Mining affected groups welcome 'writ of kalikasan'

February 4, 2010

Press Release

MINING AFFECTED GROUPS WELCOME ‘WRIT OF KALIKASAN’

MANILA, Philippines – Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM), an advocacy group and people’s movement composed of more than eighty (80) organizations from mining-affected communities and civil society organizations nationwide, welcomes the writ of kalikasan (nature) as a progressive measure taken by the court in an effort to address the injustices related to extractive industries and mining in particular, in the country.

“ATM commends the leadership of Chief Justice Reynato Puno in pursuing the ‘writ of kalikasan’, which we believe will help address the injustices experienced by the Filipino people in the hands of mining companies who are more financially equipped to go through the current long judicial process our country has”, said ATM national coordinator Jaybee Garganera.

“The justice system has long been used as a tool by the mining companies to disempower communities by filing strategic lawsuits against public participation (or SLAPPs), or delays in the judicial processes translate to a denial of justice, “ adds Garganera.

“We, at ATM, are optimistic that the writ of kalikasan, with its intent to speed up environmental cases, will save time, energy and monetary resources of mining-affected communities who have suffered long enough from injustices brought by mining corporations in their lives. Moreover, we find the writ an empowering tool that will further encourage people to assert their rights and regain faith in the justice system in the country,” said Garganera.

"This is a very novel development given the decades of neglect and degradation that our environment has experienced in the hands of violators, in the guise of economic prosperity and local progress.  At the same time, the attention that has long been overdue to victims of environmental destruction will now be finally addressed, " said Blas Tabaranza, Executive Director of the environmental group HARIBON.

“We praise CJ Puno for this initiative, taken from the concrete realisation that the struggling communities find no better way or law that serves them from the injustices brought about by mining operations and other development projects.  We challenge the Supreme Court under a new leadership to continue the efforts made by CJ Puno in the recognition and protection of the peoples’ rights. Nevertheless, we recognize that the writ of kalikasan would only merit as a shield or a tool to seek justice, and thus, we will continue to struggle with the communities for the scrapping of anti-people and pro-development aggression laws such as the Philippine Mining Act of 1995”, said Ronald Gregorio, Team Leader of the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center  -Luzon.

ATM is convened by HARIBON, Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center – Friends of the Earth Philippines (LRC/FOEI) and PhilDHRRA. (30)

For more information:

BlasTabaranza, HARIBON Executive Director,  (0922) 815.20.21,<btabaranza@haribon.org.ph>

Ronald Gregorio, LRC-Luzon Team Leader,  (0917) 548.1674, <ronald.gregorio@lrcksk.org>

Jaybee Garganera, ATM Coordinator, (0915) 315.37.19, <nc@alyansatigilmina.net> 

Roslyn Arayata, ATM Policy & Advocacy Officer, (0917) 521.7937,<policy@alyansatigilmina.net>