Gute Nachrichten von der philippinischen Insel Palawan: Die General-Direktorin der UNESCO hat auf die gemeinsame Protestaktion des Indigenen Netzwerkes ALDAW und Rettet den Regenwald reagiert. In einem Brief an den Außenminister und Vorsitzenden der nationalen UNESCO-Kommission der Philippinen drückte Irina Bokova ihre Besorgnis über die drohende Naturzerstörung durch den Bergbau aus. In Deutschland hatten mehr als 16.000 Menschen den Protestaufruf an die Unesco auf unserer Webseite unterschrieben. Die gesamte Provinz Palawan ist Unesco Biospären-Reservat (MAB) – dennoch hatte die Regierung Konzessionen für den Bergbau vergeben; sogar in den streng geschützten Kernzonen.
Während der vergangenen Monate standen unsere Kollegen von ALDAW mit der UNESCO in regelmäßigem Kontakt, um über Neuigkeiten aus dem durch den Bergbau bedrohten Biosphärenreservat in Palawan zu berichten, und um die Organisation aufzufordern, konkrete Maßnahmen einzuleiten.
Das Team von ALDAW begrüßt die von UNESCO-Generaldirektorin Irina Bokova ausgesprochenen Bedenken und sieht diese als vielversprechenden Schritt für weitere Erfolge in der Kampagne zum Schutz der Bevölkerung von Palawan.
Hier finden Sie den Brief von ALDAW sowie das Schreiben der UNESCO (in englischer Sprache)
Version:1.0 StartHTML:0000000183 EndHTML:0000016833 StartFragment:0000004904 EndFragment:0000016797 SourceURL:file:///Users/reinhard/Library/Mail%20Downloads/Brief%20Unesco.doc
Palawan Campaign: UNESCO express concern
We would like to share with all you the good news about UNESCO DG formally forwarding a letter of concern on the mining threats in Palawan to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Chairman of the National Commission of the Philippines for UNESCO.
During the past months, our collegues from ALDAW has been corresponding with UNESCO, providing them with updates on the mining threats faced by the Palawan Man & Biosphere Reserve, while requesting the organization to take concrete actions, in this respect. Rainforest Rescue has been supporting this efforts with an email protest action to UNESCO.
The ALDAW team really appreciate the concern expressed by UNESCO DG Irina Bokowa and they regard this as an additional promising step in their campaign in defense of Palawan indigenous peoples.
Please find below a copy of the letter of ALDAW to UNESCO and the letter of UNESCO DG.
-----------------------------------------
Dear Mr. Blanco,
Development Management Officer III
UNESCO National Commission of the PHilippines
Thank you so much for your message.
We are very pleased to know that UNESCO DG has forwarded her concern
to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Chairman of the National
Commission of the Philippines for UNESCO. We welcome and appreciate
this action and, more, importantly, we will be waiting to see how this
formal step will translate into concrete actions aiming at sparing our
beloved Province from ecological and human catastrophe.
Let me assure you that ALDAW network members, indigenous communities,
NGOs and civil society will continue to invest their efforts in the
protection of UNESCO Palawan Man & Biosphere Reserve, so that future
generations will enjoy bountiful natural resources and a favorable and
healthy environment in which to grow and prosper.
We will keep UNESCO updated on the threats that Palawan is facing and
we hope that, through these efforts, a genuine and transparent process
of exchange can be built between your organization and all those
forces believing that Man & Biosphere Reserves cannot solely survive
on paper, but need constant monitoring and the implementation of
concrete measures assuring their integrity and safeguard.
Through our Google group, Facebook and other media, we will pass this
information to other NGOs and to all those partners (at the National
and International Level) which share with us a common mission: Making
Palawan a Free from Mining Province
With all best wishes
Artiso Mandawa
ALDAW Chairman
------------------------------------------------------------
UNESCO DG LETTER
The Director-General 18 FEB 2011
Ref.: DG/2.8/11/5864/419
Dear Secretary,
Honorable Dr Alberto G. Romulo
Secretary of Foreign Affairs Chairman of
the National Commission of the Philippines
for UNESCO G/F Department of Foreign Affairs
Bldg. 2330 Roxaz Boulevard Pasay City, Manila Philippines
Over the last few days, I have received over 4000 e-mails from
environmental and indigenous groups voicing concerns over mining
activities in the Palawan Biosphere Reserve, which is located in your
country. As you know, the Palawan Biosphere Reserve was included in
the World Network of Biosphere Reserves in 1990. A sample e-mail is
attached to this letter for your information .
In this context, I wish to invite you kindly to provide a
comprehensive report to UNESCO on the mining situation in the Palawan
Biosphere Reserve, and to inform me on whether current and future
mining activities would have adverse impacts on the core zones of the
biosphere reserve. While mining may occur in buffer and transition
zones of biosphere reserves , it is on the condition that it respects
environmental safeguards and the regulations governing biosphere
reserves, as well as the interests and well-being of local and
indigenous communities.
We would appreciate it if the Philippines authorities could monitor
the situation closely. Ideally, an open meeting with different
stakeholders could be organized so that a constructive dialogue could
be initiated among the various parties concerned, most particularly as
regards environmental conservation, sustainable development and local
and indigenous issues. Should the Philippines authorities so wish, a
UNESCO mission could be fielded to Palawan at an appropriate time to
participate in and contribute to such a process.
I look forward to hearing from you shortly on this issue and take this
opportunity to thank you for your co-operation in implementing
biosphere reserve activities in the Philippines.
Yours sincerely,
Irina Bokowa