CANADIAN GOVERNMENT & MINING COMPANIES PURSUING GUATEMALAN RICHES

Below, you will find a series of connected articles:

- A Prensa Libre (Guatemalan newspaper) article, setting out how local Mayan
communities do not want gold mining operations to take place in their region
of Guatemala; and this, despite assurances that the Canadian Glamis Gold
mining company and the Guatemalan government gave to the International
Monetary Fund to secure a $45 million loan, that they had carried out
extensive consultations with the local populations, in accordance with
international law!

- A Prensa Libre (Guatemalan newspaper) op-ed piece by James Lambert,
Canadian ambassador to Guatemala, in praise of mining, making a series of
mis-leading comparisons between mining in Canada and Guatemala, over-looking
obvious and devastating truths about repression, exploitation and a lack of
rule of law in Guatemala today, and about the negative impact of Canadian
mining companies [ex: INCO] in Guatemala in the past.

- A Prensa Libre (Guatemalan newspaper) op-ed piece by a Guatemalan
enviro-activist and journalist, responding to some of the points the
ambassador makes.

RIGHTS ACTION Commentary: There are many other things that one could say of
the Canadian Ambassador’s comments. If the Canadian government feels so
strongly about mining as a tool of good development economics, then why
would Canada not support the efforts of Guatemalan-owned and operated mining
companies to explore and exploit their own resources, for themselves ... ?
The answer is obvious – Canada promotes mining in Guatemala (Honduras,
Colombia, Peru, etc.) because it is good business for Canada and Canadian
mining investors, not because it is good for local development in Guatemala
(or wherever). Global mining more often than not is counter to and
undermines good, sustainable development policies in Guatemala (and
elsewhere).

Please re-distribute this information. If you want on-off this elist:
info@rightsaction.org.

TO MAKE TAX-CHARITABLE DONATIONS for community development projects in Mayan
and Indigenous communities in Guatemala and Honduras, where there are global
mining companies making harmful incursions, see below. (Many thanks to
Rosalind Gill for her solidarity work in translating these articles)

===

Prensa Libre, November 4, 2004.

"OPPOSITION TO MINING ACTIVITY IN SAN MARCOS" -- Inhabitants of two
municipalities declare that mining exploitation will cause harm to the
environment, by Alberto Ramírez.

People living near mining projects in San Miguel Ixtahuacán and Sipacapa,
San Marcos, have expressed their opposition to extraction of gold in the
area. The majority of those who participated in a survey carried out by Vox
Latina were of the opinion that not only would mining exploitation not
benefit the community, it would also harm the environment.

A total of 95.5% of those surveyed were against the implementation of the
mining project in the Marquense municipalities. The project is presently in
the installation phase, and could begin extracting gold next year. Only 4.5%
support the project. 96% of the men surveyed are opposed to it, as well, 94%
of women, 95% of indigenous peoples and 96% of ladinos said they opposed it.

Despite the Government's insistence that these communities will benefit from
the mining project, the local population has a different view of the
situation. 83.5 % of those surveyed believe that gold extraction will bring
destruction to the area, while 8.75 believe that it will create prosperity
in the area. 83.5% believe that mining will have a negative impact, 11.5%
believe that it will benefit the community.

95.5% of those surveyed are of the opinion that it is the owners of the
mining company who stand to gain from this transaction, only 2.5% believe
that the local population will receive dividends. On the issue of whether
they knew that the previous government had granted a gold extraction
concession in Sipacapa and San Miguel Ixtahuacán, 62% said they were aware
of this, while 37.75% were not.

As well, the community does not believe that the Executive Branch will
attempt to control the mining activity: 84% believe that the Government is
not concerned about the fact that mineral extraction may harm the health of
the local population and as well, harm natural resources. Only 10.5% believe
that the Government is in fact concerned about these issues.

CONCERN FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

In the community, there is a basic concern for the preservation of our
natural resources: 81.75% of the sample said that protection of the
environment is important for them, while 11.75% said that development of the
economy and of the area is of more importance.
As well, 54.75% responded that there are insufficient water supplies in the
area while 45.25% said that there is enough water.

Environmental groups such as MadreSelva and Centro de Acción Ambiental share
the local population's vision of the situation. These groups have pointed
out that mining activity is responsible for the visual impact on the
mountains, which have been undergone environmental damage. As well, they say
that there is a risk of contaminating water sources through the use of
cyanide to leach gold from other metals.

CREDIBILITY: THEY PLACE MORE TRUST IN THE CHURCH

The local population trusts the Catholic Church of San Marco more than the
Government, given that the bishops are better informed on the effects of
gold mining than President Óscar Berger. 73.5% of the population of San
Miguel Iztahuacán and Sipacapa who participated in the survey were of the
opinion that the Church knows more about the dangers of this mining activity
than the Government. Only 13.75% believe that Berger is well informed.
12.75% chose not to participate in the survey.

One month ago, the Episcopal Conference, expressing fear of environmental
damage, asked Berger to overturn the mining concession granted to the Marlin
project (a Canadian company) in San Marcos. The Government responded by
saying that the Church was poorly informed on the issue. This caused
friction in the relationship between Cardinal Rodolfo Quezada Toruño and the
Government. Later, Berger was forced to make amends.

79.29% of the community believes that the Catholic church of San Marcos
knows the needs and problems of these communities better than the Government
does. 11.5% believes that the Executive Branch is able to deal properly with
these issues.

