Unity key to winning struggles

	NORDIS WEEKLY April 30, 2006
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Unity key to winning peoples' struggles — Claver
LUBUAGAN, Kalinga (April 24) — Atty. William “Billy” Claver, founding chairperson of the Cordillera Peoples’ Alliance (CPA), was the keynote speaker of this year’s Cordillera Day. He shared the history that the Spanish and Americans entered Kalinga to exploit the rich mineral resources. He pointed out that what attracted the colonizers earlier was the same reason that enticed the mining companies presently applying for mining operations in the area today. Claver pointed out that the people did not necessarily benefit from mining. He cited the effect of mining operations on the rivers and the environment. Even after clearing out the resources, corporate interests again expelled the (indigenous) peoples in the area to give way to a sub-division for the rich claimed Claver in citing cases in Benguet. His speech read by his nephew Dr. Chandu Claver. The older Claver was in Tabuk recuperating from illness. Claver cited the Marcos opened Batong Buhay in Kalinga where it had served as instrument for graft and corruption among politicians, including locals. As a member of the 1971 Constitutional Commission, Claver introduced two measures which were the respect of the ancestral domain of indigenous peoples and autonomous government for them. The measures were passed but logging and corporate interests blocked the measures. He tried to introduce the ancestral domain bill in the post EDSA House of Representatives where he was a member but was blocked again by corporate interest. Participants to the Cordillera day workshop reported that there are several mining corporations in various stages of their projects in the province and other Cordillera areas. They passed resolutions calling for the scrapping of the Mining Act of 1995; to stop militarization and ethnocide, political repression and Oplan Bantay Laya, and a resolution to bare and oppose Charter Change, among others. Claver adds that the Cordillera experiences taught the people to rely and depend on themselves as ordinary indigenous peoples. “It teaches us that our problems as people can be fought and won through unity and militant action,” Claver. # Arthur L. Allad-iw for NORDIS Post your comments, reactions to this article
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	NORDIS WEEKLY April 30, 2006
Home \| To bottom	Previous \| Next
Unity key to winning peoples' struggles — Claver
LUBUAGAN, Kalinga (April 24) — Atty. William “Billy” Claver, founding chairperson of the Cordillera Peoples’ Alliance (CPA), was the keynote speaker of this year’s Cordillera Day. He shared the history that the Spanish and Americans entered Kalinga to exploit the rich mineral resources. He pointed out that what attracted the colonizers earlier was the same reason that enticed the mining companies presently applying for mining operations in the area today. Claver pointed out that the people did not necessarily benefit from mining. He cited the effect of mining operations on the rivers and the environment. Even after clearing out the resources, corporate interests again expelled the (indigenous) peoples in the area to give way to a sub-division for the rich claimed Claver in citing cases in Benguet. His speech read by his nephew Dr. Chandu Claver. The older Claver was in Tabuk recuperating from illness. Claver cited the Marcos opened Batong Buhay in Kalinga where it had served as instrument for graft and corruption among politicians, including locals. As a member of the 1971 Constitutional Commission, Claver introduced two measures which were the respect of the ancestral domain of indigenous peoples and autonomous government for them. The measures were passed but logging and corporate interests blocked the measures. He tried to introduce the ancestral domain bill in the post EDSA House of Representatives where he was a member but was blocked again by corporate interest. Participants to the Cordillera day workshop reported that there are several mining corporations in various stages of their projects in the province and other Cordillera areas. They passed resolutions calling for the scrapping of the Mining Act of 1995; to stop militarization and ethnocide, political repression and Oplan Bantay Laya, and a resolution to bare and oppose Charter Change, among others. Claver adds that the Cordillera experiences taught the people to rely and depend on themselves as ordinary indigenous peoples. “It teaches us that our problems as people can be fought and won through unity and militant action,” Claver. # Arthur L. Allad-iw for NORDIS Post your comments, reactions to this article
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