The Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) today slammed TVI Pacific, a Canadian-owned firm operating a gold mining project in Canatuan, Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte over reports that its sulphide tailings dam had been breached.
"This was the same dam that they built last year despite opposition from the local residents because it isn't part of the 508 hectares covered by TVI's Mineral Production and Sharing Agreement (MPSA) with the government," said ATM Coordinator Roy Calfoforo. "In fact, it is merely part of an application for expansion for another 4,500 hectares for TVI's operations."
ATM confirmed the report today after receiving and verifying photo documents showing the sulphide tailings dam has been breached.
Timuay Boy Anoy, leader of the Subanon people whose sacred mountain Canatuan has been affected by TVI operations said that the MPSA was granted despite the absence of genuine consent among the indigenous peoples of the affected area. "And this expansion area has been rejected by the local residents, and there is no free, prior and informed consent as far as we are concerned," Anoy said.
"This only exposes the rhetoric of responsible mining that TVI flaunts," added Jo Villaneuva, Executive Director of the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center, Inc. (LRC), a member of ATM. "Despite numerous and unrelenting efforts to brandish its Siocon operations as a model mining operation, it is instead proven to be violating proper environmental standards and putting the local communities at risk."
"We have received photo evidence that shows a portion of its tailings dam has indeed collapsed," added Calfoforo. "A previous collapse in April 2 had been ignored, despite reports coming out of the area years ago that TVI was not complying with safety procedures."
Anoy, whose legitimacy as the leader of the local Subanons had been attacked by TVI said the spill should now give government an occasion to recede TVI's license and expel the company from the site. "What we have here is a potential disaster that has not only destroyed livelihoods, but will render a portion of Zamboanga dead."
"It's another Marcopper in the making," Anoy warned.
"The economic benefits are more apparent than real when you take into consideration the potential damage that Siocon will ultimately have to pay for with TVI's continued irresponsible mining," added Charles Alferez, Executive Director of Diopim Committee on Mining Issues (DCMI), an NGO based in Dipolog City.
"We would like to remind the Arroyo administration that in 2005, a Canadian expert, Dr. Coumans had already visited the site and found irregularities in the facilities being used by TVI for its mining waste," added Alferez. "And no less than the Canadian House of Commons called on the Canadian government to regulate mining corporations and specifically TVI for its operations abroad."
"If TVI's record with the Canadian public has already been tainted, why is this government tolerating its operations here?" Alferez asked. "The dollars just seem not worth it."
Mining expert Dr. Catherine Coumans visited the Philippines two years ago and found that TVI was using substandard materials to keep its mine waste at bay. Tailings were dumped at a natural depression where dead trees were still standing, a flimsy bamboo fence was kept to separate TVI's waste from nearby homes, and siltation containment systems only had sandbag walls.
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