BAKUN COMMUNITY TO HOST MINES UNSAFETY CELEBRATION

Barangay Gambang in Bakun municipality, Benguet province will host the Mines Unsafety Celebration on November 15, 2008 in the said community as part of its continuing opposition to the mining application of Australian mining company Royalco, formerly Oxiana, which has applied for a 986-hectare project (EP 005 CAR 2008) in Gambang, mainly for gold and copper mining. The celebration is organized by the Benguet Mining Alert and Action Network (BMAAN) and the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA), and hosted by BAKUN AYWANAN. Over 700 delegates from other municipalities in Benguet, representatives from Mountain Province, Ifugao, Apayao, Abra and Cervantes, Ilocos Sur are expected to attend.

The activity will highlight a Unity Pact and Benguet Declaration against large and destructive mining and Bakun and the rest of Benguet province. The officers of BAKUN AYWANAN will also be inducted in the morning activities of the celebration.

Successful community struggles against large mining will be shared in the afternoon. The Dap-ayan ti Kultura iti Kordilyera (DKK) will meanwhile lead the staging of cultural presentations during the one-day activity.

A press conference will take place from 12 NN to 1 PM at the venue (Bagtangan Elementary School). The Baguio delegation led by CPA will leave at 5 AM on November 15. Please contact the CPA Public Information Commission at 442-2115 for coordination for media coverage. #