Urgent Appeal - Canadian Mining Company operates without consent

Urgent Appeal - Canadian Mining Company operates without consent

[Report prepared by DCMI, Frank Nally and Piplinks, January 16 2003]

The Subanon Indigenous People of Canatuan Zamboanga del Norte in the Philippines are calling for urgent support in their struggle to remove from their territory an unwelcome and abusive Canadian mining company. The Subanon have been struggling to resist the entry of TVI Pacific Mining into their territory for the last 8 years. The company is now claiming to have secured local support through a resolution passed at a meeting held on 15 October and conducted under deeply questionable circumstances. Local indigenous leaders continue to deny they have given support. They have made public and legal challenge to the validity of the company claims. They have also appealed for international support to expose the realities of what occurred and call for the removal of TVI. They request such support to ensure that their true sentiments cannot be ignored.

The local situation is tense.

On December 26, in a separate incident, thirteen people were killed and others injured when a company truck in which they were travelling was ambushed by armed assailants. Reports suggest the attack was perpetrated by a rebel group who were seeking to impose "taxes" on the company. This tragedy therefore deepens the suffering of the community.

Please write letters of support in your own words to the addresses given or alternatively you can use or edit the letter text attached to formulate a letter of concern.

If you do write please send copies of any letters to
onsinovsp@loveable.com
dcmi@qmile.com.ph
and
tongtong@gn.apc.org

Further background documents are available from tongtong@gn.apc.org