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COMMISSION on Human Rights (CHR) Chairperson Leila De Lima has
directed the CHR Region 2 office to validate reports on alleged
human rights violation committed by an Australian mining firm
against the indigenous peoples (IPs) of Barangay Didipio, Kasibu,
Nueva Viscaya.
De Lima ordered the officials of CHR Region 2 to
validate the report of the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights
Advocates (PAHRA) and Alyansa Tigil Muna that Oceana Gold
Philippines Inc, has violated the human rights of the community.
The report said that the wrecking crew of Oceana
Gold as of March 2008 has already demolished 187 houses of
indigenous people in Didipio. The demolition started in December
2007.
The fact-finding committee of PAHRA claimed that
the demolition of the houses was done in the absence of a court
order authorizing such demolition plan of the mining company.
Barangay Didipio is the former ancestral domain
of the Bugkalot Tribe. The first settlers in the area were seven
families from the Ifugao province, said Ronald Gregorio, Campaigns
ParaLegal of the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center (LRC).
De Lima also said that the groups also requested
the CHR to look into human rights abuses involving killings, forced
negotiations and harassments that are connected to the demolition
and the IPs rights.
“Oceana Gold has shown blatant disregard for
basic human rights and is responsible for the escalating violence in
the area including the shooting of Emilio Pumihic, a long time
resident and descendant of the first barangay captain of Didipio,”
LRC Executive Director Judy Pamela Pasimio added.
-- Ira Karen Apanay
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