ATM warns against more human rights violation amidst push for transition minerals

On Human Rights Day 2024, Alyansa Tigil Mina warned against continued human rights violations in mining areas as a result of government’s aggressive push to mine transition minerals for renewable energies, saying that “sacrifice zones should have no room in truly genuine solutions to the climate crisis.”

Jaybee Garganera, ATM National Coordinator, cited the 20024 Global Witness Report which states that a quarter of the land used for transition mineral mining clashes with key biodiversity and protected areas, while also putting some of the world’s most precious ecosystems at risk.

“Energy transition should not be used as a justification for the expansion of mining operations at the expense of the environment and people’s human rights,” said Garganera.

According to Global Witness, mining tenements currently take up one-fifth of the Philippines land mass, in line with the government’s plans for mineral expansion. Also, one-fourth of the territory clashes with indigenous land.

“There is already too much mining in the country and too little and very weak government regulation,” said Garganera as he expressed dismay over the failure of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to effectively regulate the mining industry.

He said the DENR’s incompetence is blatantly reflected by the presence of illegal mine workers in project sites, as proven by those who were just recently arrested by the Bureau of Immigration.

“The agency has also completely ignored local autonomy and refused to recognize the resistance of local government units against mining. Further, it has failed to act on the continued incidences of killings, harassments and human rights violations in the communities,” said Garganera.

For 11 years, the Philippines has consistently been ranked the deadliest country in Asia. For 2023 alone, 17 killings of environmental defenders have been documented by the international watchdog Global Witness.

“As the country commemorates Human Rights Day, we enjoin the public to demand from government the fulfillment of the human rights, particularly the right to a safe and healthy environment, of our communities,” said Garganera,

Garganera added that it supports Global Witness’ recommendations regarding mining in its 2024 report. Notable among these are the demands not to mine in protected and key biodiversity areas, and to respect the indigenous rights and self-determination, including the right to free and informed consent.

Garganera also supported the call for a specific legislation to protect defenders against violence, harassment and threats, including the Environmental Defenders Bill and a Human Rights Defenders Act.