Letters for Didipio Campaign
Letters for Didipio Campaign
For communities affected by
Large-scale mining the question that seems to arise is how many statements of
no are ever enough? “ When will we be given the right to determine the faith of
our own development? When the government seems hell bent on telling us how to
develop our land.”
For the community of Didipio
this has been the question for the better part of the last decade the people of
Didipio have been worn thin by their struggle with the mining giant, Climax
Arimco Mining Corporation. And it seems their labor to keep their land from
destruction is far from over with the mine poised to start operations next year
amid the protests of the entire Municipality of Kasibu.
Didipio is composed mostly
of farming households. Didipio itself is approximately 2000 hectares of
productive agricultural land. Crops include rice, bananas, citrus (pomelo and
oranges). In 1994, CAMC was awarded a Financial and Technical Assistance
Agreement (FTAA) by former President Fidel V. Ramos. This was a year before the
passage of RA 7942 or the Philippine Mining Act of 1995.
The FTAA covers a total of
37,000 hectares of land in the provinces of Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino. Also in
these areas are found:
§ Addalam river, a
watershed in Nueva Viscaya running through 35, 000 hectares of agricultural
land;
§ The Malabing
Valley, considered the “Fruit Bowl” of Nueva Viscaya, producing much of the
high grade citrus that the province is known for; and
§ The Kapisaan Caves,
a world-class system of caves ‘cared’ for and maintained by the local people
and a major tourist attraction.
The Community’s Action:
· 100% of the Baranggay
captains in Kasibu, Nueva Viscaya have signed statements indicating their
opposition to the CAMC operations and passed a resolution in 2002 rejecting the
operation of CAMC in the area.
· The Sangguniang
Baranggay of Kasibu rejected CAMC’s proposed pre-development MOA (2001).
· In October 2000,
the Regional Development Council passed a resolution rejecting the proposal of
CAMC to operate the mining project in the area. The following year, majority of
the RDC members reiterated their opposition.
· In October 2001,
then-DENR Secretary Heherson Alvarez suspended CAMC’s FTAA for its Didipio Gold
Project.
· A resolution was
passed by the local Sangguniang Bayan of Kasibu last August 8, 2005, denying
endorsement of the Didipio copper-Gold Project of the Australasian Philippines
Mining Inc. (APMI), at Baranggay Didipio, Municipality of Kasibu, Nueva Viscaya.
Miners Dirty Tactics
§ Without the
endorsement of the Baranggay of their operations, which is required under their
Environmental Compliance Certificate, CAMC applied for a new ECC which requires
the consent of the Sangguniang Bayan of Kasibu instead of the local Baranggay
officials of the affected communities.
§ With the recent
rejection of the Sangguniang Bayan of CAMC/APMI’s operations, the DENR has
still to cancel the mining company’s environmental compliance certificate and
in indifference to the local governments demands an announcement given by DENR
Sec. Michael Defensor in early November stated that the Didipio Mining Project
is poised to start early in 2006, even without the endorsement of the LGU,
Baranggay, or RDC –all of which are required under CAMC/APMIs environmental
compliance certificate.
§ Even with the
cancellation of the exploration permit by then secretary Heherson Alvarez the
operations of CAMC/APMI still continued in Kasibu
The communities of Kasibu
are asking for your support in their fight to keep their land, waters, and
forests from the destruction that will happen once the mining company starts
its operations.
The Letter Campaign:
If the Didipio gold project
is to push through, this will be the first FTAA to go into operation in the Philippines and will be the key to the destruction of our
remaining pristine areas and the homes of our indigenous brethren whose land
lies on most mineral and biodiversity rich areas in our country.
The communities of Didipio
and Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya need your assistance. If you are one of those who has
eaten oranges from SM, Rustans, Farmers, Walter Mart, and many other groceries
and retail outlets in Manila and other parts of the country, then you too share
in the plight of these people and their environment and if the mining is to
push through, the sweet oranges of Nueva Vizcaya will be something found only
in memory.
We are starting this letter drive to the following:
Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Secretary
§ Seeking the
cancellation of CAMC/APMIs ECC and FTAA contract in Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya.
President CEO
of CAMC/APMI in the Philippines: Jose Leviste Jr.
CAMC/Australasian Philippines Mining Inc
Climax-Arimco Mining Corporation
3 Tolentino Street, San Lorenzo Village
1223 Makati City
of CAMC in Australia: R. P. Thomson
Suite 2, Level 14
BT Tower
1 Market Street
SYDNEY
NSW 2000 Australia
Telephone: 61 2 9262 7061
Facsimile: 61 2 9264 5620
Email: info@climaxmining.com.au
http://www.climaxmining.com.au/
Provincial Government Officials of Nueva Vizcaya
· Who currently support the mining operations of
CAMC/APMI.
In support of the Didipio
Campaign against the CAMC/APMI
mining company, it is time that the people speak up for those little voices
that keep our forests and waters pure.
To support this campaign
please send or bring your letters to our office:
LRC-KSK/Friends of the Earth -Philippines
87-B Madasalin St Teachers Village, QC
(02) 434-4079
or email your letters to lettersfordidipio@gmail.com
