Business Mirror
- 24 Mar 2014
- Written by Jonathan L. Mayuga and Marvyn Benaning
EIGHTEEN years ago today, a tailings dam of Marcopper Mining Corp. collapsed and spilled millions of liters of mine waste into the Boac River, severely affecting the livelihood of the residents, especially farmers and fishermen who depended on the river’s bounty for their livelihood.
To this day, the river is classified as “biologically dead.”
Almost two decades after the environmental disaster killed the Boac River, the people of Marinduque continue to demand justice and reparation for the victims of the Marcopper toxic-mine tragedy.
Organized by the local government leaders of Boac with the Marinduque Council for Environmental Concerns (MaCEC), residents walked toward the Boac River on Monday to offer flowers to the Boac River, their way of condemning the irresponsibility of the mining companies that operate the mines.
They specifically condemned Marcopper Mining Corp., Placer Dome and Barrick Gold for allegedly refusing to accept responsibility for the disaster, which, they said, has brought misery to the people whose lives depended largely on the Boac River.
“No rehabilitation was done so that mine tailings continue to be in the river until they have mixed up with the water and sand,” MaCEC Executive Secretary Elizabeth “Beth” Manggol said.
MaCEC is a church-based and multi-sectoral non-governmental organization in Marinduque founded in July 1996 to address issues related to mining and disasters.
Manggol cited the many tragedies caused by Marcopper since it started operations.
First, she said, was the use of Calancan Bay as tailings pond from 1975 to 1991; second, the December 1993 collapse of the Maguil-guila siltation dam that killed two children in Mogpog and flooded the areas; and third, the March 1996 collapse of the Marcopper tailings dam.
The mine is inactive, but it is yet to be fully decommissioned and rehabilitated.
In 2005 the local government filed a case against Placer Dome in the United States, but nothing has happened since.
Last year its owner, Barrick Gold, offered a $20-million settlement with a condition that the petitioners, including Philippines government agencies, waive their accountabilities and responsibilities with regard to the disaster.
“The fourth tragedy is the Nevada case proposed settlement. Is it practical for the local government to accept the offer of Barrick Gold and carry the burden of rehabilitating the area and arresting all damage that may be caused by the abandoned mines? If this happens, the responsibilities of Marcopper, Placer Dome and Barrick Gold will be passed on to the government. This will result in a conflict between affected communities and the government,” Manggol said. - Business Mirror
