Rights group urges Noy to stop killings of anti-mining activists

MANILA, Philippines - The New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW), a global rights body, has urged President Aquino to stop the killings of anti-mining activists as the Philippines pushes to revitalize the mining sector.

HRW said it had documented three cases since October last year of three anti-mining and environmental activists allegedly killed by paramilitary forces that might have links to the military.

The victims had opposed mining activities that could displace tribal communities as well as destroy their communities, it said in a statement Tuesday.

“President Aquino has enacted decrees to encourage mining investment in the Philippines but has done little to stop attacks on environmental advocates,” said Elaine Pearson, HRW deputy director for Asia.

“He should recognize that respecting human rights is crucial for economic development,” she said.

Aquino issued a new mining policy early this month aimed at boosting revenues from mining and increasing environmental safeguards.

But Pearson said the policy was silent on the issue of alleged rights abuses by paramilitary forces deployed by the military to protect mining companies from attacks mostly by communist guerrillas.

Aquino spokesman Ricky Carandang said the government did not tolerate attacks against environmentalists or other advocacy groups.

He acknowledged previous cases of activists killed, but stressed investigations were being carried out to get those behind the attacks. “We are doing what we can, and we do recognize the need for these cases to be resolved much more quickly than they are being resolved,” he told AFP.

He said linking the deaths to the military was “a sweeping allegation” that could further incite tensions.

In October, Italian activist priest Fausto Tentorio was shot and killed by a gunman while inside his parish compound in Arakan, North Cotabato.

Four suspects had been identified from a local paramilitary group, though no one has been arrested. – Delon Porcalla