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PALAWAN ANTI-MINING PROTESTERS RETURN TO THEIR HOMES:FEW GAINS ACHIEVED AND MORE CHALLENGES AHEAD
The anti-mining “karaban rally” composed of about 600 protesters fromfarmers and indigenous communities had reached the capital city of PuertoPrincesa on the 7
th
of June (see previous IC releasehttp://intercontinentalcry.org/indigenous-peoples-unite-against-mining-in-palawan/). The rally had been supported by various organizations andreligious groups such as the Ipilan parish of "Our Lady of Lourdes",Augustinian Missionaries, theGlobal Legal Action on Climate Change, TheEnvironmental Legal Assistance Center (ELAC), thePalawan NGO Network, Inc(PNNI), Haribon Palawan, The Federation of Tribes in Palawan (Natripal),Bangsa Palawan Philippines, Inc and ALDAW (Ancestral Land/DomainWatch). The main scope of the peaceful effort was to request the ProvincialGovernment not to endorse the proposed plans of MacroAsia and IpilanNickel Corporation (INC), and to clarify matters on the Canadian-based MBMImining company’s newly approved Financial and Technical AssistanceAgreement (FTAA) application. Such approval has also been announced bythe TORONTO, ONTARIO- GC-Global Capital Corp, a merchant bank,providing bridge loan services (asset back/collateralized financing), tocompanies across many industries such as oil & gas, mining, real estate, etc.Global's Chief Executive Officer, Jason Ewart commented "The FTAA licenseapproval represents a major milestone for MBMI Resources. MBMI can nowbegin to capitalize on its large nickel resource and pursue contracts for itsproduct from its network of targeted customers within the region. We alsoexpect that this will allow the company to pursue discussions with severalmajor potential strategic partners for the development of large-scaleproduction facilities in the Philippines. We look forward to following MBMI'sprogress in 2010." On the same day (7 June) in which this statement wasmade public:http://www.marketwatch.com/story/gc-global-capital-corp-announces-that-its-client-company-mbmi-resources-inc-has-received-ftaa-application-approval-in-the-philippines-2010-06-07?reflink=MW_news_stmp- Palawan anti-mining protestors were marching towards Palawan Capital Cityto deliver their complains to the Provincial Government. In the evening theymet with the anti-mining Puerto Princesa Mayor, Hon. Edward S. Hagedornwho sympathized with the motivations behind the rally. Until the afternoon of 8June a delegation of the rally’s organizers, supported by their NGOscounterparts, engaged in intense meetings with the Provincial RegulatoryBoard (PMRB) and with the Committee on Environment of the ProvincialGovernment. In one of such meetings, the rally’s delegation questioned thelegitimacy of MacroAsia and Ipilan Nickel Corporations’ applications beingendorsed by the local government of Brooke’s Point Municipality. Atty MaryJean Feliciano, former Municipal vice-mayor, said “
MacroaAsia wasendorsed by the local government in less than one hour without any public consultation. It is surprising that the Palawan Council for SustainableDevelopment, the agency in charge of protecting Palawan environment, hasin fact, allowed mining companies to explore in ‘core zones’ and ‘watersheds’ of maximum protection
” she said. According to Atty Feliciano also “
theNational Council for Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), rather than defending theinterests of their constituents, are convincing local indigenous communities to
accept mining in their territory, because it will make them rich, will give themmotorcycles and cellular phones. So they are conspiring with mining companies by bribing indigenous leaders
” (http://vimeo.com/11462206). ArtisoMandawa, spokesperson for ALDAW/NATRIPAL (Ancestral Land and DomainWatch-Nagkakaisang Tribo ng Palawan) added that for the indigenouspeoples “
mining is not Development, it creates conflict among people, and it destroys our culture by bringing foreign values to our community
.
