The Alyansa Tigil Mina Blog

One ATM’s good friends, Dr. Catherine Coumans of Minewatch Canada sent this letter to the Canadian Embassy in light of TVI Pacific’s recent demolition job in Canatuan.

July 7, 2006
Ottawa

Ellen Ruth Zeisler, David Da Silva, Steven Rheault-Kihara, Jannette Cansing Serrano:

I am writing this urgent e-mail to each of you as I have met with each of you on separate occasions and have discussed with you serious human rights concerns regarding the TVI Pacific mine project in Canatuan, Zamboanga del Norte.

We recently received reports from our local partners in Zamboanga del Norte that there has been yet another case of a forced relocation and demolition of a family home within the TVI concession in Canatuan. Our reports indicate that this event took place after sunset on the evening of June 22. It involved TVI Pacific’s private security forces (SCAA). Both the owners of the home, Mr. and Mrs. Galvez, and some of the 14 members of the community who were trying to help the couple to protect the home were injured in the forced relocation. The private property inside the home was confiscated against the wishes of the couple.

This morning, July 7, 2006, we received an urgent appeal for assistance from the Canatuan Farmers’ Association who fear that the homes and food crops of some of their members may also soon be destroyed without their consent.

According to TVI’s own reporting, some 30 families, 5 of which are indigenous Subanon and the rest are farmers, have not agreed to be relocated in order to make place for TVI’s mine.

I am writing to remind you that resettlement of established families is widely recognized as one of the greatest sources of impoverishment associated with large development projects around the world (see references p. 85: www.frameworkforresponsiblemining.org), and in the case of indigenous peoples, it is additionally a major threat to their cultural identity and existence as a people. For these reasons, best practice standards have been developed for the relocation of families that conform with international human rights principles. These standards, based on extensive experience, have been set out in numerous places (Mines Minerals and Sustainable Development 2002; World Bank 2003; World Commission on Dams 2000 etc.). Minimally, there should be prior social and economic baseline studies, a relocation impact assessment conducted in conjunction with affected communities focussing specifically on marginal individuals and groups within communities (women, the elderly etc.), a negotiated, agreed upon, and legally binding compensation plan that includes “land for land” alternatives, a relocation bond for unforeseen circumstances, and a dispute resolution mechanism.

Forced resettlement, as is happening at the TVI Pacific site is not acceptable under any standards for responsible mining. TVI Pacific is responsible for activities taking place within its concession and for the activities of its security forces.

I would like to remind you that TVI Pacific’s Canatuan project is currently the subject of a Human Rights Impact Assessment led by Rights and Democracy in Montreal.

TVI Pacific has information up on its web site stating that the company is “lauded” by the Canadian Ambassador “for its responsible mining.” In discussions with each of you I have also received assurances that this company will mine responsibly and will not abuse human and indigenous rights.

I therefore urge you to impress upon the executive of TVI Pacific that no further forced relocations and home destructions should take place within its concession. TVI Pacific should be encouraged to inform itself of best practice standards and to implement relocation assessments, consultations and plans in accordance with best practice standards for relocation as I have indicated above.

I look forward to your soonest response to this urgent request for intervention.

Best,

Catherine Coumans, Ph.D.

copy: Diana Bronson, Rights and Democracy, others.

Catherine Coumans, Ph.D.
Research Coordinator
MiningWatch Canada
250 City Center Ave, Suite 508
Ottawa, Ontario
K1R 6K7 Canada

Tel: 613-569-3439
Fax: 613-569-5138
www.miningwatch.ca
catherine(sp@amguard)miningwatch.ca

The response?
Weak.

Greetings Ms. Coumans,

Thank you for your email of July 8 detailing your concerns in Canatuan, Zamboanga del Norte. I am currently covering for Ms. Ellen Ruth Zeisler while she is on official travel in Canada.

We are currently looking into the matter and will get back to you in the shortest time possible.

