Canadian national feels shame over TVI unwelcome entry at the Subanon Ancestral Domain

Canadian national feels shame over TVI unwelcome entry at the Subanon Ancestral Domain

By Tito Natividad Fiel, Coordinator DIOPIM Committee on Mining Issues (DCMI)

Nandau, Dipolog City, Philippines

1st November 2003

Sitio Canatuan, Tabayo, Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte - The Canadian National, named Joan Kuyek of Mining Watch Canada feels shame over the unwelcome entry of TVI Resource Development, a Canadian Mining Firm when she personally saw a week ago the three layers and very strict checkpoints of the said company within the Ancestral Domain of Indigenous People Subanon.

Kuyek expressed over the crowd of Subanon people belonged to the Siocon Subanon Association Inc. (SSAI) under the leadership of its chieftain Timuay Jose "Boy" Anoy during their community celebration on receiving the Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) issued personally by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on June 12 this year in Zamboanga City "You don't need to convince me, because I have really been convinced that this domain is yours. Honestly, being a Canadian, I am really ashamed of what TVI is doing to you here. I tell the people and government of Canada, because they didn't know it, and the company has not been enjoying support from Canadian people and government", Kuyek said.

She, together with Engineer Bong Corpuz and Ms Vicky Tauli Corpuz of Tebtebba Foundation based in Baguio City in Luzon, an International Policy Advocacy Institution and local partners here in the country and the Zamboanga Peninsula went to Canatuan on October 10 this year to witness the real plight of the Subanon people including their community celebration all about the issuance of CADT.

The said visitors were passing the trailing terrain by riding a single motor passenger that locally known as "Habal-habal" with around four hours including the two hours delay at the three layers checkpoints of the TVI Company before it arrived to the final destination The visit prompted upon the invitation of the legal and legitimate holder of CADT through the Siocon Subanon Association Inc. (SSAI) under the leadership of Timuay Anoy.

When Kuyek and companion arrived to the area and talked with the Ancestral Land holder, she personally observed that besides the gathering made by Anoy Group, other gathering occurred organized by TVI workers to counter the legitimate one.

Since the beginning, when Ramon Bosque, an alleged deceptive small scale miner was applying a mining rights over the area through declaration of location somewhere in the year of 80's, the Subanon residents had been continuously opposing the claim. When Benguet Corporation took over the area and sold to TVI, the same way, Subanon residents here opposed the deal.

But at the time of TVI, it has been employing division by organizing other Subanon group gathered from different towns working with the company and claiming as legitimate residents over the area where supporting TVI campaign to operate.