September 23, 2006
GUATEMALA: More Mining Problems
BELOW:
article [English y en Espanol] by Magali Rey Rosa: “MORE MINING PROBLEMS:
METAL MINING IS CAUSING INCREASED CONFLICT AND THE SITUATION IS GETTING OUT
OF CONTROL”
article by Andrew Buncombe of The Independent: “MAYANS OCCUPY CANADIAN-OWNED
MINE IN CAMPAIGN FOR FARMING LAND”
what to do
if you want on-off our elist: info@rightsaction.org
===
MORE MINING PROBLEMS: METAL MINING IS CAUSING INCREASED CONFLICT AND THE
SITUATION IS GETTING OUT OF CONTROL
by Magalí Rey Rosa, Prensa Libre, September 22, 2006 (Translated for Rights
Action by Rosalind Gill)
The situation is getting difficult for mining companies that plan to exploit
minerals in the Department of Izabal.
This week, a delegation of representatives from various Q'eqchis communities
appeared before the Energy and Mining Commission of Congress. The
delegation stated that they had bought land from INTA but that they had
never received titles for the properties.
They also stated that the land that was recently granted to the Guatemala
Nickel Company (CGN) [subsidiary of Skye Resources] when the Eximbal mining
concession [former subsidiary of INCO] was re-negotiated included the
properties that these communities had already bought and paid for.
Furthermore, they said, local communities had never been informed or
consulted regarding the granting of this land to the CGN [Skye Resources].
"Some years ago, Eximbal [INCO] invaded our lands. These properties are the
legacy of the work of our grandfathers and grandmothers; they worked,
sweated and sacrificed themselves for these lands over a long period of
time. Suddenly the CGN appeared and was able to appropriate part of our
lands. This was an unjust blow to the Maya Q'eqchi people. As we have been
unable to find a solution to this problem, we have no other option but to
occupy the following areas as of September 17, 2006: Barrio la Revolución,
Chichipate, 200 families, Communidad la Paz Quebrada Seca, Santa María, 80
families, and in Colonia la Pista, 100 families." (From a press release
issued recently)
The delegation also stated to members of Congress that mining is not a mode
of development that is compatible with their lifestyle. They are very
concerned about the future of the fisherman of Izabal.
In Morales, to the south of Lake Izabal, a strong movement against metal
mining is growing. BHP Billiton, through its subsidiary, Mayaníquel S.A.
(formerly Jaguar Nickel), is attempting to start working in this area. The
local population does not want to lose the lake. Although the process for
separating metals uses fire, and not water, they know that water will be
used to cool down the machinery and that the water will be sterilized by
high temperatures, which is lethal for the biodiversity of the lake.
They also know that mining will have an effect on water sources and put an
end to the development of ecotourism, for which there is a high potential in
this department.
To avoid future confrontation, local residents invited the Mining Commission
to visit the area and see for themselves what is happening.
According to a study carried out by the University of San Carlos, in San
Marcos, there is concern that Montana [Glamis Gold Inc.] may be extracting
mercury. This information appeared in a bulletin issued by Congress on
September 6th. The bulletin also says that this information will be shared
with human rights institutions and the local population. We are still
waiting for this to happen!
===
"Más problemas mineros: Las mineras de metales están aumentando la
conflictividad y la ingobernabilidad"
Por: Magalí Rey Rosa, Prensa Libre, 22 de setiembre de 2006
En el departamento de Izabal las cosas se ponen difíciles para las compañías
mineras que pretenden explotar minerales. Esta semana, una delegación de
representantes de varias comunidades q’eqchís se presentó ante la Comisión
de Energía y Minas del Congreso. Cuentan que ellos compraron tierras al
INTA, pero nunca les dieron títulos de propiedad. Entre el territorio que
recientemente fue otorgado a la Compañía Guatemalteca de Niquel (CGN) cuando
se renegoció la concesión que fuera de Exmibal, se incluyeron las tierras
que ellos pagaron ya; transacción sobre la que jamás les informaron o
consultaron, y que afecta tierras que son de su propiedad.
“Desde hace años Exmibal invadió nuestras tierras, herencia y trabajo de
nuestros abuelos y abuelas; ellos las trabajaron desde mucho tiempo y para
eso derramaron sudor y sacrificios. De pronto aparece esa empresa CGN la que
tan fácilmente se apropió parte de estas propiedades. Este hecho fue un acto
injusto en contra de nuestra población maya Q’eqchí. Al no encontrar
solución a esta problemática que nos afecta nos vimos en la grave necesidad
de ocupar estas tierras el 17 de septiembre de 2006: en Barrio La
Revolución, Chichipate, 200 famillias; Comunidad La Paz Quebrada Seca, Santa
María, 80 familias y en Colonia La Pista, 100 familias” dice parte de un
comunicado que han hecho circular.
