Philippine archbishop: Poor suffer from struggle to control resources

Published: 2008-02-27

DAVAO, Philippines (CNS) -- The struggle to control the abundant natural resources of the southern Philippine island of Mindanao inevitably results in violence directed at the poor, said a prominent church leader. "For a long time, business people have been coming into Mindanao using the government and military structures to get when they want, but the people, inspired by the official teachings of the church about what is just and what is unjust, get organized and protest against the mining companies and illegal logging and other activities," said Archbishop Fernando Capalla of Davao. "And many people have died because the military has been paid just to get rid of the people." The prelate was particularly critical of Growth with Equity in Mindanao, a U.S. government-funded program known locally as GEM, and said that the program "is supposed to help the poor and poor areas." "But one of the heads of the program left the country because he found out that the real reason behind GEM is to locate resources where future projects can be sited," the archbishop told Catholic News Service.

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