THERE'S so much to be said about transparency and how its absence, especially in deals concerning people's lives and taxes by government, can fan rumors, intrigues, and distrust. And yet our government seems not willing to learn its lesson just yet.
As the fallout of the ZTE National Broadband Network (NBN) deal has not even settled down yet, here's another one about the controversial Chinese government-backed company, this time to mine the gold-rich mountains of Diwalwal in Monkayo, Compostela Valley.
Like similar controversial deals in the past, the first reaction of the government was to deny. This is what Philippine Mining Development Corporation (PMDC) president Oliver Butalid did, as reported by a national daily last week soon after news of the deal was carried by Sun.Star. Butalid denied knowledge of any such document upon being asked about an alleged memorandum of understanding signed between the national government and the ZTE for mining in Diwalwal.
"Where is that ZTE contract? It is not with us either. That one (ZTE contract) was never formally provided our office. Since I assumed office in February 2007, I never got hold of any memorandum (of agreement) or any contract with ZTE," Butalid was quoted in the national daily.
Comes now memories of a very recent controversy where the 'contract' also mysteriously disappeared and was just finally admitted as a fact when whistleblowers started coming out and people unrest was already apparent. And we can only heave a sigh of exasperation.
They never seem to learn. Or is it that this government thinks it can always fool the people? We hope not.
We certainly hope not, because along with the memories of official government denials are memories of the not so recent past of violence in Diwalwal. We know how these small-scale miners have been protecting their turf. We remember too how the miners rejoiced and relative peace prevailed when government finally decided to grant the area to the small-scale miners who have been occupying it since the 1980s to the locals.
We cannot blame the small-scale miners and even the local government if they are now eyeing with suspicion whatever deal was hatched, this coming right after the ZTE-NBN. If a national broadband network can entail so much billions in kickbacks, how much more for a mountain of gold?
For people who have nothing to lose, taking away from them their only means of livelihood, the same livelihood that they have long fought for, can only bring bloodshed. We hope it's not the small-scale miners who will be slaughtered here though, in the same way that we hope, this time, government will stand true to its word there will be transparency in whatever it has hatched up for Diwalwal and not rob miners of their voice, their rights, their life, and their gold while they are kept in the dark.
