Young Agrarian Reform Advocates'—as a peasant strategy

Peasant Movement of the Philippines (KMP), 1 August 1998

Dear friends, advocates of peasant, rural workers and the struggle of the landless and to KMP's [Peasant Movement of the Philippines] counterpart peasant organizations in the different parts of the world.

This is to share with you [pls. read NNARAA—Youth statement on its 2nd Generaal Assembly below] one of the approaches or strategies that KMP is employing to broaden its support base for the struggle of the peasants for land and for genuine land reform.

Surely, we will discuss more approaches and peasant strategies when we meet and share during the PEASANT FORUM—Throwing Off the Yoke of Imperialist Globaalization in November 11-12, KUAALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA as one of the issue forum of the Asia-Pacific Peoples' Assembly's [APPA]—Confronting Globalization, Reasserting Peoples'Rights in time with the 6th APEC world leaders' meeting.

SO FILL UP YOUR REGISTRATIONS FORMS TO THE PEASANT FORUM AND TO THE APPA [November 8-15]

See you then!

PEASANT FORUM SECRETARIAT
c/o Mr. RAFAEL MARIANO, KMP
#69 MAAYUSIN corner MALAMBING STS.
UP VILLAGE, DILIMAN, 1100, Q.C.
PHILIPPINES
TEL: 632—920/5668 / TEL/FAX: 632—435/3564
E-MAIL: KMP@INFO.COM.PH / PX.ISDA@SKYINET.NET

National Network of Agrarian Reform Advocates Youth Sector, NNARA-Youth

NEWS RELEASE, 22 July 1998

Reference: Phoebe Mendoza, publicity officer
e-mail: px.isda@skyinet.net

YOUTH RENEW VOWS TO CHAMPION PEASANT RIGHTS IN ASSEMBLY

STUDENT leaders from 13 schools in Manila reaffirmed their vows to help peasants fight for genuine agrarian reform in the second general assembly of the National Network for Agrarian Reform Advocates Youth Sector (NNARA-Youth) last week.

The group's newly-elected chair Mary Ann Alejo of the College of Holy Spirit told the crowd of two hundred delegates that the group hopes to expand membership among the students in double the number of schools for 1998 in anticipation of intensifying social conflicts to be raised by landless peasants under the Estrada administration.

NNARA-Youth had its beginnings in 1995 to provide an accessible venue for students and teachers especializing in community work, for them to sustain links with rural villages in a manner that would make academics more deeply aware of the peasants' problems. By 1997, the increasing number of chapters pushed for its first assembly.

During its existence, NNARA-Youth developed into a movement of idealistic activists whose commitment to helping the poor took them to march alongside peasants during rallies and visit victims of agrarian injustices jailed or killed while fighting for their farmlands.

The student council of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines hosted the assembly at the school's Sta. Mesa campus. The other elected officers are: Ma. Elena Urbano, vice-chair; Ma. Clara Ibarra, secretary-general; Anna Espilimbergo, finance officer; and Phoebe Mendoza, education and publicity officer.