2014 April Caraga Environment and Human Rights

5/21/2018 2014 April Caraga Environment and Human Rights

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2014 Caraga Environment and Human RightsSituation

Plundering NaturalResources

Violating Human Rights

Declaring his administration as diferent rom his predecessor, Noynoy Aquinomouths respect or human rights, promises an end to poverty and calls theFilipino people his Boss that his government will serve y ollowing the daangmatuwid! "is administration however, is no diferent rom that o #rs! Arroyo,essentially merely continuing her government$s thrusts and programs! "isregime continues to ofer the country$s mineral and agricultural resources ororeign companies to plunder despite the people$s protests!

%araga &egion, declared y then 'resident (loria #acapagal)Arroyo as the miningcapital o Asia during the *++ Asia 'aci-c #ining %onerence remains the maintarget or mining under the Aquino administration! .ts rich and aundantagricultural lands are also eing converted rom rice lands into oil palm andanana plantations! /housands o hectares o orest and agricultural lands areopen or e0ploitation y oreign usiness!

THE CARAGA REGION

/he %araga &egion is made upo -ve 123 provinces, si0 143cities, seventy)one 153municipalities and 5,6+4arangays! .t is situated in thenortheast section o #indanao!.t is ounded on the north ythe Bohol 7ea8 on the south y&egion 9.$s provinces o%ompostela :alley and Davao;riental8 on the west y &egion

9$s Bu


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o 5,==>,4? hectares, representing 4!6@ o the country$s total land area and5=!2@ o #indanao!

.t is largely composed o mountainous areas and at and rolling lands! /heDiwata mountain ranges divide the Agusan and 7urigao provinces and su)rangesseparate most o the lowlands along the 'aci-c coast!

/he most productive agricultural area is located along the Agusan &iver Basin! .tis home to the amous Agusan #arsh which lies at the heart o Agusan Del 7ur!Among the lath largest copper deposit, 6rd gold deposit, 2th nic


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.ndustrial non)metallic minerals such as marle, aggregates, limestone orcement and eldspar, among others, are also in aundance!

HEIGHTENED RAVAGING OF NATRA! RE"ORCE"

Logging

%araga &egion hosted the iggest logging concessions in the country in itsheyday! /hese include the 'aper .ndustries %orporation o the 'hilippines 1'.%;'3in Bislig, 7urigao del 7ur which was once Asia$s iggest pulp and paper supplier!/he now deunct Aras)asan /imer %ompany, .nc! 1A&/.#%;3 in %agwait, 7urigaodel 7ur, was once one o the largest suppliers o timer in the country whileNasipit umer %ompany, .nc! 1NA%;3 in Nasipit, Agusan del Norte was once oneo the longest)running logging companies in the country! 7urigao Development%orporation 17KDH%;&3 continued its logging operations or decades until it hastemporarily stopped its operations in *+5+!

Because o such massive logging, the region$s orest cover has sustantiallydecreased 1in *++6, it decreased y >2@ compared to 5?=3 over the years! 7till,massive depletion o orest cover continue in %araga, the last astion o orestin the country! .t currently has = wood)ased companiesC AEA Hquities, H#%;'lywood %orporation, Knited ood, &ichmond 'lywood, Agusan 'lywood,%asilayan 7otwood, 'rovident /ree Farms and oodland Domain .nc! 1D.3!.llegal logging activities particularly in the e0pired timer concession areascontinue inspite o the government$s an on the cutting o trees in natural andresidual orests 1H0ecutive ;rder No! *63!

Land Use Conversion/Plantations

arge portions o the rich agricultural land o %araga has een converted intoindustrial plantations! %araga has the largest land area planted with palm oil inthe country covering close to 52,+++ hectares! Filipinas 'alm 'lantation.ncorporated 1F''.3 in Agusan del 7ur is one o the largest oil palm plantations in#indanao and is currently e0panding its =,+++ hectare plantation! Agusan'lantation .nc! 1A'.3 also in Agusan del 7ur occupies 4,?=hectares!

.n 7urigao del 7ur, Dole)'hilippines has converted around ++ hectares oirrigated rice land in /ago into anana plantation, 56,+++ hectares in Baroo and/agina! Dole 'hilippines has also e0panded to a urther 6,+++ hectares in

%aadaran %ity and /uay in Agusan del Norte! 7umitomo Fruits 17K#.F&K3 has55,+++ hectare anana plantation in /agina!

Mining

/he region$s mining resources have een e0tracted in various scales since thepreI"ispanic period, ut never has resource e0traction een as e0tensive or as

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destructive as the present! 7urigao del Norte nic+!2 6>!* 64!4

&egion : 6= 64!5 64

&egion :... 6+!* 65!5 66!*&egion 9 >5!2 6*!> 6*!

