KASAMA September 2006

KASAMA means friend, companion, comrade...
KASAMA September 2006
Volume 20 Number 3

Didipio Says No To Mining: Interview with JP Alipio

The 15th annual Students Of Sustainability National Environment Conference was held this year at the University Of Queensland, Brisbane from July 9–15. BIBAK QLD funded Ibaloi environmental activist JP Alipio to present the Didipio community’s case against Australian company Climax Arimco Mining Corporation. Kasama editor Dee Dicen Hunt interviewed JP at the conference before he left for speaking engagements in Sydney and Melbourne.
The Cordillera Conservation Trust: Profile of the Cordillera Conservation Trust

Poverty and human health problems are symptoms of an ailing environment. The Cordillera region is the source of life for most of the northern Luzon, it’s rivers feed the hectares of farm land that feed a majority of this nation’s population and within it’s walls of rock live communities whose culture speaks of a time long past and a proud and noble ancestry. Yet this noble heritage of the mountain region is slowly withdrawing its graces from its people and from those that benefit below these towers. The forests no longer speak and the waters slowly choked by silt and pollution and each year crystal droplets flow in ever smaller amounts starving the farms that rely on this constant supply of life from the mountains above.
Greenpeace Protest Against Australian Mining Company on Rapu-Rapu Island: 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.
Bayan Muna and KMU speakers tour Australia: Philippines Human Rights – a Catholic Mission forum – Sydney NSW
Catholic Mission hosted a presentation on the politically motivated assassinations of over 700 people and the human rights situation in the Philippines on Thursday, August 3, 2006.

Catholic Justice and Peace Commission (CJPC) – Brisbane Qld.
On August 7, the CJPC hosted a lunchtime gathering with Angelina Ladera, National Executive Committee member of the KMU Labor Center.
‘Human Rights: Philippines’: by ALP Senator Gavin Marshall

I am taking this opportunity in the adjournment debate tonight to alert the Senate to a report launched at Parliament House yesterday. The report, entitled Getting Away With Murder — Impunity for Those Targeting Church Workers in the Philippines, was produced by the Uniting Church in Australia’s Justice and International Mission Unit. This report serves to highlight the numerous cases of murders and death threats perpetrated against the citizens of the Philippines and provides a detailed description of 14 cases of Uniting Church of Christ members who have been murdered in the past two years.
Philippines: Political Killings, Human Rights And The Peace Process: Amnesty International Report (Summary)

Over recent years the number of killings of political and community activists in the Philippines, predominantly those associated with legal leftist or left-orientated groups, have continued to increase. In the first six months of 2006 alone at least 51 killings took place, compared to the 66 collated by Amnesty International in the whole of 2005.
Issues and Problems in Filipino-Australian Marriages: by Rhodora A. Abano, Center for Migrant Advocacy

From 1989-2005, the Commission on Filipinos Overseas provided guidance to 284,841 Filipino partners of foreign nationals. In 2003 Filipino-Australian couples were the third largest grouping, following Filipino-American and Filipino-Japanese couples. Women account for 89% of Filipino-Australian intermarriage.
'Evil husband' action thrown out: Sydney's "most evil husband"

A man once dubbed Sydney's "most evil husband" has lost his bid to sue police from his prison cell over the investigation into the death of his second wife.

Thomas Andrew Keir today lost his District Court bid for up to $750,000 compensation for psychological damage he claims he suffered after police detained him the day his second wife, Rosalina Canonisado, was found strangled.
Recovering the stolen wages: A Matter of Social Justice

Rosalind Kidd's new book Trustees on Trial: Recovering the stolen wages was launched on 14 September 2006 at the Brisbane Writers Festival by the Hon John von Doussa QC, President of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission and Alf Lacey, Stolen Wages Working Group member from Palm Island. The following are extracts from the transcriptions of the presentations by John von Doussa and Dr Rosalind Kidd.
LHMU News Canberra restaurant faces $250,000 fine in Filipino guest worker case Union 'unfortunately not surprised' restaurant workers underpaid Senator Vanstone's 'own goal' on hospitality worker underpayments October 17th Clean Start Anti-Poverty Day: An intense LHMU Hospitality Union campaign has led to a Canberra restaurant ending up in the Federal Court facing a possible fine of nearly $250,000 over its mistreatment of foreign guest workers.
A Celebration with a Difference: Share the 20 Year Journey of Immigrant Women’s Support Service.

Forum - “Moving Beyond Rhetoric to Diversity in Practice: A Human Rights Framework to Address Violence Against Women”

DATE: Thursday 9th and Friday 10th November 2006
VENUE: Bardon Conference Centre, 390 Simpsons Road, Bardon, Brisbane.