Letter: Two hundred and thirty three civil society groups from thirty countries, all organizations working for the protection of human rights and the environment in the Americas and Europe, jointly wrote the Inter-American Commission on Human Right (IACHR) to raise concern over recent decisions that reduce the effectiveness of its human rights protection mechanisms.
The letter comes on the heels of the IACHR's decision of December 7, 2011 to modify precautionary measures protecting 18 indigenous Mam and Sipakense communities affected by a large, open-pit gold mine—the Marlin mine—in Guatemala’s western highlands. The IACHR reversed its decision requesting Guatemala suspend operations at the Marlin mine, despite affected peoples’ claims, supported by independent studies, that the mine is contaminating the communities’ drinking water, potentially affecting public health, and jeopardizing the personal security of environmental defenders and the social fabric of these communities.
Copies of the letter and a full list of signatories is attached in English, Spanish and French.