Pitfalls and Pipelines - Philippine Indigenous Peoples Links

122 Pitfalls and Pipelines: Indigenous Peoples and Extractive Industries
the Cordillera region, this case shows the tandem of large mining and
militarization. The military seem to be there to quell opposition to a statebacked
project. The unjust branding and tagging of people’s organizations
as “terrorist fronts,” when they assert their collective rights to selfdetermination,
is effectively state terrorism.
This case also shows that while the Philippines has government agencies
and laws that are made to protect and uphold indigenous peoples’ rights,
this is not a guarantee. As in cases in Benguet and Kalinga provinces, the
NCIP created a process to facilitate the entry of the mining companies’
and stands accused by communities of manipulating FPIC processes.
This is effectively undermining the whole spirit and purpose of the
Indigenous Peoples Rights Act.
Lessons
This case underscores the ever-pressing need to empower indigenous
communities to defend their right to self-determination to protect their
ancestral domains, even under a climate of fear. This is may be easier
said than done, but this is what they managed in the far-flung communities
of Baay-Licuan, against Olympus. This victory was possible because of
the CPA’s 25 years of organizing and education work in the Cordillera’s
indigenous communities, coupled with a strong local organization with
a strong leadership. These characteristics are crucial in how community
struggle is sustained and strengthened.
The level of consolidation must be sustained through continuing
organizing, education, awareness raising, advocacy, and alliance work.
Strengthening the communities in terms of legal awareness, para-legal
work and human rights is crucial with the persistence of militarization. For
the communities themselves, it is vital they continue struggling to defend
their ancestral domain, as we can expect instances of manipulation and
deceit from the company to break the communities’ unity.
Local leaders must sustain their unwavering commitment to defend
land and life, and develop new leaders among the younger generation,
to ensure that the gains and lessons of the Binongan against Olympus
will be sustained and replicated in other indigenous communities in the
province.