(Montreal/Val d’Or) Quebec groups welcome and respect the decision announced today by Malartic residents to accept an out-of-court agreement with Canadian Malartic Mine Corporation (Agnico-Eagle/Yamana Gold).
In 2016, residents launched an unprecedented multi-million class suit against the largest Canadian gold producer for its noise, dust, blasting, and ground tremors impacts.
Group will meet with investors, politicians and representatives of international organizations in seven countries to discuss shared responsibility for deaths and other violations caused by mineral extractivism
Since October 2, Indigenous organizations, along with trade unions, social movements and peasant organizations have been demonstrating across Ecuador against a set of economic austerity measures (called the Paquetazo) imposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other international lending institutions that have resulted in increases of up to 120% in fuel prices; labour reforms that seriously undermine worker protections in Ecuador, such as job precarization, a downward “harmonization” of wages resulting in a 20% cut for new contracts in public sector jobs; and imposition of extractive projects (mining, oil, and gas) in a misdirected effort to solve the debt crisis. These mobilizations are indicative of a broad, decades-long opposition of Indigenous and campesino communities in particular to the imposition of extractive projects in their territories.
From CONAIE to the Country
(October 10, 2019) We have seen days filled with agitation. We have been surprised by our own capacity to fight and resist, and we have demonstrated to the world that the Indigenous movement and the Ecuadorian peoples are one single force, and, from the place that history has granted us, we have made the power tremble. We have stated our position: this does not end until the IMF leaves Ecuador.
On September 6th, the Institute for Policy Studies and Earthworks released a report (attached to this post) with worrisome conclusions regarding the ongoing consultation process around Canadian mining company Pan American Silver's Escobal mine.
Originally posted on The Manila Standard, October 08, 2019 by Tony La Viña
"Such sentiments must be respected and not disregarded by the national government."
(Quito, Ecuador) Indigenous peoples across Ecuador have mobilized against the central government’s neoliberal policies and extractive practices, as have workers unions, student unions and a diverse group of civil society. Our civil disobedience has included marches, road blocks, and the detention of military and police personnel accused of violence and aggression within indigenous territories. Currently, over 20,000 indigenous peoples from the Andes to the Amazon are marching to the capital city of Quito in indefinite protest.
MiningWatch expresses growing concern for the “State of Exception” (State of Emergency) declared by Ecuadorian president Lenin Moreno on October 3rd which seeks to grant exceptional powers to the police and military forces to repress Indigenous and civil society mobilizations against the so-called “paquetazo” (package) of austerity measures.
Originally posted in The Manila Standard, October 05, 2019 by Tony La Viña
"In fact, the mine should be closed."
On Sept. 24 2019, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau endorsed the interim renewal of OceanaGold’s financial and technical assistance agreement [FTAA].
