2 killed in ambush by suspected tribesmen opposed to mining. ByOrlando B. DinoyInquirer Mindanao DIGOS CITY, Davao del Sur – A soldier and a government-backed militiaman were killed in an ambush perpetrated by suspected followers of anti-mining B’laan tribal leader Daguil Capion in Barangay (village) Kimlawis in Kiblawan, Davao del Sur on Friday, the police reported Saturday. Senior Superintendent Ronaldo Llanera, Davao del Sur police director, said Corporal Ritchie Maravilla, 38, commander of the Kiamo Patrol Base, and militiaman Enrique Tiogangco were walking toward their camp from an errand when they were fired upon by armed men around 8 a.m. “They were injured and were rushed by their companions to the Gregorio Matas District Hospital in Poblacion, Kiblawan, but the attending physician declared them dead upon arrival,” Llanera said.
Earlier this year, soldiers also killed Capion’s brother, Kitari, who also led a band of anti-mining B’laan warriors. Follow Us Recent Stories: Tags: ambush , Blaan tribe , Indigenous people , Mining , Police. Tribes oppose dams for MM folk’s water. MANILA, Philippines—Indigenous folk from the provinces of Quezon, Rizal and Bulacan are up in arms over the proposed construction of dams in the Sierra Madre mountain range that it is feared would submerge large swaths of forested and agricultural lands.
At a recent summit held in Infanta, Quezon, more than 100 leaders of the Aeta, Dumagat and Remontado tribes voiced their opposition to the national government’s plan to erect at least five dams to meet the water needs of Metro Manila. “If the dams push through, hundreds of hectares of pristine forest, agricultural land and our ancestral domain within the Kaliwa-Kanan and Agos River watershed will be submerged,” the leaders were quoted as saying in a statement by the Save Sierra Madre Network Alliance Inc. (SSMNA). “These mega dams are being pushed by the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) to divert water for the consumption of Metro Manila,” SSMNA said.
Remedios Trinidad town. Philippine Mining Almanac Imaginet - Town residents welcome Tampakan mine—mayor. Malaya - Tribal chiefs rally support for Tampakan mining project - The Plan PR Consultancy. Tribal head supports gold mine. Tribal chief backs mine | Manila Standard Today. Xstrata-SMI’s stabs the government’s back by ordering Indigenous People’s to leave mine site « Makabayansocsksargen's Blog. The Xstrata-SMI’s latest attempt made by Xstrata-SMI’s to drive away lumads from communities supposedly belonging to its mining site is an utter stab at the back of the Aquino government.
On March 15, 2012 the company posted “Notice as March 22 as Cut-Off Date” for the lumads of Sitios Bong Asbang 1, Alyong 1, Ayong 2 all in Brgy.Danlag, Tampakan, South Cotabato and Sitio Nakultana Kimlawis, Sitio Gumikit, Bong Mal, and Sitio Lafla, Brgy Kimlawis, all in Kiblawan, Davao del Sur to vacate the area. Only in January this year, the DENR issued an order denying Xstrata-SMI’s application for Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) citing the passage of a local environmental code of South Cotabato as the main reason. Thus, the company is in no position to make any move in pursuit of its plan to open-pit mine the said areas.
The company shows complete disregard for the order of the DENR. Like this: Like Loading... Militants blast Xstrata-SMI’s latest attempt to drive away lumads from “mine site” « Makabayansocsksargen's Blog. Members of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-SOCSKSARGEN lambasted the latest attempt made by Xstrata-SMI’s to drive away lumads from communities supposedly belonging to its mining site. On March 15, 2012 the company posted “Notice as March 22 as Cut-Off Date” for the lumads of Sitios Bong Asbang 1, Alyong 1, Ayong 2 all in Brgy.Danlag, Tampakan, South Cotabato and Sitio Nakultana Kimlawis, Sitio Gumikit, Bong Mal, and Sitio Lafla, Brgy Kimlawis, all in Kiblawan, Davao del Sur to leave the area. This prompted the lumads to put up barricades in the area. In a picket in front of Xstrata-SMI office in General Santos City yesterday, BAYAN condemned the move by the mining company saying that this is a complete disregard of the order by the DENR denying Xstrata’s Environmental Compliance Certificate.
