Militants denounce mining in meeting

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

VARIOUS militant organizations in the country gathered last week during the North Luzon Mining and Human Rights Summit held in Baguio City.

The summit is aimed at strengthening the organizations’ advocacies on human rights and mining explorations. Hundreds of militants from Cordillera, Ilocos Region, and Cagayan Valley participated in the event.

Have something to report? Tell us in text, photos or videos.

Amianan Salakniban’s Benedict Solang, who was guest speaker, said people’s actions on mining contributed a lot worldwide.

He said in Guatemala, militants were able to shut down the Marlin Gold Mine Corporation, while in Panama, a series of protests of the indigenous community overturned passage of a new mining code.

In Colombia, Canadian Company Greystar faces environmental opposition on its developing copper mine.

Militants here aim to do the same in order to ban different mining operations.

Solang said in the country, South Cotabato local government banned the open pit mining which prevented the development of Xstrata’s giant Tampakan copper–gold project.

Various militant organizations called on the government anew to stop all mining activities in the country because they said it is affecting the indigenous peoples.

“Philippine mining is dominated by foreign corporations. Our country permanently loses resources for future industrialization and development,” said Solang.

“Mining must serve national development and peoples’ aspiration of Philippines and not foreign capitalists. We should be the one to benefit on our resources and not [the foreign investors],” Solang said.