Published On May 16, 2009
A Rapu-Rapu Mother Grapples With the Poverty Caused by Mining
Against the Plunder of Nature
More than three years after Lafayette, an Australian mining company, wrought havoc on Rapu-Rapu and its neighbouring communities, residents are still reeling from the effects of the mine-tailings disaster. And they fear more threats as the mining operations resume.
By Janess Ann J. Ellao
Bulatlat
RAPU-RAPU ISLAND, Albay — The two cyanide-laden tailings spills of the mining operations here in 2005 destroyed the source of staple food and livelihood of residents.
Three years of protests and dialogues initiated by the affected communities and environmental groups forced Lafayette Mining Ltd. of Australia to declare bankruptcy and stop its operations.
But in April 2008, Korean and Malaysian companies took control of Lafayette and the operations resumed. Al-though there has been no report of cyanide-laden spills since the resumption of mining operations, the residents of the 13 barangays (villages) of Rapu-Rapu Island are again facing threats of environmental degradation, health risks, human-rights violations and loss of livelihood. Another battle is imminent.
The town of Rapu-Rapu consists of three islands, namely Rapu-Rapu, Batan and Guinanayan. The seat of the Rapu-Rapu government is on Rapu-Rapu Island. The province of Albay lies within the country’s typhoon belt and a major fault line, making Rapu-Rapu prone to natural disasters and earthquakes.
Magayon (Beautiful). The shoreline of Tinopan, Rapu-Rapu, Albay. Two fishermen are busy preparing to sail the following morning, hoping to catch malasugi or blue marlin, a type of tuna that Rapu-Rapu is known for. (Photo by Janess Ann Ellao/Bulatlat.com) The communities in the municipality primarily derive their livelihood from fishing. The town is known for its malasugi or blue marlin. Aside from this, the residents occasionally earn from selling abaca (Manila hemp), coconut and other farm products. The residents of Rapu-Rapu share their rich marine resources with the neighbouring communities in Sorsogon and Catanduanes provinces. The island also lies in the migratory route of the butanding , the famed whale sharks of Donsol, Sorsogon.
The mining operations of Lafayette, which had 80 percent of mining claims in the eastern part of Rapu-Rapu island in mid-2005, generated protests from the residents. They had said early on that open-pit mining would cause environmental degradation, health risks and loss of livelihood. They were proven right after the two tail-ings dam of the mining company burst in October 2005, wreaking havoc on the communities.
Fish were found dead in the creeks and throughout the shorelines of Rapu-Rapu. Residents from other cities and towns refused to buy fish caught near the island for fear that these might be contaminated with cyanide. Without their main source of livelihood, widespread starvation took place. Children were most affected as they are more vulnerable to sickness, even death.
The residents were still recovering from the impact of the disasters in October 2005 when another fish kill was documented in October 2007. This generated more protest actions from the communities and environmental groups. Before that year ended, the Board of Directors of Lafayette decided to close down the operations, say-ing they were unsuccessful in their effort to recapitalize to keep the mining project going.
But in April 2008, Korean Resources Inc. and LG International Corporation, both based in South Korea, raised their holdings in Lafayette from 26 percent to 70 percent, thus taking control of the company. The remaining 30 percent was held by Malaysia Smelting Company. This resulted in the revival of the mining operations on Rapu-Rapu, allowing the new management to restructure what it calls a “more responsible mining.”
Again and again
Last week, a group of environmental activists, health professionals, and church people from Manila, Bicol and Japan held a “solidarity mission” to Rapu-Rapu. The objective of the fact-finding team was to document and report the continuing and worsening impacts of large-scale mining on the island.
The team administered tests on the sources of drinking water to check if it is free from contamination. It also conducted medical check-ups and interviews with the residents.
The fisherfolk told the mission that their fish catch had significantly decreased since the mining company began disposing their wastes into the seawater in 2005. They believe the malasugi and other tuna species have moved farther away from Rapu-Rapu because of the pollution caused by the mining operations.
Fernando Hicap, chairman of the Pamalakaya (Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamalakaya ng Pilipinas or Na-tional Federation of Small Fisherfolk Organizations in the Philippines), estimated that the fish catch on and around Rapu-Rapu has declined by as much as 90 percent.
Hicap said in a press conference on May 13 that this decrease forced the fisherfolk to go farther out to sea, even reaching the neighbouring islands of Catanduanes, just to improve their catch. This increased their cost of fish-ing because of higher gasoline consumption among other expenses, he said.
Residents from barangay Buenavista who were interviewed by the mission said they already lost almost half of the coral reefs in their locality since the start of the mining operations by Lafayette.
Dr. Geneve Rivera, secretary general of the Health Alliance for Democracy (Head) and leader of the medical team during the mission, reported that some residents have suffered itchy lesions. “The residents told us that these dermatological problems started to surface since the start of large-scale mining in the area,” she said.
Some of the residents from Tinopan, a village adjacent to the mining site, also complained that every time the wind blows from the direction of the mining site, they feel dizzy and experience headaches.
Rivera said there is also a reported increase in the occurrence of respiratory ailments such as cough and cold in the communities near the mining site.
“What aggravates the situation is the lack of medical services in the area. Majority of the residents are very poor and could not afford to go to hospitals in Rapu-Rapu or Legazpi City,” Rivera pointed out. “This situation leads to several deaths, particularly among children, from simple illnesses such as diarrhoea and vomiting.”
Antonio Casitas, leader of the local organization Sagip Isla Sagip Kapwa (Save the Island, Save the People), said the residents could no longer wait for the negative impact of the mining operations to worsen. “In order to stop this, the local government should urgently suspend the operations of Lafayette, investigate the marine degrada-tion in the area and immediately provide financial and food assistance to the poor communities of Rapu-Rapu,” he said. “Once and for all, the Arroyo government should listen to the people and immediately stop the large-scale mining on our beloved island.” (Bulatlat.com)
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