The Arroyo regime’s approval of and dismissive stance over the ZTE-Diwalwal mining deal sounds even more ominous and insensitive in the light of the huge landslide disaster in Maco town, Compostela Valley in southern Mindanao which snuffed the lives of 24 people. Maco, like Diwalwal, heaved its gold-rush mountains last week after years of plunder and ecological destruction by transnational mining corporations like the Canadian Crew Gold Corp.
The twin landslides that occurred in Barangay Masara, Maco and Diwalwal in Monkayo which also injured a two-year old girl only add to the long list of mining tragedies in gold-rich site of Compostela Valley. Last year, 10 people also died in Barangay Masara after heavy rains triggered a landslide.
Crew Gold Corporation acquired three-fourths of share of Apex Mining Corporation which have been mining, causing ecological destruction and the massive displacement of peasant and Lumad families since the 1970s. At every onset of minimal monsoon rains and storms, landslides and flash floods are triggered because of the already damaged soil.
Through Mining Act of 1995, the Arroyo regime legitimized the unbridled plunder of our mining resources and the wanton destruction of our environment in the name of profit and total sell-out of our lands to multi-national, transnational and big local companies.
As the victims of landslides suffer from the great loss of their loved ones and their livelihood, the Arroyo regime is shameless in holding of a Mining Summit in Davao City this month to further peddle whatever is left of our mineral- rich lands to foreign capitalists. Further, the anomalous Memorandum of Agreement between the GRP and the China’s ZTE International Investment Limited which purportedly awarded 8,000 hectares claim in mining area of Mt. Diwalwal to the latter shows the brazen duplicity of the Arroyo regime.
The revolutionary movement will continue to resist this incessant plunder of our mining resources and plunder of our economy. The Red fighters of the New People’s Army will continue to launch tactical offensives for the protection of the environment and the people; and the broad united front of the people will topple down this hated Arroyo regime.
For reference:
(Sgd) Rubi del Mundo
Spokesperson
NDF-Southern Mindanao
