Message of Solidarity to the Monday Demonstration and the People    of Stuttgart on the Stuttgart 21 Project

The Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) in the Cordillera Region, Philippines salutes the Monday Demonstration and the People of Stuttgart for standing up for their rights  and struggle against the imposition of the multi-billion Euro rail rebuilding project Stuttgart 21. We express our unity and solidarity in their just cause.

We agree with the Monday Demonstration that primarily, the people of Stuttgart should have been consulted and their best interest prioritized over the interest of multinational corporations and politicians who are ramming down  this project  to people’s throats even if they have made it clear from the start that they do not want this project. The billions of Euros involved will only lead to corruption among those in public office.

We support the Monday Demonstration’s call to have these large funds re-channeled  instead to basic social services for the public such as education and health. We are also one with the Monday Demonstration’s call to respect the cultural heritage status of the current train station  and the natural heritage status of the inner park or the Castle Park. The CPA is also concerned with the environmental destruction this big project will bring about, and the impact it will have to the people of Stuttgart and their well being. We understand that trees over 300 years old will  have to be cut down and the Neckar River and its resources will be  endangered with the high risk of pollution.

The Philippines is a haven of imperialist and capitalist plunder for the greed and superprofit of multinational corporations and few ruling elite sacrificing the interests of the Filipino people including indigenous peoples and national minorities. We also call this development aggression, or the unjust imposition of so-called ‘development projects’ that are actually destructive and anti-people in nature, and this is perpetuated by the State and transnational corporations.  Imperialist mining, logging, agri-industrial plantations, mega dams and other development projects manifest this, and are commonly located in indigenous territories. This leaves indigenous communities bearing the brunt of development aggression, the core of which is capitalist and imperialist plunder. Development aggression comes with political repression and militarization, or the heavy and dense deployment of military troops in communities, resulting in various human rights violations. In the course of militarization, curfews, food blockades, interrogation, harassment and vilification take place, and worse, the extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances. We have experienced government neglect, especially in terms of basic social services, with government spending making it a last priority, and instead prioritizing greater budgets for military spending. As we suffer our distinct problem of national oppression from the ruling elite and US imperialism as indigenous peoples and national minorities, we also bear the chronic national economic and our country.  With don’t take these problems sitting down. We continue to fight! Some tactical gains were achieved with ultimate sacrifices. And we achieved these with the support and solidarity of struggling people all over the world such as in Stuttgart, Germany.

With the dedication and commitment of the Monday Demonstration and the people of Stuttgart, we are confident that the fire of struggle continue blazing, as we pursue international solidarity with peoples movements the world over.

Long Live International Solidarity!

Reference:

Mr. Windel B. Bolinget
Chairperson