Flotilla protest to close Lafayette mine

international | environment | press release Wednesday August 23, 2006 10:27 by Greenpeace - Greenpeace International +4751407986

Greenpeace leads protest against Australian mining company in Philippines

Legaspi, 23 August 2006 - After helping mitigate the devastation wrought by the Petron oil spill in Guimaras Island, Greenpeace ship MY Esperanza today led a flotilla in protest against the gold and silver mining operations of Lafayette in the Philippines. The Australian mine was reopened in July despite government investigations, which revealed ongoing leakages of highly toxic chemicals into the pristine waters of the Albay Gulf.

Map of the Philippines showing the location of Guimaras.

The Esperanza sailed into Rapu-Rapu Island accompanied by villagers
from the provinces of Sorsogon and Albay on board some 70 bancas
(traditional outrigger boats) bearing banners saying "Stop Lafayette"
and "ABN-Amro, ANZ Stop Funding Marine Pollution". ABN-Amro and ANZ
are providing financial backing for the mining operations.

"People rely on the rich marine ecosystem for food and income and
have already suffered from continuous toxic contamination from the
Lafayette mine," said Beau Baconguis, Greenpeace Southeast Asia
Toxics Campaigner onboard the Esperanza. "The reopening of Lafayette
mine has started the clock for another disaster in our marine
ecosystem. Lafayette mine must be closed for good."

Late last year, Lafayette was ordered to stop its mining operations
after it twice released cyanide and other contaminants into the
environment, resulting in massive fish kills. Subsequent
investigations carried out by a Presidential Fact-Finding Commission
revealed that not only had Lafayette been operating the mine beyond
its capacity but that it had been doing so even before it completed
the construction of barriers designed to prevent contamination
reaching the sea.

The Philippine government then granted the company a licence for a 30-
day test run of the mine. During the test run, several toxic leaks
occurred. Residents have since reported more fish kills in the
creeks leading out from the mine into Albay Gulf.

The pristine waters, seagrass beds and mangroves of Albay Gulf create
an exceptionally rich fishing ground for fishermen. Dolphins, sea
turtles, egrets, and purple herons are frequently sighted in these
waters. Five of the seven marine turtles in the world are found in
the Albay Gulf, while the eastern coast, including Rapu Rapu, is a
migration path for whale sharks. The Lafayette mine threatens the
survival of all of these species.

"The Arroyo government's support for the mining operation makes it
part of the problem and not the solution," said Baconguis. "Rather
than serve the interests of mining corporations the government must
act on behalf of the 30 million Filipinos who rely on our rich marine
environment for food and livelihoods."

The Esperanza's tour in the Philippines is part of a 15-month global
Defending Our Oceans expedition. Greenpeace's other ships; the MY
Rainbow Warrior and the MY Arctic Sunrise are also engaged in
challenging the threats to our oceans. The Rainbow warrior is
confronting tuna fleets destroying the last of the great fish in the
Mediterranean and the Arctic Sunrise is exposing the hidden face of
illegal fishing of the North and Baltic Seas. The Defending Our
Oceans expedition aims to highlight the wonders of and the
environmental threats to the world's oceans and is campaigning for
the establishment of marine reserves covering 40 % of the world's
oceans.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Beau Baconguis, Toxics Campaigner (onboard Esperanza), +4751407986
(sat phone), +639178036077
Arthur Jones Dionio, Media Officer (onboard Esperanza), +4751407986
(sat phone), +639215615305

Greenpeace activists unfurl a banner in protest over the conduct of the 30-day test run which the Department of Energy and Natural Resources granted to Australian mining Lafayette last month. © Greenpeace / Alex Baluyut