PH Indigenous Peoples Delegation Meets FilCom in Paris
Minister and Consul General Aileen S. Mendiola-Rau introduces the Indigenous Peoples delegation to the Filipino community in Paris at the gathering in Salle Chasseloup in the 16th district of Paris on 30 September 2019. (Paris PE photo)
PARIS 17 October 2019 — Members of the Filipino community and Philippine Embassy personnel, as well as those from the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) and other Philippine government agencies gathered in Paris to hear from the eight-member delegation of Philippine indigenous people, led by Datu Nestor Apas of the Laingan Manobo tribe, in Paris on 30 September 2019.
The delegation shared their first-hand experience and struggles relating to the communist insurgency problem that has plagued their communities for more than five decades.
The delegation highlighted that by imparting their personal narratives, they are “breaking the silence” and appealed to the Filipino community to spread the truth about the atrocities committed against them by communist terror groups. They likewise emphasized that overseas Filipinos donating to organizations in the Philippines to help indigenous communities and internally-displaced persons must ensure that the beneficiaries are not front organizations of communist terrorists. END
Datu Nestor Apas (rightmost), the leader of the Indigenous Peoples delegation from the Philippines shares his stories about the atrocities caused by the communist insurgent groups. (Paris PE photo)
Members of the Indigenous Peoples delegation express their appreciation to the Filipino community in Paris for having the largest number of attendees among the countries they visited during their European tour. (Paris PE photo)
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