IPs, green groups slam Oceana Gold and Diduyon Dam Project in Nueva Vizcaya, again!
Earth Day celebration ended with prayer rally for agriculture and IP rights

Nueva Vizcaya–Dressed in their tribal attire and armed with nothing but slogans and streamers saying “madimit kayat ti mina” (no to mining), more than 300 residents and Ifugaos of Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya with support from various civil society groups camped in front of Kasibu Municipal Hall to exclaim their opposition against the mining operation of Oceana Gold Philippines, Inc. (OGPI) and the proposed Diduyon Dam project.

“Gusto naming muling igiit ang nagkakaisang damdamin ng mga mamamayan at katutubo ng aming bayan na ayaw namin sa mina,” (we would like to stress again the united stand of the residents and IP groups in our town that we do not like mining) said Raymundo Bolyahon, chairperson of Salaknib, an alliance of people’s organization in Nueva Vizcaya as they celebrated Earth Day.

“Buhay at kabuhayan ang kailangan namin hindi ang mga proyektong makakasira lamang sa aming kalikasan,” (we give more importance to life and our livelihood than the projects that will only destroy our environment) Bolyahon added.

Lorenzo Pulido, vice-president of Didipio Earth-Savers Multi-purpose Association (DESAMA) also said, “Dapat malaman at maalala ng pamahalaan na may mga Kasibu na ayaw sa mina. Handa kaming ituloy ang laban na mapa-alis ang minahan sa aming bayan.” (The government should know and remember that there are people in Kasibu who are against mining. We will push through with our fight to kick mining out in our town).

No business permit for OceanaGold Philippines, Inc.

The group also filed a local resolution in Kasibu Sangguniang Bayan pushing to deny the “permit to operate” for OGPI for grave disregard of their human rights. They have noted various violations including the aggressive dispersal of some residents in Didipio and the harassment to a barangay official accused of instigating opposition to OGPI.

“The community had experienced coercions from OceanaGold – from the displacement of people, violence from local police and sabotage to their livelihood. These should be more than enough for the government to break off the operation of OGPI,” said Jaybee Garganera, national coordinator of Alyansa Tigil Mina.

The resolution is also calling for a CEASE and DESIST order to hamper any further operations of OGPI.

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Save Nueva Vizcaya

Aside from the resolution, the group also launched a signature-campaign that aims to gather more than 6,000 autographs that will attest to the stronghold of people opposing OGPI and the dam project.

Leaders of Salaknib include the Kasibu Inter-tribal Response for Ecological Development (KIRED), DESAMA, Bileg ti Barangay Bitnong (3B) and Malabing Valley Tribal Association (MVTA) also issued a statement of support to the bill passed by Congressman Carlos M. Padilla declaring Nueva Vizcaya as a mining free zone.

Likewise, the alliance also supported the call to repeal the Philippine Mining Act and urged the government to enact a new minerals management bill that will ensure that indigenous peoples right to self-determination and to manage their ancestral domains is respected.

Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) is an alliance of mining-affected communities and their support groups of NGOs/POs and other civil society organizations who are opposing the aggressive promotion of large-scale mining in the Philippines. The alliance is currently pushing for a moratorium on mining, revocation of Executive Order 270-A, repeal of the Mining Act of 1995 and the passage of the Philippine Mineral Resources Act a.k.a. Alternative Minerals Management Bill.

For more information:
Jaybee Garganera, ATM National Coordinator, (0927) 761.76.02
Farah Sevilla, ATM Policy Research & Advocacy Officer, (0915) 331.33.61

Press Release
April 30, 2012

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