“My heart bleeds for our brave men and women of Didipio
who had to suffer and be arrested for expressing
their resistance against mining, a great menace to Mother Earth.
I salute them for their bravery and being steadfast for the
protection of the environment to insure the survival of
all living things and of our planet.
Instead of providing protection to OceanaGold
whose FTAA had expired nine (9) months ago,
the national government should tell
OGPI TO PACK UP AND GO HOME.”
- Gov. Carlos Padilla, Province of Nueva Vizcaya
Statement of solidarity and condemnation of the violent dispersal of an indigenous community barricade of a suspended mine site in Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines
In solidarity with the people of Didipio, Nueva Vizcaya in asserting their right to a balanced and healthful ecology, ATM, Kalikasan PNE, LRC-KsK/FoE Philippines, and MiningWatch Canada, as well as other national and international groups, condemn the violent dispersal of members of an indigenous community lawfully barricading the large-scale mining operations of Canadian-Australian OceanaGold Philippines, Inc. (OGPI), in Didipio.
On 6 April 2020, a 100-strong team of regional police escorted three diesel tankers and tried to enter the OceanGold mining site, on the strength of a letter by executive secretary Salvador Medialdea authorizing the entry of the tankers. The diesel was said to be going to be used to drain water seeping into the mining tunnels of OceanaGold’s suspended operations.
Some 29 members of an Ifugao indigenous community long opposed to mining barred the entry of the tanker as it violated the suspension order against OceanaGold. Operations have been suspended following the expiration of OceanaGold’s operating permit on 20 June 2019.
After nine months of peacefully blockading the mine without police interference, on this day the community was overwhelmed by the large police force, and a violent dispersal ensued, which included the beating and arrest of community leader Rolando Pulido.
This dispersal contravened the right of the community to assembly and violated local and court orders that have suspended the operations of OceanaGold. The use of violence by the police to disperse a peaceful assembly of indigenous people is a reflection of the extraordinary latitude that the government has given to the mining industry.
What is even more disconcerting is that that this happened at a time when the country is trying to flatten the curve of corona virus infections. The blockaders were therefore following the guidelines provided to avoid the spread of COVID-19. OceanaGold’s interests shifted precious government manpower and resources away from that effort to support its business interests.
While many businesses not involved in providing essential goods have shut down operations, a large-scale mining company like OceanaGold wants to be an exception, all in the name of profit. Greed, indeed, does not sleep.
Extractive activities like mining are symptomatic of an economic order that commodifies nature for profit to the detriment of people who rely on a healthy environment for their food security and livelihood. This is worrying because environmentally destructive activities are known to play a role in the spread of infectious diseases.
The community’s barricade is a lawful expression of the indigenous peoples of Didipio, local governments, and solidarity groups in support of a local government order suspending OceanaGold’s operations. OceanaGold’s operations have depleted ground water and contaminated nearby rivers of Nueva Vizcaya and displaced countless families. The mine has sown division in the community. OceanaGold should not be surprised that many members of the community oppose the renewal (for another 25 years) of a mining project that has caused them strife and suffering.
In view of the above, we call on:
The Office of the President to CANCEL the FTAA renewal application of OceanaGold with finality, on the basis of its atrocious environmental and human rights record.
The Philippine Commission on Human Rights to investigate this violent dispersal in the context of longstanding violations of OceanaGold;
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to issue a cease-and-desist order to Oceana Gold, to suspend their illegal operations.
The Department of Interior and Local Government to investigate on the conduct of members of the police from Region 2, Quirino Province and from the Municipality of Kasibu, and to look into violations of quarantine measures by OceanaGold itself.