===

Prensa Libre (Guatemalan Newspaper), November 4, 2004.

FEATURE ARTICLE: "Mining in Canada."

Like Guatemala, Canada is recognized throughout the world for its rich
natural resources. by James Lambert, Canadian Ambassador to Guatemala

Is it possible for a country to be recognized as one of the most socially
and environomentally responsible countries in the world, near the top of the
list in the Environment Sustainability Index and at the same time, be a
major mining country, with a mining industry that contributes 41.1 billion
dollars to its economy?

This is indeed possible, and it is true of Canada. I have been following the
national debate in Guatemala on the impact of mining, and as several
Canadian companies have been implicated in this debate, I think it would be
useful to examine the Canadian mining experience.

Like Guatemala, Canada is recognized throughout the world for the richness
of its natural resources. We have been able to exploit these resources
through our tourist industry, but at the same time, we have developed one
of the most productive and technically advanced industries of the Canadian
economy, through exploitation of our forests, water, metals and minerals.

The importance of natural resources in the economic development of a country
cannot be denied.

However, if the tremendous potential for growth through the natural
resources industry is to be maximized, attention must be paid to the manner
in which social, economic and environmental issues are impacted, and the
interests of all sectors effected must be accounted for.

This principle is also central to the concept of sustainability and can be
seen in the motto of our Ministry of Natural Resources "Canada's Natural
Resources, Now and for the Future".

In Canada, mining exploration and exploitation is carried out in all
provinces and territories, creating economic and social opportunities for
many communities, including some 200 indigenous communities.

Through sustainable development of our mining resources, these communities
are creating the economic, cultural and social infrastructure necessary to
secure their future and the future of their children.

From its earliest history, Canada has been, and continues to be essentially
a mining country. Throughout our long history of nearly 150 years of mining
production, our country has become one of the most "intelligent"
administrators, promoters, users and exporters of natural resources in the
world.

Today, Canadian businesses are on the vanguard of high technology,
environmental protection and social responsibility. This is why they are
leaders of many of the most successful mining operations in the world.
We invite you to visit our web page: www.guatemala.gc.ca

Ambassador of Canada to Guatemala (gtmla@international.gc.ca)

===

Prensa Libre
November 5, 2004

Response to the Canadian Ambassador from the MadreSelva Collective: Mining
in Guatemala, by Magali Rey Rosa

The debate over mining should focus on the impacts of this activity. Rather
than comparing a southern country with a northern country, the debate should
address the reality of the situation in Guatemala.

Yesterday, on this same page, the Canadian Ambassador, James Lambert, wrote
an article in which he examines the experience of mining in his country.
While the article is interesting, I do not think that it is appropriate to
compare a country like Canada with a country like Guatemala.

In the first place, if we look at the size and population of both countries,
Canada has more than 9 million square kilometers of surface, while Guatemala
has a little less than 100 thousand square kilometers.
The population of Canada is 31 million and that of Guatemala is 11 million.
(2002) This means that Canada has 3 inhabitants per square kilometer, while
Guatemala has more than 100 inhabitants per square kilometer.

Canada occupies third place amongst countries with the highest human
development index; Guatemala places 121st . The deforestation of Canada is
0.1 % annually, in Guatemala it is approximately 10% annually.

In Canada, the indigenous population is 1.5%, in Guatemala, it is more than
50%.

We can say that Canada is a large, sparsely populated country with a small
indigenous population, where most people live well.

Guatemala is a small, densely populated country, with a large indigenous
population, where most people live badly. We could also include data on
justice and impunity, education, access to healthcare services, etc, but I
believe that I have made it clear that the differences between the two
countries are profound, on many levels, and that it is thus not appropriate
to attempt to compare them.

According to the United Nations, the increase in investment in mining
industries has had a huge negative impact on the lifestyle of local
communities around the world. Guatemalan communities who are opposed to
mining in their area are aware of this reality. The survey published
yesterday in the Prensa Libre testifies clearly to this.

I understand that one of the responsibilities of an ambassador is to look
after the investments of companies from his country and therefore, as many
of the transnational mining companies are based on Canadian capital, Mr.
Lambert took the time to write an article on this issue.

But I believe that it is the responsibility of Guatemalans to ensure that
the appropriate evaluations are carried out, because our country and our
future are at stake. The debate over mining should focus on the impacts of
this activity and should take the national (Guatemalan) reality in account
rather than comparing a southern country with a northern country.

===

To make TAX CHARITABLE DONATIONS for the community development work of
community-based Indigenous development organizations,
make check payable to "Rights Action" and mail to: UNITED STATES: 1830
Connecticut Av, NW, Washington DC, 20009; CANADA: 509 St. Clair Ave W,
box73527, Toronto ON, M6C-1C0.

Donate on-line in the USA & Canada: www.rightsaction.org

CFC # 9914

===

RIGHTS ACTION, with its main office in Guatemala, is tax-charitable NGO that
supports community development, relief and human rights work in Chiapas,
Guatemala, Honduras, Haiti, Peru, Nicaragua, and engages in north-south
education and work related to global development and human rights issues.

CONTACT US:
- to come to Central America on a fact-finding educational delegation
- to be a community development and human rights accompanier in Guatemala

info@rightsaction.org/ 416-654-2074/ www.rightsaction.org

===