Priests, ethnic minorities go on hunger strike to protest operation in Philippines of Norwegian mining firm

(Hong Kong, November 17, 2009) Two Catholic Priests and a group of
indigenous people from Mindoro Island have commenced a hunger strike
of indefinite length in Manila to protest an impending mining
operation by a Norwegian company.

Fr. Roberto Reyes, a staff member of the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), is one of the 25 people who joined the protestors–two of whom are Catholic priests and sixteen of whom are Mangyans; as well as seven others. The group has pledged to go on a hunger strike until their demands are met.

In his statement, Fr. Roberto said of his decision to go on strike: “I
go on hunger strike with the Mangyans and the people of Mindoro who
hunger for justice and freedom from exploitation and oppression of
foreign multinational corporations and their counterparts in the
present regime”. The full text of his statement can be read below.

The group set up a makeshift tent in front of the headquarters of the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Quezon City, a government agency responsible for issuing permits to mining firms.

The group is protesting against the DENR’s issuance of a mining permit
to Intex Resources – a Norwegian multinational mining company who work
to mine ore minerals – despite strong opposition by the local
government and the indigenous communities who are affected by their
work.

Mindoro Island is the Philippines’ seventh largest island and is
reported to have the biggest lateritic nickel ores deposit in the
world.

Intex Resources, according to a local newspaper, was issued a permit
to mine ores covering the areas of about 11,218 hectares, which
included the ancestral domain claim of the Alangan and Tadyawan, which
are indigenous Mangyan communities. The mining project covers four
towns, in Victoria, Pola and Socorro in Oriental Mindoro and Sablayan
in Occidental Mindoro. The operation is expected to produce 100 to 120
million tons of ore over a period of 15 to 20 years.

Legal provisions state that before any mining firms are issued work
permits, there should be a public consultation and hearing with the
communities and villagers who will be affected, in order to obtain
their consent. Only after this consultation and willing agreement of
the communities, can permits be issued.

However, according to the protestors, the DENR has issued permits to
the Intex Resources despite a ’strong and valid opposition’ from the
affected communities, the local government and the Catholic Church.

FULL TEXT OF THE STATEMENT BY FR. ROBERTO REYES:

On Tuesday, November 17, 2009, I will go on hunger strike with the
Mangyans and the people of Mindoro. I will be at the DENR early to put
up the Kubol Pagasa, a mobile replica of the tent we pitched at the
People Power Monument on July 10, 2005. Since then, the current
administration has progressively lost its moral authority and
credibility to govern. Corruption, human rights violations, bad
governance aggravate what was already a fatal flaw in governance four
years ago: the betrayal of public trust.

The present government has systematically corrupted individuals,
groups and institutions in order to weaken peaceful and legitimate
opposition. Corruption simply means buying loyalty and compliance
through the distribution of government funds. Those first to be
corrupted are government officials from the highest to the lowest
whose loyalty is immediately rewarded through the release of the
“Countryside Development Funds” (CDF) or the Internal Revenue
Allotment (IRA). Outside this not too honorable category of government
officials are their business partners, friends and relatives who get
priority or undue advantage in government bidding processes for
projects. Aside from the “Kaibigan and Kamag-anak” incorporated
are the institutional supporters which include media, church, academe,
entertainment, etc. Indeed, money flows abundantly towards popular,
powerful and influential personalities and institutions which directly
or indirectly defend and support the president and her minions.

Corruption has polluted and alienated the Filipino soul. If those in
power and those who support them choose to sink in the quicksand of
corruption, we cannot allow them to drag the rest of us with them. I
fast from food with those who are continually deprived of food, clean
water, safe and decent housing, livelihood, education,
hospitalization, disability benefits etc. I go on hunger strike with
the Mangyans and the people of Mindoro who hunger for justice and
freedom from exploitation and oppression of foreign multinational
corporations and their counterparts in the present regime. I go on
hunger strike that we may still unlearn attitudes and values that pull
us down as a people. I fast and that we may start doing the following
things:

First, we need to learn how to fight for our rights and those of
indigenous peoples and their the environment

Second, we have to begin a process of inner and personal cleansing
vis-à-vis an environment of deception, lies, corruption and stealing.

Third, we need to go back in prayer to the real God and reject the
gods of politics, entertainment, business and consumerism.

Fourth, we need to re-educate our wills towards greater discipline and
self control.

Fifth, we need to learn how to share not only goods but hunger as well
in order to form community.

Sixth, we need to learn how to use a different language, beyond words,
flashy commercials and noisy speeches. This is the language of silence
and hunger, of prayer and self-sacrifice.

Seventh, we need to form through shared hunger, new and deeper bonds
of solidarity with those who also desire deep and positive change in
our society.

May God use this hunger strike to stop mining which ultimately is a
source of funds not for development but for more corruption and
exploitation. No to mining!!! Yes to a genuinely pro- environment,
pro- people, pro-poor and pro-Filipino government!

Fr. Roberto P. Reyes

Kubol Pagasa

November 16, 2009

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About AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional
non-governmental organisation monitoring and lobbying human rights
issues in Asia. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984.