Solidarity message to the Cordillera Day April 23-24, 2013

German-Filippino Friendship Association April 18th, 2013

Dear friends, people of the Cordillera, national and international delegates!
The German-Filippino Friendship Association is sending you the warmest greetings of international solidarity.
We are sorry, that we cannot participate this year personally at the Cordillera Day 2013. Meeting old and new friends, getting a lot of informations about the human rights situation and the ongoing struggle of the indigenios people for self determination and for the defence of ancestral domain, was important for us last year. 2012 our friend Dieter was part of several Cordillera Day celebrations and is still very impressed. Especially because of the big hospitality of the people he could feel and that he was in such a close touch with you. The presentings of culturel contributions and participating to the community dance is still unforgetten. Our hearts and minds are also 2013 on your side and we hope that we will meet you again, participating to one of the next Cordillera Day Celebrations.

First of all we want to express, that we are very concerned about the continuing repression of the Cordillera people, mainly against all who are serving in the interest of the people and the interest of sheltering the environement. Your severe restistance against militarization and violation of human rights as well as your restistance against all risks of destructiv mining and the following impact to the environement is also mobilizing us to
strengthen international solidarity work.
We read about in your publications and we want to congratulate the people of Mankayan and the Save Mankayan Movement in their victory after a one year of sustaining protest, when now Far Southeast Gold Resources Inc. in January pulled out its drill rigs and other equipment from Tabeo, Maydaymen after one year of barricades and the support and solidarity from communities in neighboring Cordillera provinces. This was a successful step, but we know that it is necessary to stop the expanding of Lepanto Mining and others.
But not only this, in the Cordillera there are so many risks following the irresponsible mining. Mining desasters can happen every day. The existing tailing dams are like many time bombs. After earthquakes, tayphoons or because of spilling, breaking and flooding of thousands of square kilometers is possible any time because of physical instabilety and other incidents. This will lead to an impact to the soil, air and water. The fields, which provide the nutrition of ten thousands of the Cordillera people and others, will be poisened
for the future. That will be incredible and will touch whole human existence.
In Germany we have a very strong movement to ban the nuclear power plants immediatly and worldwide. On 2nd anniversery of Fukushima desaster there were again big ralleys with ten thousands of protesters in Germany, also very much in Japon and all over the world. Worldwide there is also a fast growing restistance against the plans and new method of winning gaz through Fracking. This will contaminate the earth and water very seriously, will bring more risks of earth quakes, close existing mines quicker because of more expected profits and will beg valuable ressources like coal and minerals in poisened
ground.
Beginning of March 2013 the First International Miners Conference was successfully organized in Arequipa in Peru. More then 500 participants, representing the 22 million miners all around the world, gathered, discussed and fixed their general decisions and further common work. This was a big step forward and a delegation from the miners from Mindanao was part of this very important conference. The miners all around the world are a big power, when they cooporate und struggle together. This conferencwe will also give
the miners struggle in the Cordillera more power und strength. Read more about it on:
www.minersconference.org
We are very sad but als very angry that the political killings, harrazement, persecution and abductions is continued by the Philippine governement and military. From Cordillera Human Rights Alliance we got their Statement on International Human Rights Day on December 10, 2012. They report that the year 2012 is marked with increasing impunity and continuing human rights violations against the indigenous people of the Cordillera region. We will not accept, that there is a target list of the military, threatening and political
vilifying of people, who act in the interest of the people and the nature. Those who serve the people, they are disparaged, accused and persecuted as enemy of the State.
In Germany we are emotionally deep in touch with the family of founding member and leading activist of Cordillera Peoples Alliance, James Balao. Abducted and missing more than 4 years till now, we take his 52th birthday on April 19th to demand again and again for justice and to surface James Balao. We do like the Balao family not know after this enforced disappearance, when we will see him again, but our hope is still alive.

From German-Filippino Friendship Association we have continued to organize a mutual exchange, support and help. Since years we are sending Balik Bayan Boxes to CPA, KMU Cordillera, chestcore and many others. There is a culturel exchange with the children group of Sheng net, which is in contact with a school and children in Berlin/Germany.

We are reporting regular in our newsletter „Pintig“ about the life and struggle of the people in Germany and in the Philippines. Our counterpart in the Philippines is KAPATIRAN and you can read „Pintig“ and more about our work in internet: www.dp-freunde.de

We wish you and your struggle much luck and success. Knowing that your struggle is ours, like our struggle is yours. Defending your land, sheltering mother nature, fighting for freedom and realization of human rights, heading for a better world and future, we are and will be part and international supporter of your struggle.
In Solidarity
Your friends Dieter & Eberhard
on behalf of
German-Filippino-Friendship-Association (Deutsch-Philippinische Freunde e.V.)
DPF e.V.
Karlstr. 35
40764 Langenfeld
Germany
phone: 0049-2173-18266
fax: 0049-2173-17568
mailto: vorstand@dp-freunde.de
www.dp-freunde.de