&egion :.. 6*!5 66!2 6+!*

&egion 9.. *!* *!5 *=!5

&egion .:)B *?!= 6>!6 *!4

&egion 9. *2!> *4!* *2!4

&egion :. *6!2 **!5 *6!=

&egion . 5!= *+!> 5!=

%A& 54!5 5=!4 5!5

&egion .. 52!* 52!2 5>!2

&egion ... ?!> 5* 5*

&egion .:)A ?!* ?!> 5+!6N%& *!5 6!> *!4


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.t has always een pronounced y the government that oreign investments in themining industry and plantations will ring development and alleviate poverty!"owever, despite the increase in mining operations and e0panding plantations,%araga remains the poorest among 'hilippine regions at 6?!=@ poverty incidence!/wo 1*3 o its provincesC Agusan Del 7ur and 7urigao del Norte, are includedamong the top ten poorest provinces in the country in *++? 1N7%B3! .ronically

oth provinces have the longest operating mines in the region with #edusa)'hilsaga in Agusan del 7ur and the three 163 Nic


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/he contamination o potale water sources, poisoning o the air, water and soil,siltation o the coastline and natural waterways and degradation o neary -shinggrounds, destruction o haitats and decrease in iodiversity are among theindisputale impact o mining on the human and ecological environment!

/wo o #indanao$s most e0tensive mangrove orests in %arrascal, 7urigao del 7urand Del %armen, 7urigao del Norte are dying ecause o siltation rom the miningareas!

INTEN"IF7ING 0I!ITARI8ATION& 9OR"ENING H0AN RIGHT" VIO!ATION"

/he people o %araga are resisting the plunder and destruction o its naturalresources ))) their main and sustainale source o livelihood! Because o strongand organiQed grassroots struggles, the region has een named a priority area ogovernment$s counter)insurgency plans aimed at easing the entry and ensuringthe continuation o oreign resource e0traction!

/he human rights record in %araga, under Aquino$s ;plan Bayanihan, is on theway to surpassing that o the Arroyo Administration! ;plan Bayanihan is ut thesame internal security campaign with its deceptive and militarist character! ;planBayanihan has deployed %ommunity ;rganiQing or 'eace and Development1%;'D3 teams to lumad 1#indanao indigenous peoples3 and peasant communitiestargeted or mining under the guise o counter)insurgency campaigns! 'res!Aquino has ordered the strengthening o Arroyo$s investment security orces,deploying hundreds o these to investment intensive areas to secure miningand other oreign interests, quell the people$s struggle to protect their land andtheir rights against such destructive operations and ensuring the unhampered

e0ploitation o 'hilippine resources y oreign companies!

%urrently, nine 1?3 ull Battalions o the 'hilippine Army are deployed anddistriuted all over the %araga region! /hey are the *4th, *?th, 6+th, 64th and2th inantry attalions under the >th.nantry Division o the AF' and the 5stand*nd7cout &anger Batallions and *ndand 6rd7pecial Forces Batallion under the7pecial ;perations %ommand o the AF'! /hese are complemented y variousother military units li+*nd.nantry Brigade whose mainheadquarters is located in Bancasi, Butuan %ity, Agusan del Norte and the >+5st

.nantry Brigade in New eyte, 'rosperidad, Agusan del 7ur!

Aside rom the local units o the 'hilippine National 'olice assigned in each citymunicipality, their operations are reinorced y igger units o the &egional and'rovincial 7aety #anagement Batallion 1&7#B and '7#B3, ormerly


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eeed up y units o 7pecial Action Forces whose operations are directly underthe national command o the 'N'!

/he presence o private armies and paramilitary troops are also causing muchconcern rom the people o %araga who are oten caught in the middle o thewarring orces! /hese include the /as< Force (antangan)Bagani Force 1/F()BF3,

ild DogsL7ala


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E;I"TING 0P"A IN 0I!ITARI8ED AREA" inAG"AN6"RIGAO NORTE AND "RIGAO DE! "Ras o3 0arch +#& $,#$

O5 amiliesL22+ individualsrom Brgy! #ahaa,#arihatag, 7urigao del 7urand the evacuation o **amilies rom Brgy! Buhisan,7an Agustin, 7urigao del 7ur!

%une 2& 2011!Hvacuationo amilies rom#ag


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E;I"TING EPs IN 0I!ITARI8ED AREA" inAG"AN6"RIGAO NORTE AND "RIGAOD E! "Ras o3 0arch +#& $,#$

PER0ITTEE !OCATION

5! #anila #ining %orporation/uod, Bacuag, 'lacer, #ainitand 7ison, 7urigao del Norte

*! #inima0 #ineral H0plo!%orp!

#alimono and #ainit, 7urigaoNorte

6! #inima0 #ineral H0plo!%orp!

#ainit, 7urigao del Norte

>! Hstrella F! Bautista 7antiago, Agusan del Norte

2! Ninety NinersDevelopment %orp!

