Strange Bedfellows Indeed

It is said that "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" in this case the common enemy is Xstrata-SMI and the friends are the Communist National Democratic Front and the Catholic Church.

Now I'm just wondering why the Union of Catholic Asian News would carry a story about the Communist Party of the Philippines' statement, in its website and even have a URL to it. (talk about having communist links) Interestingly enough the NPA also cited the Church's opposition in its statement. Strange bedfellows indeed

The manner it was reported was "matter of factly." Which to me is more than a little disturbing. The call is to "arrest corporate executive officers of Xstrata SMI and/or their top level official representatives and to bring them to the People's Court for the proper judicial and legal proceedings." Needless to say if this happens there will be nothing proper, judicial or legal about it.

There was no call for dialogue, no urging of peaceful resolution, nothing. Average citizens like me are left to think that these representatives of the Church agree with the whole statement and the VIOLENT means by which such an order will be carried out.

The article ends with a quote from Fr. Romeo Cathedral the diocese of Marbel's social action director, the thinly veiled threat reads "The NPA promised in the past to take action against SMI and then carried it out." He then cited burning buildings and equipment of SMI as well as an attack on a police outpost.

Call me old fashioned but for me the ends don't justify the means. These instances of violence are unacceptable. And Fr. Cathedral is condoning the NPA's acts of terrorism. And why? Because the Church and the NPA both want a stop to Xstrata-SMI's operations. Now both institutions claim to speak for the people, I AM ONE OF THE PEOPLE. I may not live there in the affected areas, but I sure do not want; a situation of escalating violence wherein innocents could be caught in the crossfire, damage to private and public property, and death threats to the employees of Xstrata who are just doing their job.

Finally I do not appreciate members of the clergy condoning violence, consorting with armed rebels just because they have a similiar agenda. And commiting acts of violence and injustice just to get their way. It's against the law, not just of men, it stands contrary to the beliefs of Jesus Christ and His teachings.

Shouldn't the UCAN instad publicize a call for peaceful resolution, rational dialogue and a laying down of arms? There have already been casualties in this conflict. Is more violence really the solution?

Words meant to inflame

Mr. Clive Hicks is an environmentalist and an activist. Just as beautiful supermodels go nude for PETA to make a point, he uses words calibrated to call attention to himself and his cause.

I have been following the Mindoro Nickel Project for some years now and this attempt to pit mining against agriculture first surfaced in 2009 when said Englishman wrote a report with Robert Goodland entitled 'Mining or Food?' (www.piplinks.org/new-report-says-mining-treat-food-security-Philippines-calls-for-a-mining-morratorium) The divisive, thought-provoking title a possible reference to 'Steel or Lard?' a speech given by Nazi minister of propaganda, Joseph Goebbels in January of 1936 about guns and butter. Mining or food is inflamatory but not completely informed. For the 9 reasons why I believe that mining and agriculture can work in Mindoro read my previous entry.

The DENR website carried an article (http://denr.gov.ph/article/IUCN-denies -protest-against-PGMA) wherein the Internaltional Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) distanced from its consultant Mr. Hicks denying having any knowledge of a letter sent by him to International Conservation Caucus Foundation (ICCF) protesting the conferment of a conversation award to PGMA.

IUCN Director General Julia Marton Levefre said in a letter to DENR Sec. Horacio Ramos dated April 16, and I quote "I wish to assure you that Mr. Wicks did not have any authority to make any statement in the name of IUCN or on behalf of IUCN' and 'any statement that he may have made cannot and should not be attributed to IUCN nor be understood to express any position tat IUCN might have taken on this matter.

PGMA was conferred with the Teddy Roosevelt International Award by ICCF for her innovative leadership to protect oceans and preserve the biodiversity of the Coral Triangle at the Cannon House in Washington D.C.'s Capitol Hill.

And this incensed Mr. Wicks, some newspaper accounts quoted him saying "Will President Roosevelt, the founder of the US National Park System, not turn in his grave that a destroyer of fragile protected areas, vital water catchements and marine enviroments is being given an award for conservation in his name?"

Now to be fair to our embattled President (while I may not be a fan of her politics, one must give credit where it is due)who seems destined to be remembered more for her husband's alleged misbehavior and an inappropriate phone call, let us remember why she was awarded in the first place. She laid down enabling policies under the Green Philippines Initiative that wil ensure healthy and productive ecosystems.

