Stench of Fuel Hangs over Philippine Marine Park
August 17, 2006 � By Dolly Aglay, Reuters
TAKLONG ISLAND, Philippines � The waters of the Taklong marine reserve in the central Philippines glisten in the sunlight but stink of fuel as thick sludge washes ashore.
As disaster workers and residents of nearby villages tried again on Thursday to contain last week's oil spill from a sunken tanker off the island of Guimaras, worries were growing about the impact on fish, plants, people and tourism in the area.
"My fear is all the mangrove trees will die," Joseph Gajo, a caretaker at the 1,143-hectare marine reserve (2,857 acres), told Reuters. "If the mangroves and coral die, this will affect fishermen."
The mangroves, coral reefs and seagrass beds of Taklong, on the southern tip of Guimaras island, serve as a feeding and nursery ground for 144 species of fish and other sea creatures.
Along the coastline, men were putting up nets to try to keep the spill from washing ashore. In another area, rubber boats were being used as barriers.
The provincial government declared Guimaras a disaster zone after the spill of about 200,000 litres of bunker oil on Friday.
Chartered by Petron Corp., the largest oil refiner in the Philippines, the tanker was carrying about 2 million litres of the industrial fuel when it sank in rough seas.
Officials have warned that the pollution could take three years to clean up, with more than 15,000 people and 200 km (120 miles) of coastline affected.
"We have no catch, we are leaving now. We can't stand the smell of bunker oil," one of two fisherman shouted as they paddled a small boat near the marine reserve.
MORE OIL IN SHIP
The spill of about 200 tonnes of oil is the worst to hit the Philippines but pales against the world's biggest accident, the 1979 collision between the Atlantic Empress and another vessel that leaked 287,000 tonnes into the sea off Tobago.
Still, Philippine officials fear a wider disaster if the estimated 1,800 tonnes still inside the sunken tanker seep out.
"The ship is divided into 10 tanks. Each tank contains 200,000 litres," Arthur Gosingan, head of the Coast Guard, told Reuters. "We hope none of the remaining tanks will rupture."
Some families have moved away from the shores of Guimaras, about 470 km south of Manila, as the fuel washes up on beaches, staining sand and trees.
Health officials have advised residents not to eat anything from the contaminated waters but some people, dependent on the sea for food, have ignored the warning.
Environmental group Greenpeace said the Philippines must hold Petron and its partners accountable for the damage.
"We will go after those who may be found responsible and liable for this environmental catastrophe," said Ignacio Bunye, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's spokesman.
"In the meantime, let us focus our energies and resources on a fast clean-up to prevent the spread of pollution." (With reporting by Karen Lema)
Source: Reuters
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Environmental group lobbies to UK Parliamentarian Clare Short to help stop rights violations in mining communities
August 1, 2006
Environmental group lobbies to UK Parliamentarian Clare Short to help stop rights violations in mining communities
United Kingdom Member of the Parliament and Human Rights advocate Clare Short met with the environmental activist group Kalikasan-People's Network for the Environment (Kalikasan-PNE) and Batasan 5 legislators today to discuss the mining situation and debilitating human rights situation in the country.
Clare Short is visiting the country to get first hand information on the operation of foreign mining companies in the country. She is currently a United Kingdom Member of the Parliament for Birmingham Ladywood and was the Secretary of State for International Development from 1997 to 2003. She is also known as an advocate for peace and women's rights.
Clare Short gained international prominence when she resigned as international department secretary of the Blair Government in May 2003 over broken promises of British Prime Minister Tony Blair on the future of Iraq. She similarly led calls for the British Prime Minister to step down.
"The participation of Clare Short in the mining campaign will greatly help in educating the people in United Kingdom and Europe on the social impacts, economic dislocations and environmental destruction brought about by the operations of transnational mining companies (mining TNCs) in here," says Clemente Bautista Jr., national coordinator of Kalikasan-PNE.
There are at least four European mining companies involved in the 24 priorities large-scale mining projects of the Arroyo administration. Three of these are from UK, namely, BHP Billiton, Toledo Copper Plc. of London, Queensland Nickel Inc, and Crew Minerals AS Norway.
"One of the negative social impacts of mining TNCs operations is the high incidence of human rights violations in mining-affected communities. Particular cases include the forced dislocation of Subanon families, an indigenous people in Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte to clear the way for the operation of Canadian-owned Toronto Venture Inc., and the killings of environmental activists in Mindoro Oriental which is related to the nickel mining project of Crew Minerals."
"Our records show that already 13 anti-mining activists and leaders have been killed under the Arroyo administration. Eight of them were killed in 2005 to 2006. In addition to these are the forced disappearance of Joey Estriber of Aurora Province and the attempted murder of Fr. Allan Caparro of Leyte Province, who at that time of the incidents, are both active in the campaign against foreign large-scale mining."
"These human rights violations are results of the Arroyo administration's all out support to foreign mining TNCs. Military and the police act to protect the investments of mining TNCs. Mining companies are encouraged to employ private armies by the government."
"We hope that through Ms Short's watchful concern on the local mining issues, the affected communities may get a reprieve on the problems they face and the struggle in the country will gain more supporters from the international community," Mr. Bautista ends. ###
Environmental group lobbies to UK Parliamentarian Clare Short to help stop rights violations in mining communities
United Kingdom Member of the Parliament and Human Rights advocate Clare Short met with the environmental activist group Kalikasan-People's Network for the Environment (Kalikasan-PNE) and Batasan 5 legislators today to discuss the mining situation and debilitating human rights situation in the country.
Clare Short is visiting the country to get first hand information on the operation of foreign mining companies in the country. She is currently a United Kingdom Member of the Parliament for Birmingham Ladywood and was the Secretary of State for International Development from 1997 to 2003. She is also known as an advocate for peace and women's rights.
Clare Short gained international prominence when she resigned as international department secretary of the Blair Government in May 2003 over broken promises of British Prime Minister Tony Blair on the future of Iraq. She similarly led calls for the British Prime Minister to step down.
"The participation of Clare Short in the mining campaign will greatly help in educating the people in United Kingdom and Europe on the social impacts, economic dislocations and environmental destruction brought about by the operations of transnational mining companies (mining TNCs) in here," says Clemente Bautista Jr., national coordinator of Kalikasan-PNE.
There are at least four European mining companies involved in the 24 priorities large-scale mining projects of the Arroyo administration. Three of these are from UK, namely, BHP Billiton, Toledo Copper Plc. of London, Queensland Nickel Inc, and Crew Minerals AS Norway.
"One of the negative social impacts of mining TNCs operations is the high incidence of human rights violations in mining-affected communities. Particular cases include the forced dislocation of Subanon families, an indigenous people in Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte to clear the way for the operation of Canadian-owned Toronto Venture Inc., and the killings of environmental activists in Mindoro Oriental which is related to the nickel mining project of Crew Minerals."
"Our records show that already 13 anti-mining activists and leaders have been killed under the Arroyo administration. Eight of them were killed in 2005 to 2006. In addition to these are the forced disappearance of Joey Estriber of Aurora Province and the attempted murder of Fr. Allan Caparro of Leyte Province, who at that time of the incidents, are both active in the campaign against foreign large-scale mining."
"These human rights violations are results of the Arroyo administration's all out support to foreign mining TNCs. Military and the police act to protect the investments of mining TNCs. Mining companies are encouraged to employ private armies by the government."
"We hope that through Ms Short's watchful concern on the local mining issues, the affected communities may get a reprieve on the problems they face and the struggle in the country will gain more supporters from the international community," Mr. Bautista ends. ###
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