Unity Key to Winning Struggles
Lawyer
William “Billy” Claver, founding chairperson of the Cordillera Peoples’
Alliance (CPA), shared, during this year’s Cordillera Day commemoration,
that Spaniards and Americans entered Kalinga to exploit the rich mineral
resources. He pointed out that for this same reason, mining companies are
applying for mining operations in the area today.
BY ARTHUR L. ALLAD-IW
Northern Dispatch
Posted by Bulatlat
Some 4,000 national and international
delegates joined the 22nd Cordillera Day celebration in Uma, Lubuagan,
Kalinga. Over 2,000 of the said participants came from the different
towns of Kalinga
NORDIS PHOTO |
Lawyer William “Billy” Claver, founding chairperson of the
Cordillera Peoples’ Alliance (CPA), was the keynote speaker of this year’s
Cordillera Day commemoration. He shared that Spaniards and Americans
entered Kalinga to exploit the rich mineral resources. He pointed out that
what attracted the colonizers then was the same reason that entices mining
companies to apply 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.
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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, said Claver, citing cases in Benguet. His
speech was read by his nephew Dr. Chandu Claver. The older Claver was in
Tabuk recuperating from illness.
Claver cited that Marcos opened Batong Buhay in Kalinga,
which served as an instrument for graft and corruption among politicians,
including locals.
|
As a member of the 1971 Constitutional Commission, Claver
introduced two measures regarding respect for the ancestral domain of
indigenous peoples and autonomous government for them. These measures were
filed but logging and corporate interests blocked it. He tried to
reintroduce the ancestral domain bill in the post-EDSA House of
Representatives where he was a member but was blocked again by corporate
interests.
Participants to the Cordillera day workshop reported that
there are several mining corporations in various stages of operations in
the province and the whole Cordillera region. 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 to expose and oppose charter change, among others.
|
POLITICAL KILLINGS: Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
was found guilty of seven cases filed against her at the People’s
Tribunal
NORDIS
PHOTO |
Claver adds that the Cordillera experiences taught the
people to rely and depend on themselves as indigenous peoples.
“It teaches us that our problems as peoples can be fought
and won through unity and militant action,” Claver said.
Northern Dispatch / Posted by Bulatlat
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