Afirmaron también, ante varios diputados, que para ellos la minería no es un
modelo de desarrollo compatible con su forma de vida. Piensan con
preocupación qué va a ser de los pescadores de Izabal.
En Morales, al sur del lago Izabal, crece un fuerte movimiento de
resistencia a la minería metálica donde quiere trabajar la minera BHP
Billiton a través de su subsidiaria Mayaníquel S.A.(anteriormente Jaguar
Nickel). La gente no quiere perder su lago, pues aunque el proceso de
separación metálica fuera pirometalurgía (a base de fuego y no de agua)
saben que se utilizará agua para enfriar la maquinaria y que ésta quedará
esterilizada por las altas temperaturas, lo cual es letal para la
biodiversidad del lago.
También saben que la explotación minera afectará sus nacimientos de agua y
puede matar el desarrollo ecoturístico para el cual tiene tanto potencial
ese departamento. Los pobladores han invitado a la Comisión de Minería de
Congreso para que sean testigos de su posición y evitar confrontaciones.
En San Marcos hay preocupación ante la posibilidad de que Montana esté
extrayendo mercurio, según un estudio elaborado por la Universidad de San
Carlos. Esta información aparece en el boletín informativo del Congreso de
la República del 6 de septiembre, donde también dice que el informe será
compartido con las instituciones de derechos humanos y la población.
¡Estamos esperando!
===
“MAYANS OCCUPY CANADIAN-OWNED MINE IN CAMPAIGN FOR FARMING LAND”
by Andrew Buncombe of The Independent, September 22, 2006
Hundreds of families of Mayan Indians have occupied part of a large nickel
mine owned by a Canadian company in Guatemala and demanded they be given
land for subsistence farms.
Concerned about the threat that the mine allegedly poses to the environment
and land rights, about 2,000 Q'eqchi Indians moved on to three separate
areas of the mining complex and began setting up makeshift camps.
Campaigners say the UN-sponsored Truth Commission - part of a 1996 peace
agreement that ended Guatemala's brutal civil war - demanded that indigenous
communities with historical claims to land have the right to determine how
it is used.
The Indians moved on to the currently inactive mine site near Lake Izabal in
north-east Guatemala, owned by Vancouver-based Skye Resources, at the
weekend. Father Dan Vogt, a Catholic priest and co-ordinator of a community
development group, Aepdi, said they had long been campaigning for the
company to provide them with land to farm.
Speaking from El Estor, the nearest community, he told The Independent:
"They got fed up and decided to take action. There were around 350 families
- around 2,000 people. They are still there, building houses. The company
has told me they are not willing to negotiate until they move."
Skye bought the site from another Canadian mining company, Canadian
International Nickel Co, which had operated the mine from the 1960s until
1981. Skye hopes to begin producing up to 11,000 tonnes of ferro-nickel by
the end of 2008.
Campaigners say the plans fit a pattern across other countries in Latin
America where foreign and multinational companies have secured rights to
exploit mineral and other natural resources, with local communities
receiving little in exchange. Elsewhere in Guatemala, and in neighbouring
Honduras, protests have recently been made against the US-Canadian mining
company Glamis, while in Chile protesters have sought to stop the building
of a gold mine by another Canadian company, Barrick.
Grahame Russell, a spokesman for the Canadian-based group Rights Action,
said: "Skye Resources is just one more example of what North American
companies are doing through Latin America. The patterns are being repeated
everywhere and the problems go from A-Z. It starts with a complete absence
of consultation with local communities, which they have a legal right to.
Before people know anything about it they are in the back door with a mining
exploration licence."
A recent report by Oxfam about the El Estor Mayan community said: "Rigorous
strip mining has already degraded the fragile ecosystem, eroding the thin
topsoil in mountain passes inhabited by Mayan communities. The mountainsides
have been deforested, causing landslides and a litany of environmental
hazards. In addition to the environmental threat, there is a long history of
political violence between the mining companies and the indigenous
communities who resist."
Ian Austin, chief executive officer of Skye, said his company was keen to
defuse the tension and avoid confrontation. "Our approach has been to try
and talk with the community and the people in the area and to develop a
win-win situation." He added: "Groups are opposed to mining and that is a
fact of life in our industry."
===
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the U.S., to help support community-based organizations in countries where
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concerning the negative impacts of North American mining companies on
development, the environment and the human rights of local populations in
places like Guatemala and Honduras. North Americans must pressure our media
and politicians to honestly address this issue and then to bring about
changes to Canadian and US laws and “development” policies that promote and
enable the unjust and harmful global mining industry. We must directly
pressure the companies, investors and shareholders so that they are made
fully aware of how their companies are making their profits;
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