A Week of Action On Mining in Central America
31 July 2006
Spotlight on community rights and the environment moves mining in front of public eye.
Mining companies have gotten wind of Central America: In Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua there are now more than 250 mining licenses granted by governments for exploration.
Each holds the promise of attractive earnings from gold and silver for companies and governments. But not everyone in these small and densely populated countries is optimistic about mining. Communities near mines --particularly indigenous peoples with close ties to the land-- are concerned that the social and environmental costs of mining are not taken into account, and the benefits of mining are not shared with those negatively affected by mines.
Environmental organizations and communities in these four countries educated the public about the potential consequences of mining in a recent “Central American week of action against mining”. The goal of the week was to raise awareness on mining policies and impacts, and open up a debate on the role of mining in economic development.
Organizers staged workshops, meetings, press conferences, and held marches. These efforts succeeded in moving the debate on mining into the public agenda. National media took on the theme, and government ministries and mining companies reacted.
In a national forum in El Salvador, the Minister of Environment, Hugo Barrera, assured participants that national and international laws will be respected in the process of approving mining projects. “There are no laws that prohibit mining projects” Barrera said, “but, there are mechanisms and laws for regulating them.” He recognized that the Salvadoran laws may have gaps on account of inexperience. “Where the Salvadoran law falls short, we will apply regulations established in developed countries. Projects that contradict these laws and regulations will not be approved.”
Yanira Cortéz, Deputy Attorney for the Defense of Human Rights, spoke of the close relationship between human rights and the environment. “The protection of the environment is the protection of human rights. Contamination of the environment is a threat to one’s life and health. The methods that need to be taken are preventative. How will we be able to reinstate the health of people, once the damage has been done?”
The week culminated in a series of activities with an international flavor in Sipakapa, Guatemala, as part of a celebration of the one-year anniversary of a community referendum on mining. In this referendum, the indigenous neighbors of the Marlin Mine voted overwhelmingly against the mining activities in their community, asserting their right to “free, prior, and informed consent” for any mining in their community. To date however, the legal situation is indecisive and Glamis Gold, owner of the Marlin Mine, continues operating.
Magali Rey Rosa from the environmentalist organization “Madre Selva”, a partner of Oxfam America, said the Week of Action was a success in Guatemala. “In Guatemala, mining has been a very hot topic in the last few months. What we sought through this Week of Action was to keep this topic on the government’s agenda,” she said.
“For the citizens of Sipakapa, the activities were very very important,” she said. “Many delegations from the interior of Guatemala arrived to share their experiences and to give their testimonies. International delegations from Honduras, Mexico and Europe also attended. It was a success. The spirits of the people of Sipakapa have been raised again.”
