Philippines | Thailand

Philippines

Journey on a Culturally Rich River

The southern Menuvo tribe called upon activists and experts to join them in helping protect the sacred sites and historical landmarks of the Mindanawon people, as well as the biodiversity of the Pulangi River. They planned trips to five historical sites along the river and the proposed dam site. A kolahi, a ritualistic summons for support, was preformed when the group reached the sacred burial site of Apu Mamalu as a call for help in defending their ancestral territoy against this mega dam.

Contact
Wilmar Ampuan
E-mail: natabuk [at] yahoo [dot] com

A Series of Organized Events: Clean-up, Talk, & Rally

In Southern Mindanao activists and volunteers organized a sequence of activities in celebration of the Day of Action for Rivers. On March 14th, they held a river clean-up session at the Davao River which highlighted the role of the river in forming Davao as a city. Then, on March 22nd, there will be a meeting and discussion between the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Matigsalug indigenous people concerning illegal commercial logging. This will be followed by a rally against the construction of dams, water privitazation, and the loss of biodiversity in their region.

Contact
Panalipdan
E-mail: panalipdan [dot] smr [at] gmail [dot] com

Thailand

River Blessing

On the Salween River at the Thailand and Burma Border, 600 villagers gathered with community representatives from other rivers such as the Mekong, Irrawaddy, Ping, and Yom. Here they performed a traditional ritual to bless the river's fertility, and announced their opposition against large dams. 

Contact
Pianporn Deetes
E-mail: pai [at] internationalrivers [dot] org

Journalist Action

A statement addressing the threats to the Mekong River was released on March 14th. The article asks us to "reflect upon the life-giving benefits that rivers provide" especially in relation to the Mekong River, which sustains millions of people.

Read the Statement

Contact
Carl Middleton
E-mail: carl [at] internationalrivers [dot] org