NISGUA Fall Tour 2014

FULL ITINERARY:

SEATTLE, WA.; OCTOBER 2-6

Area Contact Phil Neff: phil.neff@gmail.com

OCTOBER 2

Seattle University, 1:30-2:30pm

901 12th Avenue

Bannan Building, Room 102

Seattle, WA 98122

Traditions Fair Trade Café; 7-8:30pm

$5-15 Sliding Donation

300 5^th Avenue SW

Olympia, WA 98501

OCTOBER 3
Duwamish Longhouse & Cultural Center, 5:00pm

With Special Guest: Ken Workman of the Duwamish Tribal Council

$5-15 Sliding Donation

4705 W Marginal Way SW

Seattle, WA 98106

OCTOBER 4

KEXP Radio Interview, 7:15-8:00am

Black Coffee Café; 1:30 - 3:30pm
Cosponsored by Rising Tide Seattle with Sweetwater Nannauck of Idle No More Washington

501 E Pine Street

Seattle, WA

St. Leo's Church Community Event; 6:15-7:45pm
710 S 13th Street
Tacoma, WA

OCTOBER 5

Rest

OCTOBER 6
University of Puget Sound, 12:30pm

Murray Board Room

Wheelock Center

University of Washington, 5:00pm

Allen Auditorium

482 Allen Library

Seattle, WA 98195

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PORTLAND, OR.; OCTOBER 7-8

OCTOBER 7

Lunchtime Talk with Lewis and Clark Law, 12-1pm
Sponsored by the Environmental Justice Advocates at Lewis and Clark Law School

10015 SW Terwilliger Blvd.

Portland, OR 97219

Contact: Jonathan Ostar – jon@opalpdx.org

Buscando America, Radio Program on KBOO Community Radio, 1:10-2:00pm
Listen live at kboo.fm or in Portland, OR at 90.7fm

Community event with American Friends Service Committee, 3:00pm

Multnomah Meeting House

4312 SE Stark Street

Portland, OR 97215

Contact: Pedro Sosa – psosa@afsc.org

Community event with OPAL - Environmental Justice Oregon, 6:00pm

2407 SE 49th Ave. (corner of Division St.)

Portland, OR 97206

Contact: Jonathan Ostar –  jon@opalpdx.org

OCTOBER 8
Portland Community College SE Campus, 11:00am-12:00pm and 12:00-1:00pm

2305 SE 82nd Avenue

Mt. Tabor Hall
Portland, OR 97216

Contact: Kathleen Holloway; khollowa@pcc.edu

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SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA,  CA.; OCTOBER 9-13

Area Contact: Megan Whelan; megan@nisgua.org

 
OCTOBER 9
City College of San Francisco, 10:30am

1125 Valencia Street, Room 109

San Francisco, CA

San Francisco State University, 2:00pm

1630 Holloway Avenue; Library Room 121

San Francisco, CA

OCTOBER 10

Santa Clara University, 11:45am

500 El Camino Real

Recital Hall (1^st floor in the Music & Dance Facility)

Campus Map: http://www.scu.edu/map/73/

Santa Clara, CA 95053

California Institute for Integral Studies, 7:00pm

1453 Mission Street

San Francisco, CA 94103

OCTOBER 12
Community event at the Mexican Heritage Plaza 10:00am
Sponsored by New Fire, The School for Arts and Culture and Teatro Visión

Lobby Meeting Room

1700 Alum Rock Avenue

San Jose, CA 95116

Indigenous Peoples Day Forum on Resistance and Resilience in the Face of Displacement; 4:30pm

Sponsored by: GABRIELA SF; Movement Generation; New Fire; APEN; AROC

Good Samaritan Family Resource Center

1294 Potrero Avenue

 San Francisco, CA 94110

OCTOBER 13

Indigenous People’s Day Sunrise Ceremony; 5:30am

Alcatraz Island

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WASHINGTON, D.C.; OCTOBER 14-15

OCTOBER 14

Brown Bag Lunch Presentation at the Center for International Environmental Law, 12:00pm

1350 Connecticut Ave NW Suite 1100

Washington, DC 20036
Contact: Amanda Kistler: akistler@ciel.org

OCTOBER 15

Howard University School of Law, 12:00pm

Pauline Murray Conference Room
2900 Van Ness Street NW
Washington, DC 20008
Contact:  profsimms@earthlink.net

UUCA/PAG event, 7:00pm

4444 Arlington Boulevard

Arlington, VA 22204

Contact: Erin Fitzgerald; erin.lynn.fitzgerald@comcast.net

Communities in Santa Rosa and Jalapa launch campaign to halt Tahoe Resources' expansion

"Water and life are worth more than silver or gold. You are intelligent, don't let them fool you." Community organized billboard campaign in Santa Rosa and Jalapa. Photo NISGUA

In February 2013, the community of San Juan Bosco, located just 8 miles from Tahoe Resources' massive Escobal silver mine, held a referendum in which 99% of people voted against mining. Local residents were not just concerned about impacts of the Escobal mine on their water and crops, but about another Tahoe exploration license, Juan Bosco, which is located, as the name suggests, right on top of the small farming community. Now, nine months after Tahoe announced a start to operations at Escobal, the Environmental Impact Assessment for the Juan Bosco license has been published for public comment, indicating an important step forward in the granting of the exploitation permit.

