Cagayan de Oro City, Mindanao, Philippines – During the State of Mining in Mindanao Conference, which was held at SEARSOLIN, Manresa Farm Complex here, two Bishops from this island led the solidarity walk around the city calling for the government to stop issuing mining tenements.

Archbishop Antonio Ledesma of Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro together with Most Rev. Jose R. Manguiran, Bishop of Dipolog in Zamboanga del Norte and the head of the DIOPIM Committee on Mining Issues in Zamboanga Peninsula has graced the hour long march around the city from 6:00 pm after the first day of the conference.

The march aims to share the pains suffered by the mining affected communities to the people of Cagayan de Oro, Mindanao and throughout the country as a whole and show them that Mining had been destroying the lives of the affected communities and their source of living.

Around 200 people from delegates composed of Social Action Centers, affected communities and supporters from the academe and advocates all over Mindanao joined the walk that generates a huge number of spectators around the city.

After the parade, a mini-concert and short program held at the Public Plaza here in front of the Cathedral.

“ MINA-Minatay”, Bishop Jose R. Manguiran told the crowd in his message, which means mining kills life, and the rights of the communities to access their own local resources, especially the rights of the indigenous communities to self-determination.

Bishop Manguiran cites the several abuses committed by TVI Canadian Mining Firm against the Subanon People in Mount Canatuan, Tabayo Siocon Zamboanga del Norte and other mining areas in the country and urged the crowd to continue the fight against mining.

Archbishop Antonio Ledesma has expressed that the event was a good thing, that the gathering of researchers from the academe, advocates and affected communities sharing their experiences and information may result to a better world.

Timuoy Jose “Boy” Anoy, the Tribal Chieftain of the Subanon in Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte was grateful to the organizers of the affair for considering him to join the walk and called the national government especially the Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and the agencies concern to hear the voices of the communities affected by mining and stop the mining activities.

A year ago, the DIOPIM Committee on Mining Issues (DCMI) begun thinking of initiating a Mindanao Conference on Mining and Environment, but needs partners to make the conference more meaningful.

To start with, DCMI discussed with the Philippine Missereor Partnership Inc.(PMPI) for a possible collaboration.

On the early part of August this year, DCMI, PMPI, Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center (LRC) Cagayan de Oro together with Xavier University and representative from Social Action Center of Archdiocese of Zamboanga met in Dipolog City and started the discussion.

On August 29-30, this year, the core group met again and finally agreed to hold the conference in Cagayan de Oro City and a weeklong celebration of Integrity of Creation Solidarity Week, during the celebration of the Indigenous Peoples Month.

The Celebration of Integrity of Creation Solidarity Week and the Indigenous People’s Month started on October 19 with photo exhibition activities showing the impact of mining from different affected communities.