‘Tribesmen on hunger strike not from Brooke’s Point’—Palaw’an leader
Contends misrepresentation by BPTLF
Brooke’s Point, Palawan—Palaw’an tribe leaders are shocked that fake tribe leaders decided to go on hunger strike to put pressure on national government to allow mining in Brooke’s Point.
“Maghu-hunger strike sila para minahin ang gaming ancestral domain, nakikisawsaw sila na hindi sila katutubo mula sa aming lupaing ninuno. Ang Brooke’s Point Tribal Leaders Federation (BPTLF) ay hindi tribong Palaw’an, ni hindi sila tiga rito,” (They are going on hunger strike to force mining in our ancestral lands. They perform as if they are Palaw’an’s but they are not, they’re not even from Brooke’s Point.) said Charlito Nilasa, advocacy officer of Ancestral Land Domain Watch (ALDAW).
BPTLF is a group of indigenous peoples from the municipalities of Cuyo, Agutaya and Cagayancillo in Palawan and Jolo Sulo; they are also members of of Brooke’s Federation of Tribal Councils (BROFETRICS). Corrupt National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) officials allegedly formed BROFETRICS to facilitate the consultation of mining companies.
Jaybee Garganera, national coordinator of Alyansa Tigil Mina said, “From our point of view, it is absurd that these people will actually go on hunger strike, practically putting their lives at risk only for the mining operations to proceed, when they should be protecting their lands? —This is very evident that these men from BPTLF are not real Palaw’ans.”
Real Palaw’an’s call
MacroAsia Corporation has been beside BPTLF in its call to the government agencies to pursue mining in Brooke’s Point, which is opposed by the original residents of Brooke’s Point represented by Gandelan Artiso Mandawa.
Mandawa, who is also Palaw’an community representative of CADT claimants for Brooke’s Point added, “BPTLF is willing to risk their lives to pursue mining, blindsided with what will happen to farmers, fisher folks whose livelihood will be affected by mining operations.”
Gandelan means head of warriors for the Palaw’an tribe. He heads the planning for defense of the tribe if other groups or tribes threaten them.
“We will stick with our position to go against any mining operation in our ancestral domains. We are very saddened that entry of mining companies here is creating social disorder and compelling different tribes to go up against each other,” he further added.
The mining tenement is located in ancestral land and prime agricultural areas. Communities has ever since publicly announced its opposition to any mining operation there despite the promises of MacroAsia, Lebach and other mining companies in Palawan.
Meanwhile, Nilasa concluded, “BPTLF members can choose to continue their hunger strike, but rest assured, we will not allow this action to result in the approval of mining operations in our land. ALDAW and the Palaw’ans will definitely contest such decision.”
In August last year, the NCIP decided not to issue the Certificate of Pre-Condition for MacroAsia due to lack of genuine free prior and informed consent. Additionally, one concern is the presence of several groups representing the affected communities in Brooke’s Point. This is currently one of the grounds for the graft case filed against NCIP Chairperson Zenaida Brigida Hamada-Pawid and Comm. Dionesia Banua. A joint resolution to support these honest NCIP officials against the false allegations of ‘fake’ tribal leaders is now being signed by Palawan community representatives, ALDAW and NATRIPAL (the indigenous federation representing IPs province-wide).
ALDAW Network is an advocacy-campaign network of Indigenous Peoples jointly constituted by NATRIPAL (United Tribes of Palawan) and BANGSA PALAWAN PHILIPPINES (Indigenous Alliance for Equity and Wellbeing).
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.
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For more information:
Press Release
January 27, 2011
Charlito Nilasa, ALDAW Advocacy Officer, <aldaw.indigenousnetwork@gmail.com>
Artiso Mandawa, Community Representative, (0905) 614.56.31 <matanggubat@gmail.com>
Jaybee Garganera, ATM National Coordinator, (0927) 761.76.02
<nc@alyansatigilmina.net>
Farah Sevilla, ATM Policy & Advocacy Officer, (0915) 331.33.61 <policy@alyansatigilmina.net>
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