About 400 Lakbayan marchers composed of peasants, farmworkers and youth belonging to Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas and National Federation of Sugar Workers took off from Victorias City yesterday to  Silay City  to continue their Lakbayan (people’s march), a press release from organizers said.

Yesterday was the third day of the march to demand their rights to land, jobs and just and living wages, benefits and social services from the state as part of their protest for the upcoming anniversary of Universal Declaration of Human Rights Day tomorrow.

“We are protesting instead of celebrating the upcoming UDHR commemoration because thousands of peasants and farmworkers are denied their rights to land. Land monopoly in Negros is prevalent and is the cause of so much hunger and poverty in the island,” said Greg Ratin, KMP, spokesperson.

The militant group belonging to north Lakbayanistas is expected to arrive in Bacolod City today, the press release said.

On the human rights day tomorrow, they will be joined by the southern Lakbayanistas that will march 21 kilometers from Bago to Bacolod City and will mark the human rights day commemoration with a rally at Bacolod City Public Plaza spearheaded by Karapatan, Bayan and Promotion of Church People’s Responses, it added.

“We walk together  in protest in order to manifest to Arroyo’s government that we have been denied our basic rights that are embodied in the UDHR, and to condemn the continued extra-judicial killing of our members,” Isidro Castillo, NFSW Negros chairperson, said.*

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