Mindoro mining enemies claim success in tour
Published by MAC on 2006-06-13Source: The Philippine Daily Inquirer
Mindoro mining enemies claim success in tour
By Madonna T. Virola, Inquirer
13th June 2006
Editor's Note: Published on Page A15 of the June 13, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer
CITY OF CALAPAN-Efforts by protesters to raise awareness on mining in Mindoro were disturbing to a shareholder of a foreign mining firm that plans to extract nickel in Mindoro, according to a leader of the Alliance against Mining on Mindoro Island (Alamin), the protesters' group. "Goldman-Sachs, which holds about 61 million shares in Crew, was disturbed by the issues we raised," said Fr. Edwin Gariguez of the Apostolic Vicariate of Calapan and leader of Alamin.
Ben de los Reyes, spokesperson of Crew Mining in Mindoro, said the protesters were still unaware of his firm's planned operation and would launch an information and education campaign.
Leaders of Alamin and Mindoro tribes earlier toured the United Kingdom to campaign against the planned operations of Crew. They were invited to speak in the British parliament.
Gariguez said Alamin's campaign "paved the way for a possible fact-finding (mission) and resolutions . (for) stricter regulation of UK companies and complaint mechanisms for affected (mining) communities."
Crew plans to develop a nickel and cobalt mine in Mindoro on a concession almost 100 sq km in area and straddling the provinces of Oriental and Occidental Mindoro. Reserves are estimated to be good for 30 years.