Digging for death

How many times have we had news like this? A landslide occurring in the Compostela Valley, killing dozens if not more. It happens too often because the landslide itself is not just an act of nature, but an act of man. Illegal mining has been going on at the valley, by informal miners. These are the ones without the necessary equipment to safely mine for minerals. Miners with a token background of mining, sans the sophisticated equipment to detect the precious metals, and create structurally rigid tunnels that also support the ground they dig into. Without these, they’re like earthworms softening the ground. And when disastrous conditions are rife, that’s when it all crumbles down.

Officials say that they have, time and again, warned these informal miners of the dangers caused by their illegal activities, but they are just as stubborn as hell. They would rather die digging, than die hungry, so they say. I find that hard to believe. If the mining is indeed illegal, why are they still being “warned” and not outright forbidden to do so? Why are they allowed to “set up shop” and proceed as planned. I heard a rationalization by a town official that they allow it because they pity those who do it for a living. Tell that to the dead and buried! The whole area can easily be cordoned off by the military, if they truly cared for the welfare of these people. The fact that a landslide has occurred is proof that the digging has gone on for quite some time. I am not a naïve person. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone, somewhere, was profiting from the mining.

The place is now off limits to mining and similar activities. The informal settlers are no longer allowed to return to the area. Typical Philippine response after tragedy has already struck. I only hope they just don’t move to another side of the mountain, or are allowed to do so and start mining all over again. Mindanao is known for its rich natural resources. But it also known for its lawlessness, where local leaders, armed to the teeth, pretty much dictate what they want. The lure and power of gold is very strong, as proven through the ages. It has both built and destroyed nations. He who has the gold makes the rules, so goes the saying. And so the relentless search for it goes on. They may be mining to live, but if unchecked, unsupervised and uncontrolled, they might as well be digging for death.