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| Top Mindoro execs hail mining clearance revocation |
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| Friday, 27 November 2009 10:56 |
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MANILA, Philippines—The top officials of Oriental Mindoro welcomed the “tactical victory” achieved by Mindoreños following Environment Secretary Lito Atienza’s temporary revocation of Intex Resources’ clearance to mine on the island on Friday. “The temporary revocation of the environmental compliance certificate pending the resolution of all issues relating to our opposition to the nickel project is a significant development as it will enable us to prove the basis for our objections,” Governor Arnan Panaligan said. Atienza issued the special revocation order as the protest fast of Mangyans and religious people from Mindoro demanding the revocation of the ECC that Atienza issued to the Mindoro Nickel Project of Intex entered its 11th day Friday. “The fight against mining is not yet over,” Panaligan said. “But we have gained a tactical victory.” Atienza, who personally handed a copy of his order to the hunger strikers camped outside his office, also directed the formation of an independent technical team that would look into the issues raised by the protesters and the local governments of Mindoro, said Jaybee Garganera, coordinator of the national network Alyansa Tigil Mina (Alliance to Stop Mining). Panaligan maintained that the mine site, which covers about 11,200 hectares, should be off limits to mining. “The mining area is a watershed area and part of the ancestral lands of indigenous peoples that are off limits to mining under the law,” he said. Vice-Governor Estela Aceron thanked Atienza for issuing the order even as she vowed never to let their guard down. “We will never stop protecting our critical watershed and the rights of our indigenous peoples. We will bring back to our province the experiences and the lessons learned from this 11-day hunger strike,” said Aceron. Oriental Mindoro has ordered a 25-year ban on large-scale mining in the province, while the local governments of Sablayan in Occidental Mindoro have issued numerous ordinances prohibiting the nickel mine. 
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