;fshore o #alimono, 7urigaoNorte

4! #& (old 'hils!, .nc! #alimono, 7urigao del Norte! Ealayaan %opper)(old

&esources, .nc!/uod and 'lacer, 7urigao delNorte

=! 7H#%; H0plo G #ining%orp!

%aadaran and /uay,aonga and 7antiago AgusanNorteaonga and Eitcharao, Agusan

/hese recent spate o comat operations has resulted to the dislocation o *?amilies with 5,5+4 individuals rom 5+ mountain communities in Eitcharao and%aadaran %ity, Agusan del Norte and Alegria and (igaquit, 7urigao del Norte!

'e#ruary & 2012.=+ soldiers o the 6+th.B'A and 6=th.B'A led y t! :incent.ringan arrived in Ferlda, Alegria, 7urigao del Norte! /hey encamped in the

Barangay "all, 7ession "all, (uest "ouse, Dancing "all and houses o civilians!

'e#ruary 1( 2012.ndiscriminate -ring o a surprised soldier sleeping in ahammoc< at the house oFeli0 'aclipan in Ferlda,Alegria, riddling the wallsand


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AF' in the %araga region, targetting communities with alleged sightings o N'Apresence and strong support or the revolutionary movement! Focus o %;'d

Mar*h $ , 20 201+C Despite the upcoming elections, active military operationswere conducted y the 6rd7pecial Forces in 7itio /ag amilies with aout 42+ individuals were orcily evacuated

to the /ag

'eople$s Army 1N'A3! ;thers were listed as respondents in complaints againstthe N'A that were -led in court!

'resently, over =+ civilians, mostly memers o peasant and umad organiQationsare acing aricated criminal charges ranging rom grave arson and maliciousmischie to multiple murder and rustrated murder!

H0amples o these cases in %araga include the harassment case o #anooleaders alandoni %ampos and (enasque HnriqueQ, who were accused o havinglin


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umadnong ;rganisasyon 1EA7A;3 and the second nominee o the Eatriu'artylist, was charged with multiple rustrated murder, in connection with the uly*5 clash etween N'A reels and soldiers o the 55th 7pecial Action %ompany,7pecial Action Force and the 2th .nantry Battalion in Em! =, 7itio Agpan, Bgy!.melda, Bunawan, Agusan del 7ur! /his complaint was later dropped y the ;Oceo the 'rosecutor or lac< o merit! Another umad leader, &omulo Andaya,

chairperson o 'igdiwatahan, the municipal #anoo organiQation o a 'aQ,Agusan del 7ur, was charged with arson!

;n uly *6, *+56, Hustiquio Bulat)ag, an active memer o the armer organiQationKnyon sa #ga #ag)uuma sa Agusan del Norte 1K#AN3 and a


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(enesis Amason, *6 years old, was


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with malicious graOti written on the lac


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The Peo=le Continue to "truggle 3or their Rights

Despite eforts to silence protests and eliminate resistance against the plunder othe region$s natural resources, the people o %araga, especially the armers andlumad people continue to assert thier rights! 'eople$s organiQations are thriving

and in ever increasing numer, they continue to demand that their rights andeforts to etter themselves are respected!

Resources.1 N3AStrategic 3e)elopment 5rame#or6 201020202 3NR"!. *enement "ap Septem-er 20127 PN$ oal areas on $8er4 ham-er o "inesaraga Region (http.99###cham-erominescaragaorg9: araga ;atch. "ining araga, 200/, 2011, 2012'


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.t has over 5,++ shareholders including Anglo(old Ashanti Australia

imited with 5+@ share!*) 0edusa 0ining !imited Australia ;wns the #indanao #ineral 'rocessing and &e-ning %orporation 1##'&%3

which is in charge o the Bananghilig and %oI; mines in the Baroo (old%orridor in .aro4o& "urigao del "ur!

##'&% is involved in small scale mining and organiQing miningcooperatives! .t also operates the Das)agan 'roJect in the ingig %opperDiscovery!

.ts susidiary, Philsaga 0ining Cor=oration1'hilsaga3 operates the/amis 'roJect, comprising the Bananghilig and Eamarangan prospects withPhile Gold Phili==ines Inc! with an #'7A covering 4,*4* hectares oland in Baroo, 7urigao del 7ur!

.t has oint :enture Agreements 1:A3 with 0R! Phili==inesto mine areasin the "urigao Agusan del Norte areas and Bunawan #ining %orporationin Agusan del "uralong with a memorandum o agreement with Aacus%onsolidated &esources and "oldings .nc! or e0ploration o =,5++ hectares

in Agusan del "ur!-) 0indoro Resources !td) Canada .s a %anadian company that organiQes smallIscale mining cooperatives!

.ts 'hilippine susidiary is #& (old 'hilippines .nc! manages the Agata and

/apian 7an Francisco #ining 'roJects which covers areas or copper, nicth largest la


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Documents

2014 April Caraga Environment and Human Rights