In an ongoing attempt to make their voices heard, communities of Santa Rosa and Jalapa announced last Monday the launch of a campaign to halt Tahoe's expansion. The company's plans to exploit at least 12 mineral veins in an area covering 2,398 square kilometers are moving swiftly ahead despite community opposition and more than a dozen referenda in which more than 53,000 people in six municipalities voted against mining in their territory. See the full press release from communities below.

Residents of Mataquescuintla map Tahoe mining licenses compared to the location of communities, local water sources and forests. Photo NISGUA

Tahoe's decision to move forward with the Juan Bosco license was met with concern and frustration by local residents. At a press conference in Guatemala City on September 1, one resident commented, “In San Juan Bosco we feel indignant because we already had our referenda. We are a community that depends on agriculture and this mine threatens our water. That is why we continue to oppose these projects.”

Likewise, representatives from 10 communities, including three Xinca indigenous communities impacted by Tahoe's expansion plans in the departments of Santa Rosa and Jalapa, expressed concern that neither Tahoe, nor the Guatemalan government respect their right to consultation and self-determination. They also denounced local mayors who are accepting mining royalties against the will of the people.

A representative from the municipality of Santa Rosa de Lima, where in 2012, more than 98% of the population voted against Tahoe Resources' Escobal mine explained: “Our mayor, and others in the region, accepted the royalties – but the money is only serving to line their own pockets... We demand that the government and the company respect our referendum. We may be farmers but we still deserve rights. The constitution applies to everyone.” A representative from San Juan Bosco, in the municipality of San Rafael las Flores where the mine is located agreed: “We haven't seen development. All we have seen are increased conflicts.”

Community representatives also addressed Tahoe Resources' statements contending that the company has social support for the project and that it consulted with local communities, stating “The company says that they consulted with us and that is a lie. What the company does is gather signatures by deceiving people and take advantage of their poverty. The company offers trees or fertilizer and so people give their signatures and ID number. That's not a real consultation.” 

A leader from the Xinca community of Jumaytepeque questioned the discourse of the government and the multinational companies stating, “When they come and tell us that mining brings development, I have to ask, 'then why are we in the same situation, or worse off, than we were 10 years ago?' Every day more and more people are living in poverty. And people living near the mines are faced with health problems they never had before.”

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Press Release: Communities of Santa Rosa and Jalapa Organized in Defense of Territory and Nature 

Versión en Español

Since 2012, we have held citizen requested municipal referendums, in which more than 53,000 residents have manifested, through the legitimate exercise of our rights as citizens, that WE DO NOT AGREE with chemical mineral mining in any part of our territory. According to the Constitutional Court, these consultations have been declared constitutionally legal and binding at the municipal level.

Despite the clear rejection of chemical mining of metals in our territory, and with the complicity of the [Guatemalan] government, the company, Minera San Rafael, continues actions focused on entering our municipalities through underhanded measures, knowing full well  that the only thing they achieve is the generation of increased conflict, while disturbing the peace and community tranquillity. Clear proof of this is the granting of the exploration licenses named Juan Bosco and Andres during the first quarter of 2012. These licenses affect municipalities located in [the departments of] Santa Rosa, Jalapa and Guatemala. Now, despite the evident opposition of our communities and in a demonstration of disrespect for the clear wishes of the people, the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources has published the Environmental Impact Assessment (2014-EIA-4413) for the  Juan Bosco Mine Exploitation License (LEXR-089-08), for public comment. 

According to a presentation and information presented to investors in June in Vancouver, Canada, Tahoe Resources Inc. (owner of the Minera San Rafael, S.A.) plans to exploit at least 12 mineral veins in our territory,  including gold, silver, zinc, etc. [According to Tahoe Resources] an area of 2,498 km2 will be exploited through various licenses, some that have already been obtained, others that are still in process. However, [the company] is selling this project to investors as though it already owns the land, arguing that the current government is pro-mining and that in Guatemala they pay an extremely low tax rate, making it a profitable business opportunity. 

