Wednesday, October 29, 2008 Critics nix deployment of troops in mining sites
KORONADAL CITY -- Anti-mining advocates here greeted with resistance the Department of National Defense's plan to deploy soldiers to foreign-backed mining projects for protection from communist attacks.
Eliezer S. Billanes, chair of the South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and Davao Del Sur Alliance for Genuine Development, warned that militarization of mining areas "would not augur well to the communities."
"[Militarization of mining areas] will result to displacement of indigenous peoples and more human rights' violations," he said.
Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. said at the 8th Asia Pacific Mining Conference last week in Pasay City that the deployment of soldiers to mining communities is part of a security plan being drawn for the mining sector.
Foreign-backed mining companies in the country are facing threats from the New People's Army (NPA) rebels, who have been known asking "revolutionary taxes" from big companies. The authorities labeled this act of the rebels as "extortion".
Last New Year's Day, the communist guerillas raided the remote base camp of Sagittarius Mines Inc. in nearby Tampakan, South Cotabato. They burned facilities worth at least P12 million.
Backed by Swiss miner Xstrata Copper and Australian firm Indophil Resources NL, the Tampakan copper and gold project is staunchly opposed by environmental groups and the local Catholic Church on concerns for the environment and human health.
Billanes urged anew the proponents to abandon the Tampakan project, which straddles the towns of Tampakan in South Cotabato, Columbio in Sultan Kudarat and Kiblawan in Davao del Sur.
A company study showed that the upgraded resource of the Tampakan project totals 2.2 billion tons at a grade of 0.6 percent copper and 0.2 grams per ton gold. It also contains 12.8 million tons of copper and 15.2 million ounces of gold using a 0.3 percent copper cut-off grade.
Earlier, Bishop Dinualdo D. Gutierrez of the Diocese of Marbel warned of a "wild, wild West" in the mines development site with the training of civilians as village guards.
"I see violence in the future with many people bearing firearms. The training of civilians [to become members of the Civilian Volunteers' Organization] is not a very good prospect. We are becoming violent," the bishop said. (BSS)