In solidarity,
11.11.11 Coalition of Belgian North South Movement
350 Pilipinas
350.org Japan
Academia Cidadã - Citizenship Academy
AfrosRD
Aid/Watch
AID/WATCH (Australia)
Akbayan and Gamma Epsilon Int'l Fraternity/Sorority Zeta Chapter
AKBAYOUTH
Alab Katipunan
Alyansa Tigil Mina
Amherst College, USA
Amigos da Terra Brasil
Amigos de la Tierra América Latina y el Caribe - ATALC
Amigos de la Tierra Argentina
AMIHAN National Federation of Peasant Women
Anakbayan Ottawa
Anakbayan Ottawa
Andrew Lees Trust (ALT UK)
Art Atak
Asia Pacific Forum on Women Law and Development
Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)
Asian Peoples' Movement on Debt and Development
Asociación ambiental e cultural Petón do Lobo
ATALC
Ateneo Human Rights Center
Balkan Energy and Forest Trends, Serbia
Bandilang Itim
Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association
Bangladesh Krishok Federation
Bangladesh Krishok Federation
Beyond Extraction
Bloque Latinoamericano Berlín
Both ENDS, Netherlands
Buliisa Initiative for Rural Development Organisation (BIRUDO)
Campaign for Human Rights in the Philippines (UK)
CANADA-PHILIPPINES SOLIDARITY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
CCFD-Terre Solidaire
CCMCL BAYWATCH FOUNDATION
CENSAT Agua VIva Colombia
Centar za zivotnu sredinu/ Friends of the Earth Bosnia and Herzegovina
Center for Environmental Concerns - Philippines
Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL)
Centre for Environmental Justice/ Friends of the Earth Sri Lanka
Centre for Human Rights and Development
Centre for Human Rights and Development
Centre for Indigenous Conservation and Development Alternatives (CICADA), McGill University, Montreal, Canada
Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur
Centre for Transparence and Freedom of Information
Citizens Advice Barking and Dagenham
Civil Expertise
Clarion
Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network (CLEAN)
COECOCEIBA - Amigos de la Tierra Costa Rica
Community Empowerment and Social Justice Network (CEMSOJ)
Community Resource Centre Foundation
Consumers Association of Penang, Malaysia
Convergence of Initiatives for Environmental Justice, Inc.
Damayan BC
Damian Law Offices
Defenders Protection Initiative
Department of Education
Dhaatri Trust
Digo Bikas Institute
Division Federation of Supreme Students Government of Nueva Vizcaya
Earthworks
Eath Thrive
Eco-Justice Unit, Diocese of New Westminster
EnergyTransparency Assosiation
Environics Trust
European Network on Indigenous Peoples (ENIP)
Familie
Finnish Asiatic Society
Focus on the Global South
Forest Foundation
Forest Foundation Philippines
Forest Peoples Programme
FORPA Forest Protection Allies
FRENDS
Fresh Eyes, UK
Friends of the Earth Australia
Friends of the Earth Europe
Friends of the Earth International
Friends of the Earth Japan
Friends of the Earth Netherlands / Milieudefensie
Friends of the Earth US
Friends of the Siberian Forests, Russia
Fundacja "Rozwój TAK - Odkrywki NIE" (Poland)
Gender, Commications, Global Mobility Studies Unit NDU Lebanon
Global Extractivisms and Alternatives Initiative ( EXALT)
Global Forest Coalition
IBON Foundation
ICCA Consortium
Igapo Project
Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL)
Individual
Innabuyog Gabriela
Institute for Ecology and Action Anthropology, Germany
Institute for Policy Studies, Global Economy Project
International Accountability Project
International Association of People's Lawyers
International IPMSDL
Isabela State University
ISRDS
IUCN National Committee of the Netherlands
IWGIA
Kalikasan-PNE
Karapatab Negros
Karen Environmental and Social Action Network
Knights of Columbus/ Indigenous People
Korea Federation for Environmental Movement (KFEM)
KRuHA Indonesia
Kurawal Foundation, Jakarta
KWCHRP
Limerick Area Conservation Coalition
London Mining Network
London Mining Network
LRC
Malach Consulting
Malaya-USA, Indiana University
Marea Roja Argentina
Marian Supreme Government
MENSCHENRECHTE 3000 e.V, Germany
Migrante Australia of New South Wales
Migrante Canada
Mines Minerals & RIGHTS former Editor
Mines, Minerals & People
Mining Injustice Solidarity Network
Mining Watch Canada
Mongolian Women's Employment Supporting Federation
Mongolian women's fund
Mongolian Women's Fund
Mouvement Ecologoque FoE Lux
Myanmar Environmental Legal Services (MELS)
Myanmar Environmental Legal Services (MELS)
National Secretariat of the Episcopal Commission on Indigenous Peoples (ECIP-NS)
NDU
Nepal Integrated Development Initiatives (NIDI), Nepal
NGO Forum on ADB
Nilad Environment Network
NOAH - Friends of the Earth Denmark
NTFP EP Philippines
NTFP-EP Asia
NTFP-EP India
NTFP-EP Indonesia
NTFP-EP Malaysia
NTFP-EP Vietnam/SIE
Nueva Vizcaya Youth Leaders Network
Oil Workers' Rights Protection Organization Public Union
On behalf of Development Studies, University of Helsinki
Oxfam
Oyu Tolgoi Watch
Pacific Asia Resource Center (PARC)
Parish Youth Ministry
PASA
Philippine Misereor Partnership Inc.
