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,

1. 11.11.11 Coalition of Belgian North South Movement

2. 350 Pilipinas

3. 350.org Japan

4. Academia Cidadã – Citizenship Academy

5. AfrosRD

6. Aid/Watch

7. AID/WATCH (Australia)

8. Akbayan and Gamma Epsilon Int’l Fraternity/Sorority Zeta Chapter

9. AKBAYOUTH

10. Alab Katipunan

11. Alyansa Tigil Mina

12. Amherst College, USA

13. Amigos da Terra Brasil

14. Amigos de la Tierra América Latina y el Caribe – ATALC

15. Amigos de la Tierra Argentina

16. AMIHAN National Federation of Peasant Women

17. Anakbayan Ottawa

18. Anakbayan Ottawa

19. Andrew Lees Trust (ALT UK)

20. Art Atak

21. Asia Pacific Forum on Women Law and Development

22. Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)

23. Asian Peoples’ Movement on Debt and Development

24. Asociación ambiental e cultural Petón do Lobo

25. ATALC

26. Ateneo Human Rights Center

27. Balkan Energy and Forest Trends, Serbia

28. Bandilang Itim

29. Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association

30. Bangladesh Krishok Federation

31. Bangladesh Krishok Federation

32. Beyond Extraction

33. Bloque Latinoamericano Berlín

34. Both ENDS, Netherlands

35. Buliisa Initiative for Rural Development Organisation (BIRUDO)

36. Campaign for Human Rights in the Philippines (UK)

37. CANADA-PHILIPPINES SOLIDARITY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

38. CCFD-Terre Solidaire

39. CCMCL BAYWATCH FOUNDATION

40. CENSAT Agua VIva Colombia

41. Centar za zivotnu sredinu/ Friends of the Earth Bosnia and Herzegovina

42. Center for Environmental Concerns – Philippines

43. Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL)

44. Centre for Environmental Justice/ Friends of the Earth Sri Lanka

45. Centre for Human Rights and Development

46. Centre for Human Rights and Development

47. Centre for Indigenous Conservation and Development Alternatives (CICADA), McGill University, Montreal, Canada

48. Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur

49. Centre for Transparence and Freedom of Information

50. Citizens Advice Barking and Dagenham

51. Civil Expertise

52. Clarion

53. Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network (CLEAN)

54. COECOCEIBA – Amigos de la Tierra Costa Rica

55. Community Empowerment and Social Justice Network (CEMSOJ)

56. Community Resource Centre Foundation

57. Consumers Association of Penang, Malaysia

58. Convergence of Initiatives for Environmental Justice, Inc.

59. Damayan BC

60. Damian Law Offices

61. Defenders Protection Initiative

62. Department of Education

63. Dhaatri Trust

64. Digo Bikas Institute

65. Division Federation of Supreme Students Government of Nueva Vizcaya

66. Earthworks

67. Eath Thrive

68. Eco-Justice Unit, Diocese of New Westminster

69. EnergyTransparency Assosiation

70. Environics Trust

71. European Network on Indigenous Peoples (ENIP)

72. Familie

73. Finnish Asiatic Society

74. Focus on the Global South

75. Forest Foundation

76. Forest Foundation Philippines

77. Forest Peoples Programme

78. FORPA Forest Protection Allies

79. FRENDS

80. Fresh Eyes, UK

81. Friends of the Earth Australia

82. Friends of the Earth Europe

83. Friends of the Earth International

84. Friends of the Earth Japan

85. Friends of the Earth Netherlands / Milieudefensie

86. Friends of the Earth US

87. Friends of the Siberian Forests, Russia

88. Fundacja “Rozwój TAK – Odkrywki NIE” (Poland)

89. Gender, Commications, Global Mobility Studies Unit NDU Lebanon

90. Global Extractivisms and Alternatives Initiative ( EXALT)

91. Global Forest Coalition

92. IBON Foundation

93. ICCA Consortium

94. Igapo Project

95. Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL)

