Pitfalls and Pipelines - Philippine Indigenous Peoples Links

344 Pitfalls and Pipelines: Indigenous Peoples and Extractive Industries
embedded in law over the coming decade. He suggested that
if this were to happen, that it could have a transformative
impact upon the industry, especially when viewed from the
perspective of the continued widespread opposition of many
indigenous peoples to these projects in their lands.
In her introduction to the conference, Victoria Tauli-
Corpuz, Tebtebba Executive Director and the then UNPFII
Chairperson, reviewed the major achievements at the international
level in the UN system, which are covered in Chapter 2.7
of this book. She explained that the problems that indigenous
peoples face in the context of extractive industries were one of
the major reasons why the indigenous movement had worked
so hard at the international level to achieve this level of recognition
and representation. It is likely these mechanisms will
continue to support the efforts of indigenous peoples, both in
terms of individual struggles, but also in terms of FPIC being
recognized in every country and by every company as the international
standard in dealing with all indigenous peoples.
This will also mean it being implemented in the spirit in which
it was intended. That universal application may not be so far
away.
There are positive indicators in terms of international
support and solidarity as well. The 2009 Manila Conference
finished with reviewing what collective work was required in
the future. It was agreed that an international network should
be set up. Its mandate would be to:
• Educate indigenous peoples on the impacts of extractive
industries;
• Strengthen capacities of local communities facing extractive
industries;
• Help generate resources for activities of the network
and support local networks;
• Facilitate exchange visits among indigenous peoples
affected by extractive industry corporation
• Gather and disseminate data and information to indigenous
communities and others involved in promoting
the rights of indigenous peoples, and;