“This is a blatant display of arrogance and disrespect by Xstrata-SMI to the order by DENR, denying its Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) in January. Like this: Like Loading... Increased militarization in Tampakan. Increased militarization in Tampakan Urges the Aquino administration to investigate QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES —A German Study Group on Mining in the Philippines and members of the Tampakan Forum raise concern on the increasing human rights abuses in mining impacted communities in Tampakan, South Cotabato where the largest investment in the country is proposed.
Michael Reckordt, executive director of Philippinenbuero said: “It is sad to see the vast violation of human rights regarding the Tampakan mining project of SMI/Xstrata. Compared to my last visit in the Tampakan mining area in 2010, the situation got even worse. The extra-judicial killing of Eliezer Billanes for example remains unsolved. The whole conflict turns more and more violent. We support the call of the Indigenous Communities for an independent investigation of the conflict by the Commission on Human Rights.” The study group also visited mining communities in Cordillera and Mindanao. Virgin forest in Datal Biao. Tampakan rights abuses rising group. By MARVYN N. BENANING Manila, Philippines – Anti-mining advocates have shifted gears and are now concerned with what they claim to be a spate of abuses in Tampakan, South Cotabato due to militarization. In a briefing held in Quezon City last Friday, a German Study Group on Mining in the Philippines or Philippinenbuero and members of the Tampakan Forum insisted that increasing human rights abuses have been noted in communities in Tampakan, South Cotabato that have been affected by mining.
The same criticism was lodged by Clive Wicks, a foreign expert that claimed that the Tampakan mining operation was somehow linked to the murder of Fr. Fausto Tentorio in North Cotabato in October 2011. This charge was eventually rendered false after the New People’s Army (NPA) executed Patrick Wigener, a businessman and military agent, whose cellular phones showed messages from the principal suspects in the killing of the priest just before and after it happened. comments. Xstrata-SMI, military use children, block solidarity mission « Makabayansocsksargen's Blog. Children carrying pro-mining placards aboard a pick-up vehicle, blocking anti-mining groups in Brgy.Pula Bato, Tampakan, South Cotabato In a desperate attempt to block any opposition to its destructive mining operation, Xstrata-SMI and the military block caravan led by environmentalists and militant groups going to Bong Mal, Kiblawan, Davao del Sur to conduct a solidarity mission with the barricading lumads in protest of the company’s plan to drive them out of their communities.Xstrata-SMI’s men and elements of 73rd IB, in civilian clothes arrogantly blocked the road in Brgy.Pula Bato in Tampakan, South Cotabato with two pick up vehicles, and used children to hold pro-mining placards.
They claimed that the road is private one and insisted that the group didn’t have permit from the municipal mayor. “It is pretty obvious that Xstrata-SMI is behind this. We doubt that the two Toyota Hilux are owned by any of the residents of Pula Bato. The men are either elements of military or CAFGU. Mines and Communities: Philippines: Indigenous peoples point the way on mining. Published by MAC on 2012-02-28Source: Inquirer, Mindanews, statement, Business World (2012-02-22) Our most recent Philippines article covered the draft President's Executive Order on mining (see - Struggles over mining law revision in the Philippines).
The blizzard of news articles on the subject continues, although most of the coverage consists of repetitious industry propaganda. If, however, President Aquino were looking for sensible guidance, he should pay attention to a conference in the Cordillera, North Luzon, which studied how indigenous peoples' knowledge could improve the environmental foot-print of mining. The strength of indigenous opinion on mining is also evident in the mobilisation of a year-long "Thousand Streamer [banner] Campaign" on mining. In Romblon province, advocates joined the unveiling of its Anti-Mining Memorial to commemorate the one year of their advocacy, which resulted in Ivanhoe Mining pulling out from Tablas Island. Movements on Mindanao By Maurice Malanes Gov. Philippines: Lumad communities set up blockades to resist relocation. Indigenous Lumad communities in South Cotabato have organized a set of blockades against an Australian-owned mining company that wants to relocate them to make way for a new copper-gold mine project.
