Groups hit Vizcaya Oceana Gold, Diduyon Dam Project

KASIBU, Nueva Vizcaya--Dressed in their tribal attire with slogans and streamers saying “No to mining,” more than 300 residents and Ifugaos of Kasibu, including  civil society groups camped in front of the town hall here last week airing their opposition against the mining operation of Oceana Gold Philippines, Inc.  and the proposed Diduyon Dam project.

            We would like to stress the united stand of the residents and IP groups in our town that we do not like mining,” said RaymundoBolyahon, chairperson of Salaknib, an alliance of people’s organization in Nueva Vizcaya as they celebrated Earth Day.

            “We give more importance to life and our livelihood than the projects that will only destroy our environment.” 

            Lorenzo Pulido, vice-president of Didipio Earth-Savers Multi-purpose Association (DESAMA) added: “The government should know and remember that there are people in Kasibu who are against mining. We will push through with our fight to kick mining out in our town.”

            The group also filed a local resolution with the KasibuSangguniang Bayan for the body to deny the “permit to operate” for OGPI for grave disregard of their human rights.

            They said they have noted various violations including the aggressive dispersal of some residents in Didipio and the harassment to a barangay official accused of instigating opposition to OGPI.

            “The community had experienced coercions from OceanaGold - from the displacement of people, violence from local police and sabotage to their livelihood. These should be more than enough for the government to break off the operation of OGPI,” said JaybeeGarganera, national coordinator of AlyansaTigil Mina.

            The resolution is also calling for a cease and desist order to stop further operations of OGPI.

            The group also launched a signature-campaign to gather more than 6,000 autographs against the dam project.

            Leaders of Salaknib include the Kasibu Inter-tribal Response for Ecological Development (KIRED), DESAMA, Bilegti Barangay Bitnong (3B) and Malabing Valley Tribal Association (MVTA) also issued a statement of support to the bill passed by Rep. Carlos M. Padilla declaring Nueva Vizcaya as a mining free

zone.

            The alliance also supported the call to repeal the Philippine Mining Act and urged the government to enact a new minerals management bill that will ensure that indigenous peoples right to self-determination and to manage their ancestral domains is respected.

            AlyansaTigil Mina national coordinator JaybeeGarganera, said ATM is an alliance of mining-affected communities and their support groups of nongovernment and people’s organizations opposing 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.