Philippines Australia Solidarity Association
PowerShift e.V.
PROCESS Foundation Panay, Inc
Professor ( retired) Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi)
Publish What You Pay
Publish What You Pay Australia
PWYP
PWYP Azerbaijan
PYM
Red Cross Youth
REDES-Friends of the Earth Uruguay
RwB
Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Friends of the Earth Malaysia)
Salva la Selva
Salvemos las Villuercas
Save Our Sky Blue Waters and Save Lake Superior Association
Save Our Sperrins (SOS), IRELAND
SIBUYAN AGAINS MINING
SK
Sk secretary of Bone South Aritao Nueva Vizcaya And Vice President Of Kabataan Kilos Kontra Droga At Terorismo
Solidariedade Moçambique
Spirit of Eureka South Australia
Stiftung Asienhaus
Sulong UBC
Supreme Student Government
Tanggapang Panligal ng Katutubong Pilipino (PANLIPI)
Task Force Detainees of the Philippines
Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP)
The Development Institute
The Free West Papua Campaign
The Gaia Foundation
The Greens Movement of Georgia/Friends of the Earth-Georgia
The Yemeni Organization for Economic and Social Development
TKPT-Jatam
Tuklas Pilipinas Society
Unifying Sectoral Responses on Environmental Protocols in Sibonga (USREPS)
United Church of Canada
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil / Institute for Advanced Study, USA
UNLAD-BLFFA
URGEWALD
vzw Climaxi
Water JUSTICE AND GENDER
Witness Radio Organisation - Uganda
WomanHealth Philippines
WomanHealth Philippines
WWF-Philippines
Youth For Environment Education And Development Foundation (YFEED Foundation), Nepal
Timeline of Events leading to the Violent Dispersal
June 20, 2019
OceanaGold’s permit to mine expires. No activity may be conducted by the company. President Duterte, the only person who can authorize a permit, has not granted a renewal of the mine’s permit.
June 20, 2019
Acting on the permit expiry, Nueva Vizcaya governor Carlos Padilla came out with an advisory enjoining the company to suspend its operations.
June 25, 2019
Governor Padilla files an Executive Order ordering the provincial police, the provincial environment office, and the municipal and barangay (village) governments to enforce the suspension of mining operations.
July 1, 2019 up to the present
With overwhelming support from government institutions (from the barangay, provincial, and congressional levels) and people’s organizations and solidarity groups, the local government and the community mount a people’s barricade (that continues to this day) to enforce the executive order.
July 2019
OceanaGold files petitions for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against the local government, both of which were turned down by the Regional Trial Court of Nueva Vizcaya. These court decisions reinforce the legality of the executive order of the provincial government to suspend Oceana’s operations.
January 21, 2020
Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea sends a letter to DENR secretary Roy Cimatu granting authority to the mining company to bring fuel into the mine site, supposedly for dewatering activities of the mine’s project. This letter is cited by the PNP in its dispersal operation.
April 6, 2020
Provincial and municipal police escort three fuel tankers and try to disperse the people’s barricade against OceanaGold’s mining site. Community leader Ronaldo Pulido is arrested.
Since most of the Sisters of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception are aged and cannot join you in active protest we will be with you in our prayers. God bless and more power to you.