Message to big foreign mining companies: Stop plundering ancestral lands

Message to big foreign mining companies: Stop plundering ancestral lands

BISHOP ANTONIO ABLON (Photo: HG)

INTERVIEW: Bishop Antonio Ablon

By Hermie Garcia

(The Philippine Reporter interviewed Bishop Ablon of the Philippine Independent Church, Zamboanga del Sur. See previous issue for full coverage of his group’s visit.)

The Philippine Reporter: What were the objectives of your Canada visit?

Bishop Antonio Ablon: I quote from the goals and key messages of the trip as articulated in its concept paper:

Delegation Goals

• To raise awareness and understanding of how human rights violations and violence in Bayog and other communities in the Philippines are linked to resources extraction, including by Canadian companies, and contribute to conflict between government forces and liberation groups.

• To generate and mobilize public and Canadian diplomatic support for the ongoing peace talks in the Philippines, which include addressing the root causes of conflict and poverty.

• To advocate for the KAIROS/CNCA Open for Justice campaign which is calling on the Government of Canada to appoint an extractive-sector Ombudsman to monitor Canadian mining operations overseas, and to facilitate access to the Canadian courts for non-nationals who have been harmed by the international operation of Canadian companies.

Key Messages

• As one of Canada’s most important trade partners in Asia, the Government of Canada should play an important role in securing justice and lasting peace in the Philippines by supporting the formal peace talks between the Government of the Philippines, the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), and Moro liberation groups.

• National security policies implemented by the Philippine government to protect foreign (including Canadian) investments and large scale development projects are contributing to increased poverty and conflict, and having a negative impact on the social, cultural, economic and political rights of the Filipino people.

• Because of the connection between human rights violations, conflict, and resource extraction activities, including by Canadian-owned companies, mining affected communities in the Philippines will benefit from an extractive-sector Ombudsman and access to justice in Canada.

Jennifer Henry, Executive Director of KAIROS Canada (right) receives token gifts of appreciation from Philippine delegation, from left: Dr. Anie Bautista, Nenita Andrea Condez, Bishop Antonio Ablon, Eufemia Campos
Cullamat.

However we would like to add that a key message was the principal call of Eufemia and Nenita, on behalf of the Lumad in Mindanao and other indigenous peoples in the Philippines, that large scale foreign mining companies stop plundering their ancestral lands. Because of the brutal militarization which accompanies the entry of mining companies and the consequent human rights violations and environmental destruction, they demand that mining companies leave their communities.

TPR: Who sponsored your trip, how many cities did you visit in Canada and is this a part of a bigger project or campaign in relation to Philippine issues?

BAA: The trip was sponsored by KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives and the whole team visited seven cities: Ottawa, Montreal, Calgary, Edmonton, Alberta, Toronto and Vancouver.
As a background: this trip is an offshoot of the 2014 KAIROS Canada’s Philippine Learning Tour (PLT) that visited communities in Bayog, Zamboanga del Sur impacted by the mining operations of TVI Resource Development Inc. (TVIRD), the Philippine subsidiary of Calgary-based TVI Pacific, Inc.

After gathering information on TVIRD’s operations from community members, TVIRD representatives and government officials, the PLT called on the Philippine government to investigate all claims of human rights abuses and to cease all mining operations until the safety of the local people can be assured. It also called on the Government of Canada to appoint an extractive-sector Ombudsman and provide legislated access to Canadian courts for those harmed by the international operations of Canadian resource extraction companies.

Also this is part of the ongoing campaign in the Philippines to promote the protection of human rights especially in the communities of the Indigenous Peoples and to push for the continuation of the peace talks between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines that will address the roots of the armed conflict and promote just and lasting peace.

TPR: Can you say you achieved your goals in this visit? Specifically, what did you accomplish?

BAA: Yes, we achieved our goals. We were able to reach out to Members of the Canadian Parliament and Global Affairs Canada. And for us in the ecumenical movement, a significant achievement were the meetings with the Primate and other church leaders of the Anglican Church of Canada, the moderator and leaders of the United Church of Canada, and members of Development and Peace who have faithfully accompanied the churches and people’s organizations in the Philippines over many years and supported our work for justice and peace. Likewise, we greatly appreciate the opportunity to establish connection with the Presbyterian Church of Canada.

TPR: Who were the Members of Parliament who gave you an audience and what were their responses?

BAA: Meetings with Members of Parliament and other government officials March 19-April 9: (includes only those that our team: Bsp. Ablon, Eufemia and Anie attended)

• MP Gary Anandasangaree

• Charles Hudon, Officials of Global Affairs Canada

• MP Celina Caesar-Chavannes

• MP Dean Allison

• MP Kevin Lamoureux

• MP Michael Levitt

• MP John McKay

• Marvin Rotrand

• MP Thomas Mulcair

• MP Francis Scarpaleggia

• MP Marc Miller

• MP Iqra Khalid

• Senator Tobias C. Enverga, Jr.

Generally, the government officials showed keen interest in the human rights situation in our communities and promised that they would look into the concerns we were raising, support the call to establish the office of the extractive sector Ombudsperson and the Open for Justice Campaign. Unfortunately, there was also a discouraging response from MP Michael Levitt who said that the concerns we were raising are trade issues and not human rights issues and thus should be brought to another subcommittee.

TPR: What were the most significant parts of your visit? Why?

BAA: The whole range of activities was significant and provided us with important lessons and insights. But if we are to indicate the most significant parts, these are the meetings with the Indigenous communities and 5-member delegation from Latin America with whom we had very productive exchanges of shared experiences especially on the effect of extractive industries.

Another significant highlight was our daily interaction with our Kababayan, both migrants and temporary workers who laboured long hours holding 2-3 jobs to fulfil their and their families’ dreams for a better future.

TPR: Are there plans for a continuing relationship with Canadian officials and groups? Generally, please describe them.

BAA: There are no immediate specific activities in the pipeline but we know that our aspirations for justice and progress and our stories will continue to be echoed among our Kababayan and the Canadian people, especially the churches, and build stronger and deeper ties in our common desire for enduring prosperity and peace.