Yesterday we visited ADES, a group heavily
involved in the on-going struggle against Canadian mining companies here in El
Salvador. This is an incredible story
that all Canadians really need to know about.
Canadian mining companies are active
throughout Latin America causing significant pollution problems and a high
level of strife within communities. In
Guatemala and Honduras there are many examples of environmental degradation
caused by mining operations. In
Guatemala, HudBay employees have been accused of sexually assaulting women in one of the communities they operate in. As
a result, a civil suit has been filed in Canada against Hudbay.
In El Salvador, there are over 25 permits
pending to start mining operations in this country. Over 25 permits to mine in a country with a
population density of 300 people per square kilometer. A country where only 3% of the water is
drinkable and 90% of the forests have been cut down.
The main Canadian company here has been
Pacific Rim. It has conducted
environmental assessments in a variety of locations throughout the
country. They used an American company
for these assessments, a company that has misrepresented information in its
reports in the past.
Starting in 2004, communities and NGOs in
El Salvador started to organize against these companies. They worried that
mining operations would pollute the water and land and displace people from the
meager holdings they possessed.
The struggle has continued since this time. In the intervening years, the Church and even
the right-wing ARENA government of the time sided with the communities against
the Canadians.
Pacific Rim tried a number of tactics to
gain the support of the community. They
first tried to bribe community leaders, offering up to a million dollars for
‘development projects’ in their jurisdictions.
ADES, now leading the opposition to these projects always said no to
these offers.
Next they tried intimidation tactics
including death threats. In 2009 they went
even further. Marcello Rivera, one of
the main activists against Canadian mining was kidnapped, tortured and
killed. He was found 12 days after his
capture at the bottom of a 30-meter well.
Later the same year, two other activists were killed – one a woman 8
months pregnant.
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| part of the mural commerating the work of Marcello Rivera in St. Isodor |
That same year, Pacific Rim began an
intimidation campaign against the government and people of El Salvador. They filed a lawsuit demanding $77 million
from the Salvadoran Government. No one
understands where this figure came from.
It is estimated that in the 10 years Pacific Rim had been doing
explorations they had spent only $13 million.
More recently, Pacific Rim has been sold to
the Australian mining company, Oceana Gold.
Oceana is now suing the Salvadoran Government for over $400
million. There is no logical reason why
this amount has been increased from $77 million.
The case will be heard starting September
15.
Why has this been allowed to continue? This is not something that could happen in
Canada, why do we allow Canadian companies to act in such a way in other
countries?
Canada is clearly not the good guy in this
story. We are the bully doing all we can
to secure profits for a few shareholders.
Canadians need to know this story and pressure their government to do
something about these 21st century robber barons.
Just when El Salvador is finally getting
the opportunity to build up its physical and social infrastructure Canadian
companies are trying their best to destroy it.
This should be stopped, we should all be in
solidarity with the Salvadoran people.
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| Our group met with ADES for most of the morning earlier this week |
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