MORE than 140 representatives of mining-affected communities, people’s organizations and individuals from more than 29 countries who took part in the recent International People’s Conference on Mining (IPCM) held in Quezon City vowed to fight destructive mining.
The IPCM held from July 31 to August 1 paved the way for sharing of experiences in mining-affected communities around the world, as well as telltales of people’s struggles against destructive mining.
Conference participants released a unity statement expressing concern over what they describe as “crisis in the global mining industry which they themselves experienced over the past several years.”
In a unity statement released by organizers of the meeting, the participants expressed support behind the creation of an international center for legal research on destructive mining, and work together to strengthen science-based tools and methods that can be adapted to empower local communities to monitor the environmental and health impacts of mining.
They said that projects, backed by mining liberalization laws and policies, are becoming more reckless in their production processes, neglecting the safety of their workers, host communities and the environment.
“This convergence of various experiences of resistance and struggle, gaining lessons from victories, as well as defeats, has brought us inspiration and hope, and has given us steadfast resolve to stop the further onslaught of imperialist mining plunder and greed against the people and the environment,” the participants said in a statement.
To fight destructive mining, they vowed to “engage in people’s campaigns and researches on
destructive mining vis-à-vis climate change, human-rights violations, ecological and health impacts, national mining policies, corporate and financial aspects of mining activities, and the engagement of emerging economies in international mining.”