 |
| photo: Mindanao Peoples' Peace Movement during the 7th Mindanao Peoples' Peace Summit last December 2013. Yeb talked on Climate Change. |
We stand at a crucial juncture in
our evolving history as a human family. This is the moment
of reckoning. Before us are two
roads – a path of gloom and a path of hope. We can choose a
path of misery, with the climate
crisis and the development crisis going beyond the point of
no return. The path of gloom is a
path of the current economic order that exploits the
environment, does not serve the
poor, and benefits the fewest with vested interests.
We can, must, and should choose a
path of hope; this means embracing the most massive
social and economic transformation,
where renewables power our lives, sustainable and
inclusive mobility bring us to our
destinations, people care, and greed does not govern
society, and the poor are
emancipated from poverty. If we are to ensure a future where the
planet lives and thrives and is able
to meet the needs of all creation, where we live in
harmony with nature, where there is
no poverty, where there is peace and prosperity, and
where people care for each other and
for the Earth, we must choose the path of hope. The
path of hope means living and
breathing communities, peaceful, caring, just, democratic and
equitable societies.
The path of hope means no coal-fired
power plant should be built ever again. The path of
hope presents to us an era of
transformative change, where the inequities and injustices of
our society are boldly confronted,
the environment is treated not as an unlimited resource to
be plundered but cared for so that
current and future generations may live with dignity and
peace.
As you march from Maranding to
Iligan City, I stand with you. Each step that you make is a
step for justice. Each step you take
is a brave act of courage and indignation. Each step that
you take is a conscious act of
kindness and love. Each step moves towards a brighter
tomorrow.
What is simply ironic about the
vigorous push to build coal-fired power stations is that while
the whole world is moving away from
coal, our country is embracing coal like it will be the
cure for our development challenges.
Despite the abundance of clean and renewable energy
resources throughout the
archipelago, our country is looking the other way. It is grotesque to
say at the very least.
I am almost certain, and it is with
much confidence that I assert that we will win this battle,
for it is a battle we cannot afford
to lose. Do not lose heart, for it is a great time to be alive.
In the face of adversity, i remain
filled with hope and optimism for the future of humanity
and the world. We must all rise on
the right side of this issue. People are standing up against
greed, against arrogance, against
apathy. To all of you who stand up and link arms for what
is right, we must stand with them.
To all of you who march towards the new dawn of hope,
we must march with them. To all of
you who walk with the deep affinity to protecting the
Earth and leaving a legacy for
future generations, we must walk with them. We must
welcome the light, stand proud, and
embrace this planetary awakening. Sing forth the
message, ring out with courage,
proclaim the hope in our hearts, build a just world.
Climate change is the defining issue
of our generation and we will be measured by how we
respond to this crisis.
The choice is in our hands, and the
choice is clear. We must stand together and march
towards the new dawn of hope. Peace
be in our hearts.
Padayon!
Yeb Saño
Fellow pilgrim
----
The Statement was sent via email on 7th of July 2015
No comments:
Post a Comment