A win for indigenous peoples! A win for South Cotabato!
LILAK congratulates the indigenous peoples and environment activists of South Cotabato, for a successful campaign against the lifting of the ban on open-pit mining in the province. The veto of Ordinance No. 23, which would have amended the Provincial Code of South Cotabato and allowed open-pit mining in the province, is a win for rural and indigenous communities, a win for the people of South Cotabato, and a win for the environment.
Mining continues to exploit natural resources, poison lands, and waters, destroy agriculture, and make indigenous and rural communities poorer and hungrier. The indigenous peoples of South Cotabato have been at the forefront of the struggle against destructive mining since Day 0. The struggle for the rights of indigenous peoples to their ancestral lands, and their rights to food comes with violence. While we celebrate this win, we also remember the comrades we have lost - including Juvy Capion and her sons, who are part of the long list of indigenous lives taken away violently by destructive mining.
LILAK, as part of Alyansa Tigil Mina, will continue to monitor further development on this issue and will keep a close eye on policies that will be enacted by the LGU of South Cotabato. More importantly, we will remain earnest and steadfast in our advocacy and campaign for human and environmental rights.
#RepealMiningAct #BanOpenPitMining #LeaveMindaNow