Sincerely,

Francis Uy
First Secretary and Trade Commissioner / Premier secrétaire et Délégué commercial
Asian Development Bank Liaison / Liaison auprès de la Banque asiatique de développement

Canadian Embassy, Manila
Level 8, Tower 2
RCBC Plaza, 6819 Ayala Avenue
Makati City, Philippines

http://newsinfo.inq7.net/inquirerheadlines/regions/view_article.php?article_id=9665
By Gerald Gene R. Querubin
Inquirer
07/14/2006

BOAC, MARINDUQUE—A non-government organization here raised concerns over the possible collapse of a mining dam that had been abandoned following massive spills in 1996.
Concerns over the dam came as the Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources identified 35 barangays in this province where landslides can possibly occur.

The MGB, in an earlier report, identified Marinduque as the seventh most landslide-prone province in the country. (more…)

http://business.inq7.net/money/topstories/view_article.php?article_id=9603
By Cecille Yap
Xinhua Financial News Service
07/14/2006

PHILEX Mining Corp said it is looking into the possibility of reopening its Bulawan gold mine in the central province of Negros Occidental in light of rising prices of the precious metal.

The mine was operated from 1996 to 2002 by Philex Gold Philippines Inc, a wholly owned unit of Philex Gold Inc, which is a subsidiary of publicly-listed Philex Mining. It was shut down because of lower gold prices at that time. (more…)

http://opinion.inq7.net/inquireropinion/columns/view_article.php?article_id=9680
By Neal Cruz
Inquirer
07/14/2006

BIAK na Bato in Bulacan province is an important place in our history. It was here where Andres Bonifacio and his Katipuneros met and held secret rituals, and it was here where the Pact of Biak na Bato was concluded.

“Biak na bato” is Tagalog for “split rock.” Here, a hill of solid rock rises to the sky. In the middle of the rock is a cleft so that it appears as if it was split in two. This cleft is the entrance to the caves where the Katipuneros hid from the Spaniards. (more…)

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2006/july/14/yehey/prov/20060714pro1.html

GENERAL SANTOS CITY: Gov. Daisy Avance-Fuentes of South Cotabato has ordered the police and the military to arrest illegal miners, especially those involved in the destructive banlas, or sluice mining, in Barangay Kematu, T’boli.

Lourdes Jumilla, secretary of the provincial mining regulatory board, said Fuentes issued the order in the wake of the continuing illegal mining in the gold-rich village. (more…)

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2006/july/14/yehey/business/20060714bus9.html

CONSUNJI-LED Semirara Mining Corp. (SMC) will push through with its proposed mine-mouth coal plant in Antique and conducts technical scoping to secure environmental clearance.

A top SMC official, who requested anonymity, confirmed that the company and its parent company, DMCI Holdings Inc., are set to build the 200-megawatt mine-mouth coal plant that was last year. (more…)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/gen/2006/07/14/bus/tampakan.group.exercises.option.in.gold.copper.project.html

THE Tampakan Group of Companies is reported to have converted its 4.6 million options into ordinary shares at Australian firm Indophil Resources NL.

The Tampakan Group, the original holders of mining rights at the Tampakan copper-gold project now pursued by Sagittarius Mines Inc., is composed of the Southcot Mining Corp. and Tampakan Mining Corp. Indophil is backing Sagittarius venture through its 40 percent equity. (more…)

By Franklin P. Gumapon , PIA Press Release -
http://www.pia.gov.ph/news.asp?fi=p060712.htm&no=64

12th July 2006

Dipolog City (July 12) — True to its commitment of helping hone the skills of budding campus writers in journalistic writing, the Zamboanga del Norte Press Club, Inc. has formally launched on Saturday its annual campus journalism seminar for this school year 2006-2007.

The first salvo of the campus journalism workshop will be in Siocon town on July 15-16 with high school students from the municipalities of Sibuco, Sirawai, Siocon and Baliguian as participants. This will be followed by Labason and Liloy on July 22-23 and 29-30, respectively. (more…)