Faced with this grave situation, we have expressed our opposition to the chemical metal mining in our territories through municipal and good-faith community referendums. Today we are launching a campaign that seeks to make clear to the pro-mining and sell-out Guatemalan government, as well as the mining companies and their investors, that our land is not for sale. We have a development model that respects the environment and Mother Earth. For us, water and life are worth more, much more, than silver or gold.

Therefore, on more than 100 km of highway in our municipalities we have placed signs so that those who enter our territories know that more than 98% of residents do not want the chemical mineral mining and that we are in constant peaceful resistance to these projects.

Guatemala, August 2014

NISGUA has accompanied communities in opposition to the Tahoe Resources Escobal mine since 2011.

Comunidades de Santa Rosa y Jalapa lanzan campaña contra la expansión de Tahoe Resources

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Comunicado de Prensa: Comunidades Organizadas en Defensa del Territorio y la Naturaleza de Santa Rosa y Jalapa

Valla anti-minera ubicada en Mataquescuintla, Jalapa. Photo NISGUA

Desde el año 2012 a la fecha, en nuestros municipios se han realizado Consultas Municipales a Solicitud de Vecinos, en las cuales más de 53 mil vecinas y vecinos, todos ciudadanos en legitimo ejercicio de nuestros derechos ciudadanos, hemos manifestado de manera legal, que NO ESTAMOS DE ACUERDO, con la actividad de minería química de metales, en ninguna parte de nuestro territorio. Estas consultas han sido declaradas constitucionalmente legales y vinculantes a nivel municipal, según resoluciones de la Corte de Constitucionalidad.

A pesar del claro rechazo a la minería química de metales en nuestro territorio, en complicidad con el Gobierno la Empresa Minera San Rafael, continúa con acciones enfocadas en entrar en nuestros municipios de manera solapada, a sabiendas que lo único que logran con ello es generar alta conflictividad y alteración de la paz social y la tranquilidad comunitaria. Una prueba clara de ello, es el otorgamiento de la licencias de exploración denominadas Juan Bosco y Andrés a penas en el primer cuatrimestre del 2,012 que afectan municipios de Santa Rosa, Jalapa y de Guatemala. Actualmente a pesar de la evidente oposición de nuestras comunidades el Ministerio de Ambiente y Recursos Naturales ha puesto ya a la vista el estudio de impacto ambiental 2014-EAI-4413 PROYECTO DE EXPLOTACION MINERA JUAN BOSCO LEXR-089-08, lo cual es un irrespeto a la clara voluntad del pueblo.

Según la presentación e información brindada a sus accionistas el pasado mes de junio, en Vancouver, Canadá Tahoe Resources Inc. Dueña de Minera San Rafael, S.A. pretenden explotar en nuestro territorio al menos 12 vetas de minerales, tales como oro, plata, zinc, etc. En un área de 2,498 kilómetros cuadrados a través de varias licencias, que ya han obtenido y otras que aun se encuentran en trámite, sin embargo venden a inversionistas este proyecto como si ya hubieran obtenido las tierras, argumentando que actualmente hay un gobierno pro-minero y que en Guatemala se paga una bajísima tasa de impuestos convirtiéndose en un negocio redondo, para ellos.

Ante esta grave situación, las comunidades que a través de la Consultas Municipales a solicitud de Vecinos y Consultas de Buena fé, hemos manifestado que no queremos minería química de metales en nuestros territorios, estamos hoy lanzando una campaña que busca dejar claro tanto a este Gobierno entreguista y pro-minero, como a las empresas mineras y sus accionistas que nuestra tierra no está en venta, que tenemos un modelo de desarrollo amigable con el ambiente y la madre tierra, que para nosotros el agua y la vida vale más, mucho más que la plata y el oro.

Por ello a lo largo de más de 100 kilómetros de carretera hemos colocado vallas en nuestros municipios, para que quienes entren en nuestros territorios, sepan que más del 98% de los vecinos no queremos minería química de metales y estamos en una constante resistencia pacífica en contra de estos proyectos.

Guatemala agosto de 2,014.

Lawsuit Against Tahoe Resources a Wake Up Call for Investors and Canadians

Source:  MiningWatch Canada - Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala (NISGUA) - Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network  

June 18, 2014

(Ottawa/Tatamagouche/Guatemala City) A civil lawsuit filed today in Vancouver against Tahoe Resources for negligence and battery in connection with a shooting at the company’s silver project in Guatemala sends a strong message to investors and all Canadians.

Victims and legal team in Guatemala. Photo: Giles Clarke

Seven victims of a shooting allegedly ordered by Tahoe Resources’ former head of security, Alberto Rotondo, are suing the company for punitive damages. Rotondo is an ex-naval officer from Peru who was indicted in Guatemala on charges related to this attack in May 2013. The Canadian lawsuit represents one of numerous abuses in connection with Tahoe's only asset, which was rushed into production in January 2014 despite strong community opposition.

