The Subanen leaders are claiming some 23,800 hectares of lands in the town of Bayog where several mining companies and small scale miners are operating. It also sought the assistance of Amnesty International to bring their cause to the authorities.
The group held a news conference on Monday in Zamboanga City where tribal leader Timuay Basilio Promon represented the 3,000-strong Council of Pigsalabukan Guhom de Bayog. A similar news conference were also held by Amnesty International in Pagadian and Davao cities.
“Our present ancestral domain claim in Bayog is just a fragment of our original homeland which has been slowly grabbed from us. Six years after we applied for a title of our ancestral domain (with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples), our application has never reach to the first stage because of various conflicts among us leaders that were instigated by groups who wanted to control us and our domain like mining companies protected by their fully-armed guards.”
“Until such time that we have full control of our ancestral domain, our communities will be condemned to perpetual conflict and un-peace and there will be more Jordans to become innocent victims of human rights violations,” Council of Pigsalabukan Guhom de Bayog said in a statement, referring to the 12-year old son of Timuay Locenio Manda, who was killed in an ambush in Bayog town last month.
Manda was heading to school to bring his son when gunmen attacked them. Two of the 5 attackers, were arrested days later. “In my effort to assert our rights and to protect our people and ancestral domain, my beloved son was sacrificed. It is very painful and I thirst for justice,” he said. “I vow to continue my struggle in order not to make my son’s death in vain. I need your support in this most trying time of my life as a father and a leader.”
Promon said authorities have not release any details of the investigation into the boy’s killing and the attempt on the life of Manda.
“We are victims here, the Subanen people. We were at peace, but the entry of mining companies in the province has divided the Subanen now. All we want is to exercise our rights and live in peace,” he said during a guest appearance over the Mindanao Examiner Tele-Radyo.
He also appealed to President Benigno Aquino to look into their plight. “We are appealing to President Aquino to help us.”
He said at least 38 miners had been killed over the past years – either by hired guns or mining-related incidents which were mostly unreported in the media.
Promon group said: “The PGB is appealing to all those who wanted to mine in our ancestral domain – individual, groups and corporations – to temporarily stop operating and withdraw your armed groups to give peace a chance in our community, to lessen the fear of our women and children because of your intimidating firearms, and so that conflict between tribal leaders inside our community will be resolved.”
“(Our) appeal does not necessarily mean that we oppose mining activities but we are asking some time so that we can process the titling of our ancestral domain until we are given the Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title, (and) our Indigenous Political Structure is confirmed, and our Ancestral Domain Sustainable Development and Protection Plan is crafted.”
The Amnesty International appealed to the government to give attention to the plight of indigenous peoples.
“The indigenous peoples are the most neglected by the government. We, in the Amnesty International, want the government to ensure that the rights of all, especially the indigenous peoples, whose rights are often violated,” Francis Marcial, of the Amnesty International Philippines, said during the same interview.
In a separate statement sent to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner, Manda said he is against all illegal activities, including mining.
“I believe that mining is illegal if it did not follow the process set by our laws. Our laws on mining and the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act clearly state that our consent as indigenous peoples is required in all projects that will affect us and our ancestral domains. So this means that all those who entered our ancestral territories without our consent are all illegal, even if they have sacks of papers to show that they are legal.”
“I strongly oppose the entry of people and companies who want to exploit the natural resources in our ancestral territories who do not respect our traditional laws and processes. If because of this assertion I am viewed as an anti-mining leader, so be it. But I want to make it clear that the issue I am struggling for is not about mining, but our rights as Indigenous Peoples,” Manda said.
He appealed to the NCIP to help their community in resolving the conflict among tribal leaders to prevent further chaos, and to fast track the issuance of the title of their ancestral domain.
Even to fellow Subanen natives, Manda said: “I also appeal to you, my fellow Subanen who worked in mining companies, to respect the processes within our community and help explain to company owners and foreign investors on how to secure consent based on our culture and traditions. I also appeal to you to help resolve the conflict between the tribal leaders instead of taking only the side of the leaders who favour your intentions. Favoring them, especially if they are the minority only fuels additional conflict in our community.”
The House of Representatives said it would investigate Manda’s ambush, but the tribal leader also wanted a probe on mining and issues affecting them.
“I was informed that the Congress and the Senate have planned to conduct investigations about the ambush. I am happy about such moves, and I am asking that not only the mining issue shall be investigated, but other issues as well that happen inside our ancestral domain. We are the ones whose rights are violated, and whose lands are exploited, thus, we believe that we shall be the ones to be given importance in whatever investigations that will be conducted,” he said. (Mindanao Examiner)
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