NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND MINING

La Consolacion Villa, Woodsgate Subdivision, Camp 7, Baguio City

March 11-14, 2006

DECLARATION OF UNITY AND SOLIDARITY IN UPHOLDING AND ASSERTING INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ RIGHTS

The Indigenous Peoples have inherent collective rights by virtue of their history, and their persistent struggle to defend their culture, lifeways and dignity in relation to their land and resources.

Since time immemorial, they have been the caretakers of the environment, having sacred and symbiotic relationship with nature.

Land is life.

The Philippine Mining Act of 1995 has violated indigenous peoples’ rights to self-determination, cultural integrity, ancestral domains, and the right to life. And yet, the present administration continues to promote the exploitation of our limited natural resources. Furthermore, the framework of the Philippine Mining Act peddles our national patrimony to foreign entities and big businesses.

In the course of asserting their collective rights, the indigenous peoples have been victims of militarization, harassment, displacement, torture, murder, and discrimination. The present political and economic policies of government further escalate these threats to indigenous peoples’ rights to land and life.

The right of indigenous peoples’ to FREE, PRIOR AND INFORMED CONSENT has been manipulated, watered down, ignored, and subverted in favor of the entry of extractive industries. This has resulted to the disempowerment of the indigenous communities, pushing them further down to the dregs of poverty and destitution.

The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, has failed in its mandate to protect, defend and uphold indigenous peoples’ rights. In fact, they have colluded with transnational corporations to gain entry of these extractive industries. It has ignored the demands of the indigenous peoples. It has not held itself accountable to the indigenous peoples. Thus, the indigenous peoples are more exposed and susceptible to the evils of the extractive industries.

The present legal framework remains discriminatory to indigenous peoples, as it there is no effective and efficient access to justice.

WE, the participants of the National Conference on Indigenous Peoples and Mining, composed of One Hundred Thirty-Nine indigenous peoples’ leaders all over the country and Seventy-Two representatives of support organizations, demand the immediate scrapping of the Philippine Mining Act of 1995.

WE demand the cancellation of all existing Financial and Technical Assistance Agreements, Mineral Production Sharing Agreement and other mineral agreements.

WE demand the cessation of all large-scale mining operations and all other destructive and extractive industries.

WE demand a moratorium on the processing of all pending mining applications until such time an Alternative Mining Act is passed which respects the rights of the communities.

WE demand that the government uphold and respect the rights of indigenous peoples and communities to life and to their ancestral domains. We further demand that the government to put an end to militarization and all human rights violations committed and to punish the perpetrators of these heinous crimes.

WE call on all to respect and observe the right of indigenous peoples to FREE PRIOR AND INFORMED CONSENT. We demand to stop all forms of manipulation and subversion perpetuated against the exercise of this right.

WE demand that the National Commission Indigenous Peoples live up to its mandate. It shall be transparent, accountable and liable to indigenous peoples.

WE demand that the Government provide a legal framework and policies that are culturally sensitive and responsive to indigenous peoples.

WE declare our support and appreciation to the position of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines to the call for the repeal of the Philippine Mining Act of 1995.

WE REQUEST THE UNITED NATIONS COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS TO GIVE SERIOUS AND URGENT ATTENTION ON THE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS ABETTED BY THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT.

WE CALL ON OTHER CAUSE-ORIENTED AND CHURCH-BASED GROUPS TO SUPPORT THE STRUGGLE OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AGAINST LARGE-SCALE MINING.

WE DECLARE OUR UNITY AND SOLIDARITY AND CALL ON ALL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES TO REMAIN VIGILANT AND STRENGTHEN THE RANKS IN UPHOLDING AND ASSERTING INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ RIGHTS.

IN WITNESS OF OUR SOLIDARITY, We hereunto set our hands this 14th day of March 2006 in the La Consolacion Villa, Woodsgate Subdivision, Camp 7, Baguio City.