She is responsible for signing into law Republic Act No. 9367 aka the "Biofuels Act" the "Renewable Energy Law" the "Climate Change Act", the Integrated Coastal Management and other measures which promote sustainable development of our coastal and marine environment and resources. These lay down the foundations for her administration's environmental legacy which will benefit generations of Filipinos to come. And if for nothing else she deserves this
award and our thanks.

Secretary Horacio Ramos a man with "40 years of public service, unparalleled experience and outstanding achievements" had this to say "the president kows fully well that the successes we have achieved through the years in protecting our environment, as well as natural resources, are a result of the strong partnership between the government and the people." He adds that the Filipino people should be proud of the award as the President received it on behalf of the country.

Words may be cheap as they say, but they are powerful. They can hurt just as well as they heal. Words can set things right by honoring or chastising. It helps to take a look at who is speaking, the speaker's track record and the motive behind the words.

Food AND mining: The power of a new paradigm

Words have a latent power precisely because we use words to describe our world view. Take for example the conjunction 'or' it says choose; take one, but not the other. It is a limiting word. 'Or' puts a constraint on what is possible, the word 'or' sets paramaters where there may not be any. Such is the power of language, now if we replace it with 'and' then you can begin to talk about the possibility of having your cake AND eating it too, your mind is free to look for solutions.

Our world is constantly changing, and so is the realm of what can be done. The truth is our reality is shaped by our God-given inquisitiveness which results in pursuit of knowledge and our inventiveness or the ability to use technology in our exercise of stewardship over all of creation. Its natural and part of being human.

And so it is with the mining and agriculture debate. Some people think that the two are at odds since they both rely on land and they require resources to produce an output. Those who think in terms of 'or' worry that it is one or the other, that we have to choose between the two. What if both can be done at the same time, with no detriment to the other, and instead both complimenting the other. Is such a thing really possible? Yes! welcome to the year 2010.

Why not?

For years scientific studies have been conducted by the world's best and most trusted names regarding environmental impact, feasibility of mining operations and mineral production and there conclusions are clear that both mining and farming can be done in Mindoro.

The lands used for farms won't be affected, the critical watersheds and waterways for the irrigation of farms won't be harmed and the poeple/resources won't be redirected towards mining instead they will be sustained by it.

How?

I got some good info from the Intex Norway website http://intexresources.com and the local website http://www.intexresources.com.ph. And I was able to come up with 9 main reasons why food and mining can co-exist in Mindoro.

1. In Mindoro the proposed nickel mine will operate in the mountains and other terrain wherein agriculture is not feasible. Furthermore the impact is minimal thanks to the technology that will be employed and rehabilitation work will leave the land even better than the original state.
2. The proposed mine site must pass stringent environmental standards to be approved by the DENR and this includes an assessment of any impact in the community and the environment including any body of water. The Mindoro Nickel Project will not have any measurable impacts for the supply of water to the rice fields in either Oriental or Occidental Mindoro.
3. If and when mining begins a by-product of the process is ammonium sulfate. Fertilizer will be made available at a more affordable price to ALL farmers in our country.
4. Also since flooding is a perennial problem causing loss of crops worth millions of pesos, it would be in Mindoro Nickel's best interest to solve the flooding problem initially in the areas in which it operates, protecting the farming and fishing communities therein.
5. In addition the farmers and their children, as well as the unemployed, the new graduates and the growing number of people who live below the poverty line will have more opportunities for livelihood and employment if they choose to supplement their income from farming in the off season.
6. Thanks to the multiplier effect- that comes with an estimated 5,000 employees during construction and 2,000 during operations; farmers and entrepreneurs will have a captive market for their goods and services right in Mindoro.
7. Surplus energy will be shared with the community, eliminating the frequent blackouts and increasing productivity.
8. Better infrastructure (in the form of better roads, bridges, ports, etc) will help make the transport of produce from farm to market easier and more effective. Not to mention new schools, hospitals, malls, markets, housing etc
9. Taxes that will be paid to the local government will translate to better delivery of basic services for Mindoro (better education, health care, acces to water, electricity etc) and public funds to promote agriculture and local industries.

Imagine all this is possible when you change your paradigm to include the Mindoro Nickel Project instead of thinking it's a choice between farming or mining. Why choose one when you can have both? Embrace the added blessings when you use the word 'and'! Finally when it comes to the mining debate keep an open mind and listen to both sides before making a choice.