PHILIPPINES: Subanen tribe faces eviction

On February 12, Canadian mining company TVI sent eviction notices out in an attempt to evict 86 families from the Subanen tribe, which is the Philippines' biggest tribe. TVI operates an open-cut gold mine, which has encroached onto the Subanen's land. TVI is now operating some 15 metres from some tribe members' homes. Under Philippines law, it is illegal to enter Subanen land without permission, and the tribe has been fighting to shut the mine, which was granting rights before the tribe had the land certified as theirs, down. The families have vowed to stay, despite the US$4200 offered to each by the company.

From Green Left Weekly, March 2, 2005.

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From GLW issue 617