96. Individual

97. Innabuyog Gabriela

98. Institute for Ecology and Action Anthropology, Germany

99. Institute for Policy Studies, Global Economy Project

100. International Accountability Project

101. International Association of People’s Lawyers

102. International IPMSDL

103. Isabela State University

104. ISRDS

105. IUCN National Committee of the Netherlands

106. IWGIA

107. Kalikasan-PNE

108. Karapatab Negros

109. Karen Environmental and Social Action Network

110. Knights of Columbus/ Indigenous People

111. Korea Federation for Environmental Movement (KFEM)

112. KRuHA Indonesia

113. Kurawal Foundation, Jakarta

114. KWCHRP

115. Limerick Area Conservation Coalition

116. London Mining Network

117. London Mining Network

118. LRC

119. Malach Consulting

120. Malaya-USA, Indiana University

121. Marea Roja Argentina

122. Marian Supreme Government

123. MENSCHENRECHTE 3000 e.V, Germany

124. Migrante Australia of New South Wales

125. Migrante Canada

126. Mines Minerals & RIGHTS former Editor

127. Mines, Minerals & People

128. Mining Injustice Solidarity Network

129. Mining Watch Canada

130. Mongolian Women’s Employment Supporting Federation

131. Mongolian women’s fund

132. Mongolian Women’s Fund

133. Mouvement Ecologoque FoE Lux

134. Myanmar Environmental Legal Services (MELS)

135. Myanmar Environmental Legal Services (MELS)

136. National Secretariat of the Episcopal Commission on Indigenous Peoples (ECIP-NS)

137. NDU

138. Nepal Integrated Development Initiatives (NIDI), Nepal

139. NGO Forum on ADB

140. Nilad Environment Network

141. NOAH – Friends of the Earth Denmark

142. NTFP EP Philippines

143. NTFP-EP Asia

144. NTFP-EP India

145. NTFP-EP Indonesia

146. NTFP-EP Malaysia

147. NTFP-EP Vietnam/SIE

148. Nueva Vizcaya Youth Leaders Network

149. Oil Workers’ Rights Protection Organization Public Union

150. On behalf of Development Studies, University of Helsinki

151. Oxfam

152. Oyu Tolgoi Watch

153. Pacific Asia Resource Center (PARC)

154. Parish Youth Ministry

155. PASA

156. Philippine Misereor Partnership Inc.

157. Philippines Australia Solidarity Association

158. PowerShift e.V.

159. PROCESS Foundation Panay, Inc

160. Professor ( retired) Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi)

161. Publish What You Pay

162. Publish What You Pay Australia

163. PWYP

164. PWYP Azerbaijan

165. PYM

166. Red Cross Youth

167. REDES-Friends of the Earth Uruguay

168. RwB

169. Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Friends of the Earth Malaysia)

170. Salva la Selva

171. Salvemos las Villuercas

172. Save Our Sky Blue Waters and Save Lake Superior Association

173. Save Our Sperrins (SOS), IRELAND

174. SIBUYAN AGAINS MINING

175. SK

176. Sk secretary of Bone South Aritao Nueva Vizcaya And Vice President Of Kabataan Kilos Kontra Droga At Terorismo

177. Solidariedade Moçambique

178. Spirit of Eureka South Australia

179. Stiftung Asienhaus

180. Sulong UBC

181. Supreme Student Government

182. Tanggapang Panligal ng Katutubong Pilipino (PANLIPI)

183. Task Force Detainees of the Philippines

184. Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP)

185. The Development Institute

186. The Free West Papua Campaign

187. The Gaia Foundation

188. The Greens Movement of Georgia/Friends of the Earth-Georgia

189. The Yemeni Organization for Economic and Social Development

190. TKPT-Jatam

191. Tuklas Pilipinas Society

192. Unifying Sectoral Responses on Environmental Protocols in Sibonga (USREPS)

193. United Church of Canada

194. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil / Institute for Advanced Study, USA

195. UNLAD-BLFFA

196. URGEWALD

197. vzw Climaxi

198. Water JUSTICE AND GENDER

199. Witness Radio Organisation – Uganda

200. WomanHealth Philippines

201. WomanHealth Philippines

202. WWF-Philippines

203. 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.

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For a PDF version of this statement, click here