A SAD TRUTH

We turned to Catherine Coumans, Ph.D., of MiningWatch Canada (who has, since 1968 documented the activities of Marcopper in Marinduque and remains at the forefront of the fight for justice for the Calancan victims and on rehabilitation issues), to further enlighten us on yesterday's question about turning the island of Marinduque into a center for excellence on tropical mine rehabilitation. We are reproducing her response in full:

Dear Eli,

Thanks for introducing me to my first ever blog. Seriously, I have never
been on a blog site before. Please forgive me writing back in a plain
e-mail.

Ever since the USGS first visit to Marinduque, when I accompanied the team, and somehow the dream was hatched of turning Marinduque into a center for excellence in tropical mine rehabilitation I have been hooked on that.

It is perfect in so many ways: uses the mine site (with its easy access by
air) and fixes it up again for habitation of experts and students. Focuses
expertise on the rehabilitation of the various ecosystems (sea, rivers,
soil), employs Marinduquenos, and assures NO MORE MINING!

The real problem is that beyond lipservice, neither governments nor the
industry really care very much about rehabilitation. After all, it costs
money and so cuts into profits for the industry and revenues for
governments. Short sighted, unethical, inhuman even, but a sad truth.

My idea was to go after the WB on this one.

Anyway,
Catherine

Catherine Coumans, Ph.D.
Research Coordinator
MiningWatch Canada
225 City Center Ave, Suite 508
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada K1R 6K7
Tel: 613-569-3439
Fax: 613-569-5138
www.miningwatch.ca
catherine@miningwatch.ca