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PASTORAL LETTER
To: People of God in Sorsogon, All Men and
Women of Good Will and Faith
Re: ON THE MOST RECENT FISH KILL IN
RAPU-RAPU
Hear this, you who trample upon the needy and destroy the poor of the
land!
The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob: Never will I forget a thing they
have done! (Amos 8,4&7)
We, the Diocese of Sorsogon echo our common stand in one voice that the
Lafayette mining operation in Rapu-Rapu Island
be shut down permanently for the common good of the people of Bicol
region.
We fraternally support the stand and call of the Diocese of Legaspi on the
most recent fish kill in the Rapu-Rapu Island.
On the morning of 28 October 2007, Sunday, the people in Brgy. Poblacion,
Rapu-Rapu awoke to the sight and stench of dead fish everywhere littering
their shores. Their shock and questions grew into gnawing anxiety, then
into panic, as, in waves, they beheld their worst fears coming true.
That day and the days that followed, several people fell sick after eating
fish and other food from the sea. With the health concerns, came the
realization: they could not fish. Based from previous experience, full
recovery of the fishing industry on the island would take several months.
For the 70% of the island’s population whose livelihood is dependent on
fishing, there could be no worse economic disaster than this. They could
not bring home food from the sea. Soon they would have no more money left
to buy food from elsewhere.
Several sacks of rice were distributed by the municipality. Food relief
trickled in from the provincial government, the Church and non-government
organizations (NGOs). But they seemed to be never enough – both the food
and the justice they are seeking.
They blamed the Lafayette mine for unleashing yet another disaster upon
them. It was not the first fish kill incident on this island. In 2005,
despite repeated denials from the company, the Rapu-Rapu Fact-Finding
Commission found Lafayette culpable of the mine spill that caused the fish
kill and subsequent fish scare in nearby towns.
The mining company, in statements made by its representatives, denied
culpability of the recent fish kill, claimed sabotage, called it a hoax,
and even threatened to sue anyone suspected to be responsible for their
proposed hoax.
A team from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources –
Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) made initial investigation and
concluded, among other things, that:
1. The fish kill was limited only to Brgy. Poblacion, around 10
kilometers away from the mine site. Thus, it was too far away from the
mine site.
2. No fish kill happened in the shorelines of Brgys. Carogcog, Sta.
Barbara, Malobago, Pagcolbon and Binosawan. The Brgy. Chairmen of these
five barangays issued certifications to the non-existence of any fish kill
in their areas.
3. The quality of marine waters between the mine site and Brgy.
Poblacion was found to be within DENR standards and showed no trace of
cyanide contamination.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), which analyzed some
fish kill samples, reported that the fish they had, died not of chemical
contamination but probably because of strong sea currents.
The conclusions submitted by the DENR-EMB and BFAR practically absolved
Lafayette of any link to the fish kill, undermined the extent of its
damage to the community and to the island, and made it a non-issue to the
national government.
However, the consultations with the people of Rapu-Rapu and concerned
individuals and organizations, revealed certain information that prompts
us to seriously question the methods and motives of these government
agencies’ findings and Lafayette representatives’ denials.
1. The fish kill was not limited to Brgy. Poblacion only. Cases of
food poisoning took place not only in Brgy. Poblacion but in other
barangays as well. Eyewitness accounts from the other five barangays
testified to fish kill sightings in their areas, too. Several residents
from Brgy. Binosawan even claimed that the fish kill started in their
place as early as 26 October 2007. In one instance, a resident from Brgy.
Carogcog, who was interviewed by a team from the EMB, also testified that
he saw dead fish littering the shorelines of his barangay. This detail
never found its way to the EMB report.
2. The contention that Brgy. Poblacion is too far away from the mine
site did not take into consideration the direction and speed of the wind
and water current at the time of the fish kill. Seasoned fisherfolks and
astute observers not only point out this fact, but also how the EMB
conveniently took this fact aside.
3. Is the quality of all marine and inland waters
between Brgy. Poblacion and the mine site really well within DENR
standards? Can this conclusion pass the scrutiny of credible independent
scientific experts? Then as now, we have been receiving disturbing reports
of researchers being harassed by barangay and private security personnel,
and prevented from taking water and soil samples, or even pictures, near
the mine site, even when the studies are being done outside company
property.
4. The BFAR theory of fish drowning in the strong sea currents and not
of chemical contamination strains credulity not only at the first instance
but especially when one takes into consideration the following:
a. The sea has always been rough in these parts at this time of year.
But the fish kill incidents only happened when the mining company started
its operations. This appears to be a valid case of post hoc ergo
propter hoc. It happened after it, therefore, it happened on account
of it.
b. Several residents of the island fell sick after eating fish and
other sea food caught around the same time as the fish kill. A dog even
died in Brgy. Poblacion after eating some dead fish by the seashore. If
the food they ate did not contain some chemical contaminants, could strong
sea currents then induce the fish and crustaceans to produce toxins in
their body?
