eastwind journals28 Apr 2012 01:01 am
eastwind journals 33 – PRESS STATEMENT tampakan forum FACT FINDING MISSION
PRESS STATEMENT
TAMPAKAN FORUM
28 APRIL 2012
Increased military presence. Seven (7) detachments were placed at Campo 5, Datal biao, two in Bongmal, Salnaong, Alyong and Kiamo which are either manned by personnel from AFP and CAFGU. A COMPAC Police substation of Kiblawan PNP was installed early this year including the Headquarter of PNP Provincial Mobile Group of Davao Del Sur, all in Gumiket Ayem. A curfew is now being enforced between 10pm to 4 am in Bong Mal. Last 27 January 2012, members of the military just entered the place for worship/ritual for the reason that the military personnel are looking for the three (3) suspects of a murder case. And last December 2011, when the military conducted a search for the 3 “wanted” members of the B’laan tribe, residents of Bong Mal claimed that they were restrained to go to the forest or in any part of their community without seeking permission from the military. Only women were allowed to go to the forests. There were accounts also of military personnel roaming the community without any identifying name patch. Confusion and anxiety over the impending relocation. Last 22 March 2012, residents of Bong Mal were surprised about the announcement from SMI contained in a tarpaulin posted in various places, which according to our informants, indicated 22 March 2012 as the deadline for registration for those who are consenting to the relocation as part of the preparatory activities for SMI’s mining project. Our informants indicated that they barely understood the content of the announcement and they were at a loss of the process of the relocation. What they are only aware of is their pending relocation to T’murok should the project of SMI proceed. The B’laans in T’marok on the other hand is opposing this plan and they have vowed to oppose such relocation plan. According to them, there was no genuine consultation on this relocation plan of SMI and this is one reason why they will never allow the mining project to proceed. Non-compensation for damages. According to our informants, their crops like corn, cassava and coffee were destroyed due to the bulldozer that levelled-off their farms to give way to the access roads for drilling operations and road-widening as part of the preparatory development for the mining project. They are resenting the non-compensation of the damages they sustained because according to the tribal chieftain, they will not be compensated anymore because the land is already paid for by SMI. Again, this indicate the inadequate or absence of information dissemination on how compensation can be claimed by the mining-affected communities.
Tampakan Forum is a technical working group on the Tampakan mining issue convened by the Philippine-Misereor Partnership Inc. (PMPI) in collaboration with Social Action Marbel, AlyansaTigil Mina (ATM), Philippine Association for Intercultural Development (PAFID), Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center-Friends of Earth Philippines (LRC-KSK), Philippine Indigenous Peoples Links ( PIPLINKS) and the London Working Group on Mining in the Philippines and IUCN CESP-SEAPRISE.
2nd Floor, No. 8 Cordillera St. Cor. Ramirez St. Barangay Doña Aurora 1113 Quezon City , Philippines Tel. No. (02) 353- 4287 Fax. No. (02) 353- 4396 www.2003pmp.org
STOP THE DIVIDE, LET THE B’LAANS DECIDE
Increased military presence. Seven (7) detachments were placed at Campo 5, Datal biao, two in Bongmal, Salnaong, Alyong and Kiamo which are either manned by personnel from AFP and CAFGU. A COMPAC Police substation of Kiblawan PNP was installed early this year including the Headquarter of PNP Provincial Mobile Group of Davao Del Sur, all in Gumiket Ayem. A curfew is now being enforced between 10pm to 4 am in Bong Mal. Last 27 January 2012, members of the military just entered the place for worship/ritual for the reason that the military personnel are looking for the three (3) suspects of a murder case. And last December 2011, when the military conducted a search for the 3 “wanted” members of the B’laan tribe, residents of Bong Mal claimed that they were restrained to go to the forest or in any part of their community without seeking permission from the military. Only women were allowed to go to the forests. There were accounts also of military personnel roaming the community without any identifying name patch. Confusion and anxiety over the impending relocation. Last 22 March 2012, residents of Bong Mal were surprised about the announcement from SMI contained in a tarpaulin posted in various places, which according to our informants, indicated 22 March 2012 as the deadline for registration for those who are consenting to the relocation as part of the preparatory activities for SMI’s mining project. Our informants indicated that they barely understood the content of the announcement and they were at a loss of the process of the relocation. What they are only aware of is their pending relocation to T’murok should the project of SMI proceed. The B’laans in T’marok on the other hand is opposing this plan and they have vowed to oppose such relocation plan. According to them, there was no genuine consultation on this relocation plan of SMI and this is one reason why they will never allow the mining project to proceed. Non-compensation for damages. According to our informants, their crops like corn, cassava and coffee were destroyed due to the bulldozer that levelled-off their farms to give way to the access roads for drilling operations and road-widening as part of the preparatory development for the mining project. They are resenting the non-compensation of the damages they sustained because according to the tribal chieftain, they will not be compensated anymore because the land is already paid for by SMI. Again, this indicate the inadequate or absence of information dissemination on how compensation can be claimed by the mining-affected communities.
Tampakan Forum is a technical working group on the Tampakan mining issue convened by the Philippine-Misereor Partnership Inc. (PMPI) in collaboration with Social Action Marbel, AlyansaTigil Mina (ATM), Philippine Association for Intercultural Development (PAFID), Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center-Friends of Earth Philippines (LRC-KSK), Philippine Indigenous Peoples Links ( PIPLINKS) and the London Working Group on Mining in the Philippines and IUCN CESP-SEAPRISE.
2nd Floor, No. 8 Cordillera St. Cor. Ramirez St. Barangay Doña Aurora 1113 Quezon City , Philippines Tel. No. (02) 353- 4287 Fax. No. (02) 353- 4396 www.2003pmp.org
April 28th, 2012 at 5:23 pm
[...] article is based on the Church-NGO-led Fact Finding Mission conducted on April 26, 2012, attended by Philippine Misereor Partnership, Inc. (PMPI), Alyansa [...]