This article is a follow up on the mining issue that has the attention of many delegates at the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD).
As the indigenous people find their voice, the story of what mining has done to their ancestral lands is being told. I would like to share from case studies the descriptions of what has happened on their lands.
From the Mirarr People in Northern Territory of Australia: Paper submitted for distribution at CSD
“Recurring water and tailings management problems have plagued the mine. Contaminated water regularly leaks into the adjacent Kakadu National Park. Hundreds of spills, leaks and license breaches have been recorded since the mine opened and has contributed to growing social problems in the region. …. In March 2004, mine process water was directed into the miners’ drinking water system containing uranium at concentration 400 times greater than the maximum permissible drinking level. ….In December, 2009, a dam burst sending 6 million litres of contaminated water into the National Park.
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| Commission on Sustainable Development |
From the Palawan Case Study in the Philippines: Paper submitted for distribution at CSD
The Philippines has suffered many disastrous environmental impacts from mining including the Marinduque/Boac River tailings containment rupture in 1996, when an estimated 4 million tons of mine waste escaped into the local river system. A recurrent pollution problem caused by the failures of tailing management at the Atlas mine in Toledo City, Cebu.
The picture is clear that people are worse off because of environmental degradation and human right violations attendant to mining operations. Government statistics attest that only a small fraction are benefiting from employment generated by the mining operations.
Palawan is home to large numbers of endemic species – both flora and fauna that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. It is home to 30%of the country’s coral reefs and has 17 key biodiversity areas. These are also endangered as a result of poor mining regulations.
These stories are repeated again and again by indigenous people throughout the world.
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