Global protest marks Tumandok solidarity day in Panay

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By Juliane Judilla

The Jalaur River for the People’s Movement (JRPM) marked the International Day of Solidarity and Action for the Tumandok People on Aug. 26, 2025, with coordinated protests in Iloilo City and South Korea, calling for global support for the Tumandok of Panay.

In Iloilo City, progressive groups held a picket outside the Iloilo Provincial Capitol in solidarity with the Tumandok, who have long resisted the Jalaur River Multipurpose Project Stage II—also known as the Jalaur Mega Dam.

The PHP20 billion (USD350 million) project, funded by Korean Official Development Assistance–Economic Development Cooperation Fund (KEXIM/EDCF) and built by Daewoo, has advanced without Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) from Indigenous communities, risking mass displacement, loss of livelihoods, and severe environmental damage.

At the same time in South Korea, environmental advocates filed complaints against KEXIM/EDCF and the Korean National Contact Point (NCP), holding them accountable for financing a project that violates the Tumandok’s rights.

The action aimed to pressure the South Korean government and institutions to address the project’s devastating impacts on the Tumandok people and their environment.

For decades, the Tumandok have faced state-backed repression while defending their ancestral land from the dam project.

Their resistance reached a tragic turning point on Dec. 30, 2020, when a military-police operation resulted in the Tumandok massacre—killing nine community leaders and arresting 16 others.

This violent crackdown, part of a broader pattern of human rights abuses, has only deepened the community’s resolve to pursue justice and land rights.

This coordinated action coincided with Indigenous Peoples Month and the Philippines’ observance of National Heroes Day, marking Aug. 26 as the Day of Heroes and Martyrs in Panay.

The observance honors the sacrifices of the Tumandok and other Indigenous defenders who gave their lives to protect their land, culture, and future.

Caption: Various groups staged simultaneous protest actions in Iloilo City and South Korea on Aug. 26, 2025, denouncing the Jalaur River Multipurpose Project Stage II and standing in solidarity with the Tumandok community.

(Photos from Koreans Transnational Corporations Watch, Advocates for Public Interest Law, and Bagong Alyansang Makabayan – Panay.)