A group of journalists were invited by a local Catholic Church this past weekend to sit down with the Lumads and discuss the situation. Speaking through interpreters, the Lumad explained how Sagittarius Mines Inc. (SMI), an affiliate of Australia’s Xstrata Copper, recently outlined the terms of a proposed relocation project on a bunch of tarpaulins which it posted in the region without telling anyone. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the terms of the relocation were written in Cebuano, a common language in the Philippines, but which most Lumads can neither read nor write.
As the Lumads later learned, SMI had given them until March 22 to agree to the relocation proposal, which also included compensation for their land and their farms. “The community was shocked by the relocation notice. Tribesmen block Tampakan project, claim they were not fully informed. SMI resettlement plan beneficial to Tampakan tribesmen. Govt urged to protect indigenous communities, not mining companies | CBCP News. MANILA, Oct. 18, 2011—A group that advocates empowerment among marginalized people has called on President Benigno Aquino III to repeal his approval for mining companies to organize its own armed units to protect its operations.
The Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center Kasama sa Kalikasan / Friends of the Earth - Philippines (LRCK-KsK/FoE-Philippines) in a statement on October 16, said it is the indigenous people and rural communities who are in need of government protection from violent attacks, and not mining corporations. “We are demanding from President Aquino to make a break in the cycle of violence that has marked government policies and actions in the past. Do not use the rebel attacks against mining operations in Claver as an excuse to again escalate conflict and violence in ancestral domains and rural communities,” the group said in a statement. Ricardo Banad who had opposed the Mindoro Nickel Project of Norwegian Intex Resources was killed in his house in 2010. Mindanao bishops reject Tampakan mines; urge govt to protect people’s interests | Vox Bikol. MANILA, Dec. 16, 2011—Three Mindanao bishops called on the government to protect and promote the interest of the people and not of mining companies.
Kidapawan Bishop Romulo dela Cruz, Marbel Bishop Dinualdo Guetierrez and Digos Bishop Guillermo Afable, in a collective statement, urged for protection of the environment and promote sustainable development. The prelates reiterated their opposition to the Tampakan Copper and Gold Project of London based XSTRATA/SMI, which has a $5.6 B worth of mining investment in the country. Mining will bring irreversible damage to the environment, the bishops stated, as they call for a moratorium from mining activity. They added that they are particularly concerned of “the biodiversity and the last remaining forest, livelihood, food security, health and of the poor communities both of the IPs and the down-stream communities.” The prelates also called on authorities to respect the indigenous people’s right to self-determination. Fr. Statement | No2MiningPH. The mineral wealth of our country, as the mining industry reminds us, is “staggering” – about $840 billion.
Its potential to contribute to our country’s development cannot be discounted. While mining has never been a driver of our development, not even during the mining boom of the seventies, we are here to find out if there is a way to realize that potential. And I thank the organizers of this Conference for taking this step toward that objective. The real question before us today is: Should mining be allowed in the Philippines? In this regard, I refer you to the paper of Prof Ronald Mendoza of the AIM Policy Center and his proposal for a “middle ground” that involves the establishment of an “inclusive growth” trust fund. With respect to downstream plants and the total banning of ore exports, I did not include these because the mining industry may have a point on the practicality and long-term feasibility of these conditions – hence the need for more consultations.
Why climate change? IP groups to launch nationwide streamer campaign vs mining | Vox Bikol. MANILA, Feb. 18, 2012—A network of anti-mining organizations is launching a nationwide movement to protest the ongoing mining activities within the ancestral domain of the indigenous people. Dubbed as “Thousand Streamer Campaign” (TSC) the movement is a protest against the ongoing sell-out of the country’s mineral resources to local and transnational mining corporations, as well as an expression of unity and support to the struggle of indigenous peoples for self-determination. About 60 percent of more than one million hectares of land that have been approved for mining explorations are situated within the ancestral domain of the indigenous communities.
The Kalipunan ng mga Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas (KAMP), which is leading the campaign, will launch the TSC through a press conference at 9 a.m. on February 20 at the College of the Holy Spirit in Manila.