The Fight Agaisnt ROYALCO Mining Company Has just Begun.... June 24, 2013 CLERGY GROUP DECLARES SOLIDARITY WITH BARRICADING ANTI MINERS, CALLS FOR UNITY! The Clergy of the Diocese of Bayombong of the Roman Catholic Church read on Sunday at the pulpits the Statement of Solidarity of the Clergy together with the Bishop Ramon B. Villena regarding anti mining in the province and the ongoing barricades in the towns of Kasibu and Dupax Del Norte against Royalco Resources Ltd. The group reiterates their strong opposition to mining including the mining explorations being done in the province specifically in the two upland municipalities of Nueva Vizcaya as well as in the province of Quirino. The group recognizes the province “as a watershed area and so mining has no place in it”. The Clergy affirms their strong solidarity with those groups affected by mining and those manning the barricades to prevent mining explorations and have quoted St Paul’s Acts 18:9 for the people “not to be afraid, but keep on speaking and do not give up”. Mentioned in the statement is Pope Francis’ encouragement for people to be protectors of life, of people and the environment. Further, the clergy group calls on the mining companies to stop the explorations. Appeals are raised to the different government agencies, the DENR/ Mines and Geosciences Bureau to “take a fresh look on this matter especially the bad effects of mining”. The NCIP is also called to review and listen to the IP’s affected by the explorations and take their sides and resolve to protect their rights. The Provincial Government and the Local Government Units are strongly being called for to take active stance regarding mining and to protect the people and the environment of the province. At the end of the statement is an appeal to Novo Vizcayanos (”brothers and sisters of goodwill”) to help protect the environment, support those who are actively involved and mobilize others to help because “sooner or later, all of us will be affected if we do not act now”, says the Clergy group. Earlier, Clergy Bikers have been inviting people to join them Monday June 24 to a caravan to show support and solidarity with those affected baranggays and who are actively barricading the mining exploration companies. Converging area was set at Malasin, Dupax Del Norte at 8:00 am and was bound to the barricade sites, at Binuangan and Mataddi both of Dupax Del Norte. After the caravan to the barricades, the church people with the Clergy bikers, along with other pro-environmental groups and pro-peasant organizations such as ANNVIK (Alyansa ng Nagkakaisang Novo Vizcayano para sa Kalikasan) and SAMANA-NV( Sanggir dagiti Mannalon nga Agkaykaysa ti Nueva Vizcaya) troop to the Regional Trial Court in Bayombong. It is to support the local leaders who are the defendants of a TRO filed by Royalco Phils. Inc and who are slapped with an additional case anew to their TRO, “citing for contempt” their second hearing, of their case in a month. Elmer Bolusan, the chairperson of SAMANA-NV (Sanggir dagiti Mannalon nga Agkaykaysa ti Nueva Vizcaya) an alliance of farmers of the province said, “makikaykaysa kami kadagiti kakaduwa mi nga mannalon ti kabanbantayan iti panangilaban da ken panagbarikada. Dakami nga mannalon iti kangrunaan nga maapektaran ti panagminas. Saan laeng nga mapunas dagiti daga nga taltalunen mi, uray pay ti karbengan mi nga agbiag ket maawan. Ta ti daga ket pagbiyagan isu nga nasken nga ilaban ken salakniban. Daytoy ti sungbat mi iti karit ken awis dagiti Apo Padi iti Diocese ti Bayombong!” (We join our fellow farmers from the upland baranggays in their fight and barricades as we are the most affected by mining. Our farmlands are not just the ones destroyed, our rights to live too will be taken from us. The land is our source of life so we have to fight and protect it. This is our response to the challenge and call of the Clergy of the Diocese of Bayombong. ) ###
Posted on: Tue, 25 Jun 2013 07:59:21 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015