples' rights.

“With his vast knowledge we hope and pray that he will not be harmed and set free as soonest so he will continue his work for the upliftment of the lives of the Cordillerans”, Fr. Arthur Balao, James’ father said in his letter to the public. The Balaos are from Atok, Benguet.

James’ many researches and writings and involvement in committees and commissions related to Indigenous Peoples issues has contributed directly and or indirectly, to provisions in the 1987 Philippine Constitution on the recognition of indigenous peoples rights. In one way or another, his researches, writings and concrete involvement on indigenous peoples issues has contributed to the creation of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples and land reform covering indigenous issues on ancestral domain.

He has poured his time and intellect in pushing forward the upliftment of Indigenous Peoples in policies beneficial to Igorots specially. Where NGOs only give subsistent allowances to their staff, James has opted to choose this path and work for dreams as his contribution, in one way or another, now enjoyed by Cordillerans/Igorots on the creation of structures, jobs, and opportunities for indigenous peoples of the Cordillera.

Along with other freedom loving ideologues and activists who push forward what indigenous peoples rights and justice means, his is a path which is rarely taken. His path is rare for a first child of the family to take and a family’s sacrifice to take.

It’s a sacrifice worth taking for dreams that can be achieved. For rights to be recognized. His path is extraordinary not everyone would like to take, not a materially benefiting one, for a talented and educated person who has much options to take. James’ father is correct. The knowledge of James is worth continuing.

Already a month since he disappeared, Balao cannot be reached. Nobody knows how he is except his abductors. Is he alive? How is he? Is he hurt? These are questions that need answers. For James’ abductors to kidnap him and deny him of his rights to move freely, and think they can get away from it is not taken lightly.

In news reports, military’s Northern Luzon Command Lieutenant General Isagani Cachuela urged militant groups to “file charges instead of launching propaganda campaigns” blaming them for the mysterious disappearance of Balao. The military commander tagged “search” campaigns by the Baguio-based Cordillera Peoples Alliance as “demolition campaigns” where “the accused have no chance to defend themselves.”

Balao’s disposition as a soft spoken and cultured person and his involvements in person and in work does not in any manner place him to be abducted by any one else, except for the government’s military forces, believed to have done James’ disappearance, the latter being involved with the CPA.

While Lieutenant General Isagani Cachuela says that the “accused“ (military) have no chance to defend themselves exactly puts James Balao in a position where he cannot defend himself. As of now, military authorities have not issued a statement where they categorically denied or admitted that they are responsible for James Balao’s disappearance.

The government’s Oplan Bantay Laya which has labelled progressive organizations such as the Cordillera Peoples Alliance as “sectoral fronts” of the Communist Party of the Philippines has practically placed CPA staff as “communists.” James helped found the internationally renowned organization Cordillera Peoples Alliance in 1984. He works for the Cordillera Peoples Alliance when he was abducted.

Where Balao’s abduction could have been that he is a suspected “communist”, puts a question of, is it wrong to act for the welfare of indigenous peoples and human rights? At this onset, we take recognition of the extra-judicial killings of activists Romy Sanchez in 9 March, Pepe Manegdeg in 29 November and Albert Terradano in 30 November, all in 2005, believed to be perpetrated by elements of the government’s military forces. They are all young men full of dreams for the upliftment of justice and human rights, choosing a path not many would like to tread.

Communism is a thing of the past. The Philippine government and its armed forces command is still stuck on the idea that such an ideology exists to the extent of implementing inhuman and illegal acts of enforced disappearances and extra judicial killings of suspected ”communists.”

Such a reason to exist and hound on perceived “communists” is an outdated figment of the imagination. It is an obsolete, unworkable and unlawful method to this present world which is moving to an international state of up-front, lawful, peaceful, and encompassing means to pursue understanding of basic and complex issues which cuts across politics and economy.

Since Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assumed power in January 2001, there are now more than 903 reported cases of extra-judicial killings and more than 200 cases of forcible disappearances in the Philippines. It is now the 2nd most dangerous country for trade unionists. Despite this terror, the Filipino people’s resistance continues. I would like to express my deepest concern that James Balao, who has not been seen since 17 September, may have been subjected to enforced disappearance by the security forces.

Northern Philippine Times