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Law to Protect Philippine Environment from Destructive Mining Operations July 6th, 2010

On June 29, 2010, Governor Avance-Fuentes of South Cotabato, Mindanao, Philippines signed into law Resolution No. 84 “Enacting the Environment Code of the Province of South Cotabato”. This code bans open pit mining. It talks about the need for genuine consultation with affected indigenous people as well as for protection of the environment, particularly of local water supplies. Multiple concerns about the damaging effects of open pit mining underlay the Governor’s decision to sign the law. This was a courageous decision as she was under serious political pressure from a powerful politician with mining interests not to do so.

The Governor, in her signing statement, said: “When the rivers dry up, the aquifers no longer supply clean water, and pollution contaminate our waters, can we, in conscience, face the future generation? Is it not that we duty bound to actively ensure the sustainability of our natural resources for the next generation’s survival?”

Read Governor Avance-Fuentes’ Signing Statement…

Canadian Ruling on Mines and Environmental Impacts Hailed in Central America March 15th, 2010

Ecologists in Guatemala see a recent ruling by Canada’s Supreme Court, which ordered Canadian mining companies to carry out rigorous environmental assessments, as a positive precedent that could help improve environmental controls over the mining industry in this Central American country.

In a case that focused on a Red Chris mining company project in the western Canadian province of British Columbia, the Supreme Court ruled that the federal government could not split projects into artificially small parts in order to avoid comprehensive environmental impact studies.

Learn more…

Support the Energy Security Through Transparency Act of 2009 March 1st, 2010

The Energy Security through Transparency Act of 2009 (S.1700), also called the ESTT Act was introduced in September 2009 and needs your support!

The ESTT Act requires gas, oil and mineral companies registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange to disclose payments to foreign governments for the commercial extraction of oil, natural gas and minerals.

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Human Rights Watch Report on Congo says UN Mission Needs to Protect Civilians December 14th, 2009

A United Nations-supported military offensive in eastern Congo has led to more than fourteen hundred civilian murders this year by both Congolese troops and rebels according a Human Rights Watch report released December 13. The report, titled “You Will Be Punished: Attacks on Civilians in Eastern Congo,” documents the deliberate killing of more than 1,400 civilians between January and September 2009. The killings occurred during during two Congolese army operations against a Rwandan Hutu militia, the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).

Many advocacy groups say that the UN peacekeeping mission in Congo has failed and must be reformed to protect civilians adequately. The situation is extremely violent, with various rebel groups supporting their operations with proceeds from stolen minerals. The area is rich in resources such as gold, diamonds, copper, tin and the metallic ore coltan, used in the manufacture of cell phones.

The report was issued as the Security Council prepares to vote on a renewal of the peacekeeping mission mandate of United Nations Organization Mission in DR Congo (MONUC) on December 21.

Read the report

Oblate Parish Pastors Support Indigenous Peoples in the Amazon June 8th, 2009

Oblate pastors of Latin America, meeting in Lima, Peru on April 20-25, 2009, published the following declaration: Protecting and Respecting the Amazon, we protect the indigenous. The declaration was signed by 41 Oblates and 2 diocesan priests.

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Congo Conflict Mineral Disclosure Act Introduced May 8th, 2009

Companies registered in the US that sell products using columbite-tantalite (also known as coltan), cassiterite or derivatives from minerals from Democratic Republic of Congo or neighboring countries will be required to annually disclose to the Securities and Exchange Commission the origin of those minerals. This provision is contained in new legislation called the Congo Conflict Mineral Act 2009 (S.891) introduced on April 23 the by Senators Sam Brownback (R-KS), Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Russ Feingold (D-WI).

The sale of minerals is linked to the funding of killings, atrocities and rapes crimes committed by armed groups in Democratic Republic of Congo. The Congo Conflict Mineral Act brings accountability and transparency to the importation and sale of mineral products from Congo by disclosure of their origin. Cassiterite, Colton and tantalite are minerals commonly used in cell phones, laptop computers and other electronic products used by millions of people in the United States and other developed countries.

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