KARAPATAN hails the withdrawal of police forces from the people’s barricade in Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya, and stands with the indigenous people and farmer communities in their continuing defense of their ancestral lands, livelihoods, and future.
The people’s steadfast resistance against mining plunder underscores their determination to defend their right to self-determination and development. Their struggle must be respected, not met with police deployment, threats, arrests, fabricated charges, and legal harassment.
The withdrawal of police forces is a welcome development, but it must be accompanied by the full respect for the people’s right to peaceful assembly and self-determination. The enforcement of the temporary restraining order sought by North Luzon Mineral Resources Corporation (NLMRC) must not be used to suppress community resistance and advance corporate mining interests at the expense of the people.
KARAPATAN continues to stand with the people of Kasibu in demanding the cancellation of NLMRC’s mining exploration, a thorough investigation into irregularities in its permitting process, and accountability for public officials and corporations that have weaponized the law against communities.
The people of Kasibu are not criminals. They are defenders of their land, culture, and future. Their struggle deserves continued solidarity and support.