no gold or silver can pay for a damaged future

Last January I posted something on the Lafayette spill. I haven't followed up since then -except for arguements with my sister who works with the solid waste association of the philippines. Although she is neutral, and that SWOPs involvement in the swm training for Rapu Rapu is supposedly part of the local government's initiative in cleaning up their mess- but only those which pertain to solid waste (garbage et al), I still believe that MINING in the first place does not contribute to any development to our country.

"There is a symbiotic relationship between the military dictatorship and the multinational companies who grease the palms of those who rule.... They are assassins in foreign lands. They drill and they kill in Nigeria."
— Assassins in Foreign Lands, A CorpWatch Radio Interview with Human Rights Activist Oronto Douglas

I'm not an expert with issues regarding oil, mining, et al. But I know this: that such industries were meant to contribute to economy and "hopefully" trickle down to uplift the lives of a country's citizens. Nigeria, an oil rich country, remains in struggle for the benefits of their valued natural resource.

Does this sound familiar in reference to La Fayette? I personally believe so. The resource and the level of exploitation could be different, but the plights are the same.

The Niger Delta in Nigeria has been the attention of environmentalists, human rights activists and fair trade advocates around the world. The trial and hanging of environmentalist Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other members of the Ogoni ethnic minority made world-wide attention. So too did the non-violent protests of the Ogoni people. The activities of large oil corporations such as Mobil, Chevron, Shell, Elf, Agip etc have raised many concerns and criticisms. Oil, which could potentially have allowed Nigeria to be one of the wealthiest countries in Africa has instead led it to become one of the poorest.

A series of repressive and corrupt governments in Nigeria have been supported and maintained by western governments and oil corporations, keen on benefitting from the fossil fuels that can be exploited. As people and transnational oil corporations have been fighting over this “dark nectar” in the delta region, immense poverty and environmental destruction have resulted.

Oil corporations in the Niger Delta seriously threaten the livelihood of neighboring local communities. Due to the many forms of oil-generated environmental pollution evident throughout the region, farming and fishing have become impossible or extremely difficult in oil-affected areas, and even drinking water has become scarce. Malnourishment and disease appear common.
The presence of multinational oil companies has had additional adverse effects on the local economy and society, including loss of property, price inflation, prostitution, and irresponsible fathering by expatriate oil workers.

from Nigeria and Oil by by Anup Shah, Conflicts in Africa
link to article

I dont support oil and the continued apathy towards global warming and its drastic effects. I dont have statistics on the benefits of the mining industry in the Philippines, but I see and feel and know the continued plights of poverty in many parts of the country. I'm sure Rapu Rapu was alright on its own before Lafayette came in. Sure, they will benefit from jobs from the mining plant and all, but years from now, the island will run out of raw resources for gold, copper, zinc and silver... sooner or later, not only that they will have no more jobs, they will have no more livelihood to harvest from the sea. The government, which welcomed these investors with open arms obviously think of development in terms of the number of years they stay in office.

of course, mining versus the environment is poisonous. enough said. just read the article below.

If you want to do something, please sign the petition below. You can personalize your letter. I deleted the word "great" from "with great respect", sarah blah blah blah. :)
Stop lafayette from polluting our seas!
from Greenpeace South East Asia
Link to article

Click here to send a petition to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo

In many places, pollution from mining operations damages marine habitats and contaminates seafood consumed by local people, threatening our oceans and ultimately ourselves and our future.

In the Philippines, Bicol’s immensely beautiful marine environment and its fragile sea creatures face a grave threat—toxic pollution and siltation caused by mining operations in Rapu Rapu Island in Albay.

The pristine waters of the Bicol region are acknowledged as the feeding grounds and migratory route of the whale shark, the largest fish in the sea. It is also home to five of the seven known marine turtles in the world, and its rich seagrass beds and mangroves, which make for a high marine biodiversity index, have turned the area into exceptionally rich fishing grounds for the region’s fishermen.

The Philippine government allowed Australian firm Lafayette Philippines Inc to start the extraction of gold, silver, copper and zinc within Rapu Rapu in April 2005 despite strong opposition from local and national groups concerned that toxic mine tailings will be released into the sea. Clearly, the island is a dangerous place for a mine: not only is it situated along the country’s typhoon belt, but also along a major fault, making it a high-risk area for mining catastrophes. During its few - months of operation, the mining company showed negligence and government agencies, such as the Environmental Management Bureau and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, failed to act on behalf of the people and environment. In October and November 2005, cyanide and other contaminants from the mine spilled into the sea and around the island, resulting in massive fish kills.

On May 19, 2006, a government-commissioned report recommended canceling the license of Lafayette in Rapu Rapu and a moratorium on all mining at Rapu Rapu. Greenpeace is running a petition to President Gloria Arroyo to follow the recommendations of the Rapu Rapu Factfinding Commission. The Greenpeace petition calls for permanent closure of the mine and obligation or Lafayette to clean and rehabilitate the mine site so that further damage can be avoided.