Some of my people still have limited contacts with the outside and are not even registered in the national and provincial census. They are the first inhabitants to arriveon this island and yet, for the government, they appear not to exist
(http://vimeo.com/11491685).As a result of the negotiations taking place between the protesters’ delegationand policy makers in Puerto Princesa, the Provincial Government agreed thatendorsement of both MacroAsia and INC should require further investigationand – until all issues are clarified – their applications will be ‘frozen’.Specifically, Hon. Vicky De Guzman (http://vimeo.com/11364120), member of the Provincial board, took an open stand in favour of the protesters,encouraging them to be vigilant of all irregularities dealing with miningapplication processes, and to report them promptly to the ProvincialGovernment”. However, according to Atty Dong Lorenzo of the EnvironmentalLegal Assistance Centre (ELAC) the search for irregularities must start first inthe Presidential Palace of Malacañang and in the central office of theDepartment of Environment and Natural Resources. “
The trend is clear that mining companies are doing everything their money and influence can buy toget permits and put their projects in place before the new government officially takes over in a few weeks”
Lorenzo said. This view has beenconfirmed by Jaybee Garganera, National Cordinator of Alyansa Tigil Mina(ATM). With reference to the recent Financial and Technical AssistanceAgreement (FTAA) approved in favor of the Canadian MBMI Resources(
)
he said “
it is unacceptable that affected communities and the rest of the Filipino people learn about this midnight mining contract from international sources and the mining company, and yet the DENR itself is mum about it
”. He dared the DENR to either deny thismining contract does has not been approved or immediately release all thedocuments as soon as possible”. He added that “
it is the highest form of irony and hypocrisy that a destructive midnight mining deal was fast-tracked inPalawan, a province that is considered as a global biodiversity hotspot, and host to one of the wonders of the modern world – the St. Paul SubterraineanRiver System
”. On the contrary if DENR will push for the endorsement of MBMI, three mining companies: Narra Nickel Mining and Development, Inc.(NNMDC), Tesoro Mining and Development, Inc. (TMDI), and McArthur Mining, Inc. (MMI) will begin their operations in the Municipality of Narra,Bataraza and Rizal with severe consequences for the livelihoods of hundredsof farmers and indigenous people, not to mentioned the irreparable damageto agricultural production and fisheries on which such municipality depend. Atleast one of the proposed mining operations cover more than 3,200 hectaresand will impact the Mt. Bulanjao range in southern Palawan, and its unique
ultramafic forest. The area is considered one of the best-conservedbiodiversity hot spots on the island. A total of six major rivers from themountain range supply water to both migrant and indigenous population(http://vimeo.com/11353087-http://vimeo.com/11386137).
Fr. Edu Gariguez, Executive Director of the National Secretariat of SocialAction of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP-NASSA),also expressed concern about these new developments. He said “
thegranting of this latest FTAA in Palawan, if true, goes against the Catholic social teaching of stewardship of the Earth and preferential treatment of the poor
”. He added that “
given the fragile ecology of Palawan and the oppositionof local communities, especially IPs, the mining contract should be rescinded as soon as possible
”. The influential Catholic Church in the Philippines hasconsistently shown its position against large-scale mining, amidst documentedreports from its dioceses that mining operations are impacting the ecology,livelihoods and access to natural resources of the poor (http://vimeo.com/11359268).While the ‘karaban’ anti-mining rally has served to channel more publicattention on mining aggression on Palawan’s UNESCO-declared Man andBiosphere Reserve, it has also provided additional encouragement to localcommunities in consolidating their local struggles. For instance, farmers fromthe village of Calategas in Narra, where the Canadian-backed nickel miningproject is set to operate, said they would resort to “human barricades” to stopthe project if a permit is issued by Malacañang. “
We will form a barricade if they issue the permit. We will gather the entire Calategas and set up abarricade. We won’t mind getting hurt
,” said a spokesperson of a group of farmers opposed to the project. Similar sentiments were also expressed bypeople from the Northern Municipality of Roxas, where the Fujian miningcompany received an initial endorsement despite the absence of Free andPrior Informed Consent Processes being carried out with the affectedcommunities. Surprisingly, also those companies that have already beenapprehended for their illegalities are still allowed to continue. This is the caseof the Citinickel Mine and Development Corporation in the Municipality of Punang, Sofronio Espanola, which has been accused for the violation of Section 103 of the Philippine Mining Act of 1995, and for the illegaldeforestation of mangroves during the construction of their company’s pier.Undoubtedly, the future of mining in the so called “Philippine’s Last Frontier”will depend on how the newly elected administration will implementfundamental environmental reforms and actions. "
Now that Noynoy Aquino isset to be proclaimed as the new president, the question that comes up iswhether he will fulfill his promise to bring about a government different and opposed to the previous Arroyo administration. This would mean taking concrete steps in implementing positive reforms and reversing the policiesthat negatively impacted our people and environment
," said ClementeBautista Jr. of Kalikasan People's Network for the Environment (KalikasanPNE).
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