RP tribesmen accuse Aussie of pollution<\/p>\n
MANILA (Reuter): Filipino tribe members accused Australia's
\nWestern Mining Corp (WMC) yesterday of plotting with the
\ngovernment to drive them off and pollute their land on the
\nsouthern Philippines island of Mindanao.<\/p>\n
But the project manager of WMC in the Philippines, Terence
\nGardner, told Reuters that the charges made by some members of
\nthe B'laan were false.<\/p>\n
\"Western Mining is deceiving us to induce us to sign over our
\nland rights. If nobody helps us, we will just die on our land,\"
\nDatu Martin Maguling told reporters in a briefing organized by
\nthe leftist New Nationalist Movement (Bayan).<\/p>\n
Maguling said the Australian firm used toxic chemicals like
\narsenic, cyanide and mercury in drilling areas near Mount Matutum
\nover 1,000 km south of Manila to evaluate possible deposits of
\ncopper.<\/p>\n
\"They're without basis. We're not using arsenic or cyanide. We
\ndon't wash our drills in the rivers. We don't use toxic
\nmaterials. It's a mess. They don't have any facts,\" Gardner said.<\/p>\n
\"We're very careful that we recycle our drill water. It is
\nrecycled and we just add fresh water if we need it.\"<\/p>\n
Maguling and three other tribesmen claimed a mayor in the area
\nhad threatened to use air force planes to bomb them if they
\nrefused to sign over their land rights to the company.<\/p>\n
Gardner said the threats had nothing to do with WMC.<\/p>\n
The government's bureau of mines had no immediate reaction to
\nthe charges made by the tribesmen.<\/p>\n
Maguling and the three others also condemned a new mining law
\nthat they said would allow WMC to retain the right to explore
\n100,000 hectares in the area for the next 25 years.<\/p>\n
But under the law approved last year, foreign companies must
\nhand back a certain percentage of the land they are exploring.<\/p>\n
\"We gave up 10 percent of the 100,000 hectares and we were
\nrequired to give that up by February 22, 1996. We sent the letter
\nyesterday. We obviously don't have permanent hold on the 100,000
\nhectares,\" Gardner said.<\/p>\n
He also rejected allegations by Bayan and Maguling's group
\nthat WMC would use open-pit mining methods that would destroy the
\necological balance in the area.<\/p>\n
\"If we were to use open-pit mining, it will be done in such a
\nway it will not pollute the surrounding area at all,\" Gardner
\nadded.<\/p>\n
WMC is helping the B'laan tribal council work on gathering
\npapers so they can file claims with the government over their
\nancestral land, he said.<\/p>\n
Maguling and his spokesman, Avelino Sichon, said the mining
\nlaw handed too much of their property to the Australian firm.<\/p>\n
The Philippines hopes the new mining law will revive a largely
\nmoribund mining industry that used to contribute up to a quarter
\nof the country's gross national product (GNP).<\/p>\n
\"They obviously have some concerns, but the things they
\nbrought up are not issues. We believe they don't have any proof,\"
\nGardner said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rp-tribesmen-accuse-aussie-of-pollution-1447893297",
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