PETITION urging international banks, ANZ and HSBC, to WITHDRAW FINANCIAL SUPPORT from the DIDIPIO GOLD-COPPER MINING PROJECT, in NUEVA VIZCAYA, PHILIPPINES
We, the residents of mining-affected communities in Nueva Vizcaya, along with Defend Patrimony!, Didipio Earth Savers Movement (DESAMA), Kasibu Inter-Tribal Response for Ecological Development (KIRED), Runruno Landowners Association (RULANAS), and Save the Valley, Serve the People Alliance for the Environment (SVSP), indigenous peoples (IPs), peasants, Church people, local government officials, professionals, the academe, the youth and other concerned organizations and citizens, both in the Philippines and the international community, hereby call upon the financiers of Didipio Gold-Copper Mining Project to immediately withdraw their support from the project.
We urge the Australian New Zealand Bank (ANZ), the fourth largest bank in Australia, and HSBC, one of the largest banking and financial services organisations in the world, to withdraw financial support for the Didipio gold-copper mining project in Kasibu municipality, Nueva Vizcaya province, Philippines. The project is owned by OceanaGold Corporation, a mining company listed in the Canadian, Australian, and New Zealand stock exchanges under the symbol "OGC".
ANZ and HSBC have provided financial loans amounting to millions of dollars for the development of OGC's mining project in Didipio. Both banks also hold the nominee accounts as among OGC's major stockholders. The two banks have adopted policies and guidelines, such as the Equator Principles, and therefore claim that they adhere to socially and environmentally-responsible banking norms. However, their continuing support for the OGC mining project is in clear violation of these aspirations, seriously putting into question the sincerity of the banks' commitments.
OGC has caused widespread community displacement, human rights violations, economic dislocation, environmental devastation and social disputes in the indigenous people (IP) communities in Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya as illustrated by the following violations of economic, social, cultural, and human rights:
1. Community displacement
- Since December 2007, ancestral and agricultural lands have been cleared and residential properties located within the company's proposed 425-hectare primary mining impact area have been demolished. This area is home to IPs who have historically migrated to Nueva Vizcaya from other mining-affected areas in Northern Philippines and have long established their way of life and subsistence in the region.
- To date, OGC has demolished a total of 200 houses in the area belonging to the resident IPs. This destruction of their homes was done without the consent of some homeowners, who refused the money offered by OGC as compensation. An example of this is Romeo Guimbangan, a long-time resident of Kasibu, whose own house was torn down by OGC's demolition team despite the fact that he refused to accept the money offered by OGC.
- Residents' access to public roads and water supplies has been also blocked by OGC. The local people are not allowed to use the road constructed by the company without their permission. A portion of the community dam in the affected area has also been barricaded by OGC, thus limiting the people's access to the community's water supply.
- Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) from the IP communities residing in the affected areas was not obtained. OGC asserts that they have no responsibility to obtain FPIC from these communities.
2. Human rights violations
- Harassments and human rights violations are being committed by military and private security forces which were tasked to secure the mining activities of OGC.
- On March 23 2008, local leaders Kagawad Edwardo Ananayo and Ramires Dayawon, upon returning from the barricade that was put up by the residents as a protest to the mining company, were stopped by a police officer, SPO4 Noel Valdez. The latter threatened and slapped Ananayo for no apparent reason, after the latter introduced himself as a village councilor and was identified by the police officer as a participant of the anti-mining protest.
- On March 24 2008, during a confrontation between the demolition team of the company and the residents, Emilio Pumihic was shot in the arm by one of the company's security guards. The encounter occurred in the course of the community's active resistance against the attempts by company employees to enter their village and demolish their properties. Pumihic, fortunately, survived the injury.
- OGC's entry in Didipio has rendered its communities unsafe and has caused disunity and discord among the people. Already, Didipio village chief Paul Baguilat was murdered on May 30 2008, during a dispute believed to be related to the mining conflict.
3. Economic dislocation
- The residents of Didipio are largely dependent on local agriculture for both sustenance and livelihood. However, critical crop yields have been steadily declining due to the decreasing fertility of soil brought about by acid contamination from the mining operations. Arable and agricultural lands reserved for citrus and other vegetation have also been destroyed because of bulldozing and excavation in the area. This is contributing to the incidence of poverty and hunger in the region.
4. Environmental devastation
- The mining project site is located within a watershed area. Hundreds of hectares of forestlands have been cleared and denuded and fertile agricultural lands have been converted into mining areas, causing massive environmental damage in nearby communities. Mining operations have contributed to deforestation, biodiversity loss, and watershed degradation in this context.
- Water bodies, particularly the Cagayan River, the longest river in the Philippines, will be contaminated with heavy metals once the commercial mining operations start and reach their full capacity. An Environmental Impact Study (EIS) noted that the water supply and quality of Diduyon River, Camgat River and Addalam River watersheds in the area will be affected by the mining operation.
5. Lack of social acceptability
- The project, which is being promoted by the national government, faces opposition from local government units. In August 2005, the municipal council of Kasibu resolved not to endorse the Didipio Gold-Copper Mining Project which was then owned by Climax Arimco Mining Corporation. The officials of Kasibu then elevated their petition to the Supreme Court of the Philippines seeking a temporary restraining order (TRO) to suspend the dismantling of shelters in the area.
- In May 2008, a barricade was put up to stop the mining operations. This was led by Nueva Vizcaya Governor, other local officials and villagers as a form of dissent against OGC's false and failed economic promises. OGC refused to pay the local taxes and fees required by the municipal and provincial governments, saying that they were not required by the national government to do so.
- More local government officials are responding to the call of their colleagues and their constituent communities for the project's closure. In June 2008, the provincial government of Nueva Vizcaya finally passed a resolution formally withdrawing its support for the OGC Didipio mining project.
This litany of grievances and valid issues raised against OGC have been brought to the attention of more sectors within Philippine society, including government agencies such as the Commission on Human Rights and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples; major religious formations such as the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines; and policy-makers such as individual solons from the House of Representatives. However, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) under the present administration of Secretary Lito Atienza has continued to turn a blind eye to the overwhelming clamor for the stoppage of the Didipio Gold-Copper mining project.
Considering the circumstances stated above, the international banks ANZ and HSBC have the responsibility to take actions on the above issues and do their part to ensure that OGC respects the rights of local communities and the protection of the environment.
Based on the experiences in Didipio, OGC has failed to practice socially responsible and sound environmental practices. As such, the banks should immediately call for the suspension of mining activities of OGC in the area and stop supporting the Didipio Gold-Copper Mining Project until the above issues have been resolved. Continuing their financial backing of OGC would translate to the banks' endorsement and toleration of OGC's offenses against the indigenous people's communities in Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya.
Accordingly, OGC together with its financial supporters should be held accountable.
