RP tribal leaders at UN hearing to oppose mining on ancestral lands

Source:- GMANews.tv -
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/169369/RP-tribal-leaders-at-UN-hearing-to-oppose-mining-on-ancestral-lands

9 August 2009

As the global community marks World Indigenous Peoples (IP) Day on Sunday, tribal leaders from the Philippines sought relief from mining on ancestral lands before the United Nations in Geneva.

Three tribal leaders will take part in the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (UNCERD) hearing on a complaint filed against the Philippine government.

IP leaders Timuay Jose Boy Anoy, owner of ancestral land in Mt. Canatuan village in Siocon town Zamboanga del Norte; Timuay Noval Lambo, Chief elder of the Subanon Council of Seven Rivers in Zamboanga Peninsula; and Peter Dupayat, President of the Didipio Earth Savers Movement Association (DESAMA), and member of the Ifugao community of Didipio in Nueva Vizcaya will participate in the hearing.

An article on the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Web site said the hearing stemmed from a complaint lodged against the Philippine government by the Subanon community in Mindanao.

The elders charged that mining activities in their areas have violated their rights to ancestral domain.

Also, they accused the Philippine government especially the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) of being hostile to their cause.

"Timuay Jose Boy Anoy had been given a Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) personally by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. But he was evicted from his land by TVI Pacific, Inc., a Canadian Mining company that has been operating in Mt. Canatuan," the CBCP said.

He claimed the NCIP connived with TVI in forming a phony tribal council that gave approval for the company to mine in their ancestral land.

"There was no genuine free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) given to the mining operations. Our customs, traditions, and beliefs have been disrespected by no less than the government," he said.

For his part, Timuay Lambo said the government should be held accountable for its bigotry towards indigenous people.

"The government must tell the truth. We have been waiting for so long. The government's report which states that there is no discrimination is purely a lie. [It is] fabricated by the NCIP, through its incompetent local officials," he said.

Dupayat, whose community in Didipio, Nueva Viscaya was displaced by Australian firm OceanaGold, said government should honestly implement the Indigenous People's Rights Act (IPRA).

"We strongly demand that the real spirit of IPRA should be implemented and a FPIC be sought," he said.

He claimed OceanaGold has been abusing the rights of the indigenous community through militarization, displacements and loss of livelihood.

Militant group Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) said it will support the project of the IP leaders to explore and maximize international venues where they can assert their rights to pursue the protection and enrichment of their indigenous cultures.

Coordinator Jaybee Garganera said the participation of the three elders at the hearing will bring to light the struggles against discrimination, injustices and militarization they have to endure to keep their lands.

"There are 12 million indigenous peoples in the Philippines and the three IP leaders... will speak up, tell their stories and demand that the government should heed their call for their right to self-determination and the United Nations urge and pressure the Republic of the Philippines to address justly, without discrimination, the issues of land rights, militarization, access to justice and protection of indigenous beliefs and practices," he said.- GMANews.TV