Save Antique from coal mine

     
Below is a press statement sent by the Global Action Against Coal, a consortium that is leading a picket at the DENR 6 Regional office in Iloilo, protesting against the land grabbing by, Semirara Coal Mine and government complicity that threatens to displace marginal fishers and seaweed farmers of Caluya, Antique.

After reducing Semirara Island to a howling wilderness, after depleting its coal reserves DCMI, part of the Consunji Group, wants to expand Semirara Coal mine to adjoining islands and even mainland Antique.

The people of Antique did not get a single centavo in taxes from DCMI which during the incumbency of Goc. Sally S. Perez, owed Antique more than 0600 million in real property taxes.

Hundreds of families whose lives depend on seaweed farming, salt making and fishing, are at risk of being displaced simply because a giant corporation's greed for profit is insatiable, and worse, the Aquino government is siding with the intruder.
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Seaweed Farmers File Mass Land Claim to Stop DMCI Coal Mine Expansion

For Immediate Release, October 17th, 2014

Iloilo -- Seaweed planters, fishers, and farmers have traveled 24 hours from Caluya Islands Municipality to the Regional Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Iloilo to tell the truth about living with DMCI owned Semirara open-pit coal mining in their backyard. They are filing over a hundred land claims in an effort to stop the evictions and land grabbing perpetrated by the Semirara Mining Corporation and abetted by the Municipal government. As part of the Global Day of Action Against Coal they are joined by Save Antique Movement, Task Force Detainees of the Philippines, Freedom from Debt Coalition, Iloilo Student Association for Nature and Development (I-STAND) and RISE Iloilo to demand that the DENR give no more environmental permits to coal mining and that they persecute DMCI for environmental destruction. Actions will be held simultaneously by community members back on Semirara and Caluya Islands today aalong with 22 other sites across the Philippines.

“Ilang ektaryang lupain na ang inagaw ng DMCI sa mga magsasaka? Ilang daang pamilya na ang nawalan ng tirahan sa 14 na Sityo sa 3 Barangay ng Semirara Island? Ilang daang seaweeds farmers na ang pinagbawalan na makapatanim sa dagat? Daang-daang ektarya ang lawak ang kanilang tinambakan sa dagat. Daang-daang ektaryang bakawan na ang nawasak. Walang magawa ang mga tao dahil sa takot. Ngayon ay may mahigit 150 pamilya na naman silang gustong paalisin sa kanilang tirahan at ilang daang ektaryang sakahan ang nais i-buldos. Hindi na kami mananahimik. Tama na. Sobra na. Paalisin na ang coal mining sa Caluya,” decalred Danilo Domingo, President of Bolo Fisherfolks and Farmers Association (BFFA), Tinogboc, Semirara Island.

DMCI has been given rights to explore for expansion on two other pristine islands – the main island of Caluya and neighboring Sibay Island – 9000 more hectares. Residents were not consulted and many still do not know that the Department of Energy quietly gave this permission.

“Ngayon, gusto na namang pumunta sa kabilang isla ng DMCI. Bigla na lang may mga tao ang Semirara Mining Corporation na nagsusukat at pumapasok sa aming mga bakuran. Walang paliwanag. Walang konsultasyon. Kapag ang DMCI ay lumipat dito sa Isla ng Caluya, mawawalan kami ng lupa at dagat na aming ikinabubuhay,” said Enrilina Andres of Napay Seaweeds Farmers Association, Sabang, Caluya Island.

Caluya Municipality’s biggest industry is actually not mining, but seaweed farming, a sustainable marine livelihood that thrives in the islands away from the mine. Over 4000 people own their seaweed farm here, making a good living and bringing in over 400 million pesos into the municipal economy every year. Seaweed farms around the mining island have already been lost and mining company officials have recently taken over an area of ocean, ripped up the seaweed farms, and now guard it with automatic machine guns. No one knows why. If the coal mine is allowed to expand to

Caluya and Sibay Islands where thousands farm seaweed, the farmers are sure it will be the end of their farms and pristine environment.

Recent surveys in the municipality have identified it as a biodiversity hot spot with 33 species of mangroves out of 35 that exist in the Philippines, the highest dugong abundance in the province, sea turtles, corals, some of the last remaining extensive sea grass beds in the country, corals, sharks and rays. Coal mining pollutes the land and the water and would make future eco tourism impossible to pursue.

The Commision on Human Rights is currently investigating allegations of wide spread abuse, threats, and violations of people rights to livelihood, healthy environment, and information. Jack Esrile of Task Force Detainees of the Philippines, recently spent a week on the island documenting the situation, “Caluya Municipality is so difficult to travel to that DMCI has been able to operate there for years with impunity. Yes, it brings jobs and some revenue, but at what cost? We are documenting what appears to be a long-term pattern of rights abuses on the island and a company working very closely with a local government to shield them from questions.” Many residents question where the 200 million pesos share of mining revenue the LGU receives annually is going as many are still without proper healthy care, potable water, and roads.

Residents of Caluya are raising their voices after decades of silence. The situation has become more intolerable since DMCI fully took over in the late 90s. As the Aquino government seems poised to let coal mines develop all over the Philippines (some by DMCI) in a short-sighted band-aid to the energy situation in the country, the people of Caluya want to show their countrymen what coal mining really looks like.

“Ito ay madumi, nasisinghot na carbon araw-araw, mga guwardiyang nagpapatutok ng baril, pagkawala ng mga sakahan, taniman, at dagat na pinagkukunan ng pagkain, at nakamamatay. May pitong minero ng mining corporation na aming mga kapitbahay ay nakabaon pa rin sa ilalim ng minahan mula ng mangyari ang pagguho noong nakaraang taon. Huwag nating hayaang magpatuloy pa ang coal mining sa ating bansa,” warned Fely Magan of Sabang Poocan Farmers and Fisherfolk Association, Tinogboc, Semirara Island.

(“It is dirty, it is black soot in the air 24 hours, it is armed guards threatening you, it is death to your forests and oceans where you get food, and it kills. Those 7 miners, our neighbors, who were buried last year in the mining accident are still under there. Do not let coal mining spread across this country, “)

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For Interviews:

Danilo Domingo – SAPOFFA and PAKISAMA Community Leader, Tinogboc, Semirara Island 09213925797

Jack Eslit – Task Force Detainees of the Philippines, recently spent a week documenting rights violations on Island; 09397442286

Bong Sanchez – Save Antique Movement; 09357988225

Jocelyn Roca – SAMASA, Community Leader, Caluya; for local action info on Caluya Island; 09104842068

For photos of Caluya and background info:

Isalba Ang Caluya’s Day of Action event page:

www.facebook.com/events/766827703406384/

www.facebook.com/pages/ISAlba-ang-CAluya/140322062774500?fref=nf

or email Shannon Arnold, PAKISAMA National Fisheries Manager at

operationseaweedcaluya@gmail.com

Isalba ang, Caluya (ISACA), municipal-wide advocacy group, working for a sustainable future for Caluya is supported on this Global Day of Action by Pambansang Kilusan ng mga Samahang Magsasaka (PAKISAMA), Philippines Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ), Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM), and Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP)

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