The long overdue breakup: Nueva Vizcaya and Oceanagold
- Details
- Category: Pacific Rim/OceanaGold
- Published: Monday, 16 September 2019 16:42
By John Aaron Mark Macaraeg - BULALAT
KASIBU, Nueva Vizcaya — Ronald Pumihic sat on a tent with his daughter on his lap as he watched the barangay police inspect a van entering their community. In some days, Pumihic himself would join a team manning the checkpoint. They bar the entry of supplies for Oceanagold, an Australian-Canadian gold mining company, that he, together with the rest of the community, desperately wants out.
The barricade was set up July 2, following the expiration of Oceanagold’s Financial or Technical Assistance Agreement (FTAA), a license needed for a mining company to operate, on June 20. Despite the provincial government of Nueva Ecija’s restraining order, Oceanagold has pushed through with its operations.
Pumihic’s organization, Didipio Earth Saver’s Movement Association (Desama), is one of those at the forefront of the barricade. His very household experienced the negative impacts of large-scale mining.
"Towards curbing OceanaGold’s dirty operations in El Salvador and the Philippines, efforts of people’s organisations, communities, environmental advocates as well as international civil society continue to be essential. Community-level organisations and groups play an essential role in voicing out resistance. In Cabanas in El Salvador, the grassroots media group Radio Victoria has been broadcasting about people’s issues – including the destructive impacts of big mining, as well as the Pacific Rim/OceanaGold ISDS case. Radio Victoria staff have received death threats as a result of their work. Broader movements such as the National Roundtable Against Metallic Mining in El Salvador (also known as La Mesa) are also active to protect water rights and to counter corporate mining in the country. Salvadoran campaigns continue towards demanding justice for murdered environment defenders and activists. In the Philippines, community organisations include the Samahang Pangkarapatan ng Katutubong Magsasaka at Manggagawa, Inc. (SAPAKKMMI, Rights Organisation of Indigenous Farmers and Workers) and the Alyansa ng Nagkakaisang Novo-Vizcayanos para sa Kalikasan (ANNVIK, Alliance of United Novo-Vizcayanos for the Environment). They are fundamental in building resistance: in 2016, a communityled barricade through SAPAKKMMI and DESAMA (Didipio Earth Savers Multi-Purpose Association) led OceanaGold to pull out its expansive drilling operations and equipment in the area of Sitio Camgat in Didipio.
On April 9, President Duterte 