The ultimate measure of the reality and extent of the damage
of the fish kill lies in its effect on the people. Most of the island’s
residents are poor and dependent on fishing. Now their existence has been
made even more precarious. They worry about their food for the day, their
health, their livelihood and their uncertain future. A 73-year old
resident cried out in the vernacular: “Fish is our life! Kill them at
the sea, and you kill us here living on dry land!”
They feel betrayed by the authorities who, they see, not only
failed to protect them, in favor of the powerful, but still managed to
publicly question their misery. Their voices and reactions speak in so
many ways of anger and desperation. A woman recounted how her fears crept
into her dreams; she dreamt of seeing her elderly father eating his fish
net for lack of food.
As Pastors, it pains us to see so much suffering, especially
suffering caused by man’s inhumanity to man and to the environment. Our
response, as members of the One Body of Christ, should be to help
alleviate their suffering and find ways so it would not happen again.
1. We strongly support the move by the Sangguniang Bayan of Rapu-Rapu
to finally declare a State of Emergency on
the island, in order to facilitate the granting of financial and food
assistance from government and international funding institutions.
2. We enjoin our faithful in the parishes, schools and ecclesial
communities to organize relief efforts for the people of
Rapu-Rapu. Our Diocesan Social Action
Center will coordinate the relief operations.
3. We condemn the violence, harassment and illegal detentions which
have been the response of certain local authorities to the peaceful
protest gatherings which the people of Rapu-Rapu have been regularly
staging ever since the most recent fish kill happened.
4. We appeal to our government officials to conduct thorough
investigations and public hearings on the fish kill, even as we reiterate
our position that Rapu-Rapu island is not suitable for large-scale
mining and that the most just and proper response is the closure of the
Lafayette mine.
5. We ask our faithful and all concerned citizens to join this call by
supporting a signature campaign which will be addressed to our leaders,
policy makers, and other concerned individuals and institutions.
As Pastors, it is our duty to teach and remind our faithful, and all men
and women of good will, of certain moral imperatives to this case that are
important in the formation of our individual consciences.
1. Stewardship of God’s creation is everybody’s responsibility.
God’s offer to subdue the earth is not a license to wantonly exploit it
but a charge to take care of it so everybody, including future
generations, may benefit from its bounty. Stewardship has no room for
apathy and indifference in the face of very real threats to the
environment and to the lives and livelihood of the poor. All of us, thus,
are environmentalists by divine vocation.
2. Truth-telling is necessary for genuine development to happen.
Truth-telling is crucial to the promotion of justice. Social justice, in
turn, is the foundation of any program that seeks to achieve sustainable
development, genuine prosperity and lasting peace. The issue of mining in
Rapu-Rapu has unfortunately been marred by
assertion of half-truths, suppression of evidence, corruption of
witnesses, harassment of truth-seekers, manipulation of scientific data
and plain deception.
Those who know the truth but speak and act otherwise, either by invoking
official documents that lie or succumbing to the influence of unscrupulous
superiors or lobbyists, are guilty of being party to the cause of the
suffering of the people of Rapu-Rapu.
3. Public office is at the service of the people. Any
public official who considers his personal interests, or the confidence
and predispositions of his political patrons or foreign investors, above
the rights and wellbeing of his constituents, especially the poor, has
misguided priorities and misplaced loyalty. He may, for some time, escape
accountability from the people, but never from God. For the highest
sovereign in a democracy is not the people, it is God.
As Pastors, we join ourselves with the aspirations and labors of the
people of Rapu-Rapu, and all men and women who are committed to the
protection of the environment and of the poor. Though we may feel the
hardship of our task at hand, yet we do not lose hope for God is with us.
Let us continue to pray with greater fervor the Oratio Imperata,
our Prayer for Deliverance against Calamities – natural and man-made. For
God is not deaf to our cries and blind to our afflictions.
The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds; it does not rest
till it reaches its goal, nor will it withdraw till the Most High
responds, judges justly and affirms the right. God indeed will not delay,
and like a warrior, will not be still till he breaks the backs of the
merciless and wreaks vengeance upon the proud; till he destroys the
haughty root and branch, and smashes the scepter of the wicked; till he
requites mankind according to its deeds, and repays men according to their
thoughts; till he defends the cause of his people, and gladdens them
by his mercy. (Sirach 35:17-24)
Sincerely in His service,
(signed) +MOST REV. ARTURO M. BASTES, SVD, DD
Bishop of Sorsogon
(Signed by the Presbyterium of the Diocese of Sorsogon)
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