Violence and repression has marked the development of Tahoe Resources’ Escobal silver project in southeast Guatemala.

“Repression against community leaders involved in organizing local referenda and peaceful protests in opposition to Tahoe’s mine dates back to 2011. Some 90 individuals have faced spurious legal persecution and, in May 2013, a military state of siege was declared in the area surrounding the mine creating a climate of fear and intimidation in order to quash local opposition,” observes Ellen Moore for the Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala (NISGUA).

Tens of thousands have voted against mining in San Rafael Las Flores, where Tahoe currently operates, and in the immediately surrounding municipalities where the company hopes to carry out further exploration.

The widespread opposition is motivated by concerns over the current and future impacts of Tahoe’s operations on local water supplies, as well as community health and agricultural activities. Tahoe’s mine is only two kilometres from the central park in San Rafael Las Flores and mere metres from homes and livestock. 

“This is a company with a troubled history in Guatemala, which should be a cause of concern to Canadians and all investors,” remarks Jackie McVicar from the Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network. “Tahoe Resources is a spin-off company from Vancouver-based Goldcorp, whose Marlin mine in Guatemala’s northwestern highlands has been a source of strife and ongoing Indigenous and human rights violations during the last decade.”

Goldcorp holds 40% of the shares in Tahoe Resources and six of the company’s eight Directors have past or current ties to the gold mining mammoth. Most Canadians are also invested in Tahoe Resources through the Canada Pension Plan, which reported holding CAD $49 million in shares as of March 31, 2014. 

Notably, when Guatemalans sued another Canadian mining company, HudBay Minerals, the company ended up selling off its Fénix nickel project to a Russian firm at a quarter of the price for which it had purchased it. The three lawsuits for the shooting murder of a land rights activist, gang rape of 11 Maya Q’eqchi’ women and shooting paralysis of a young man are ongoing in Ontario courts.

“The abuses for which Tahoe is being sued are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of rampant violations in connection with Canadian mining operations in Guatemala and across the region,” comments Jen Moore for MiningWatch Canada. “This lawsuit should alert Canadians to a much deeper problem with this industry that Canadian authorities are unconditionally promoting abroad.”

Contacts:

Ellen Moore, Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala (NISGUA), (011) 502 4141 1187, ellen(at)nisgua.org 
Jackie McVicar, Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network, (902) 324-2584 btsguatemala(at)gmail.com
Jen Moore, MiningWatch Canada, (613) 569-3439, jen(at)miningwatch.ca 


BACKGROUND

Tahoe Resources’ Escobal silver project in the municipality of San Rafael Las Flores, southeastern Guatemala, is the subject of local opposition and ongoing legal processes against the validity of the exploitation licence. Community leaders have faced repression, criminalization and violence for their efforts to promote community consultation processes. Despite the conflict – or perhaps because of it – Tahoe has rushed to put the mine into operation even before establishing reliable mineral reserves. It reportedly brought its underground mine into operation in January 2014.

Tahoe lacks a social licence for the mine.

• To date, fourteen referenda have been held in which tens of thousands of people in the six municipalities closest to the project have voted against the Escobal mine given their concerns over current and potential environmental and social impacts.

The Escobal project has led to violence and criminalization.

• The company’s former security manager, an ex-military officer from Peru, Alberto Rotondo, is currently under arrest awaiting trial for allegedly ordering security guards to fire at protesters outside the mine on April 27, 2013. Seven victims of this attack are now bringing a civil lawsuit in British Columbia against Tahoe Resources for negligence and battery in connection with this incident.

• The Guatemalan government imposed a military state of emergency for a month after the shooting on April 27, 2013 in municipalities where people overwhelmingly voted against mining.

• In June 2012, Tahoe sued the Guatemalan government, demanding that it do more to protect the mine. A Guatemalan court dismissed the lawsuit in February 2013, mere months before the military siege was imposed.

• Since September 2012, some 90 people have been slapped with unfounded criminal charges and have had to endure legal processes causing them distress and hardship. Several spent months in jail before being cleared of all charges.

Guatemalan regulators failed to address residents’ complaints prior to granting Tahoe’s exploitation licence, putting the licence in doubt.

• The Guatemalan Ministry of Energy and Mines dismissed some 250 formal community complaints without a proper hearing shortly before granting Tahoe's exploitation licence on April 3, 2013.

• In July 2013, the plaintiffs appealed the dismissal of a complaint and won, putting the validity of the licence in doubt. A final decision from Guatemala's Constitutional Court is expected soon.

Given its close relationship to Goldcorp, Tahoe knows better than to proceed without community consent and when its project has already given rise to violence and repression.

• Goldcorp holds 40% of Tahoe's shares.

• Six of eight of Tahoe’s Directors are current or former Goldcorp executives, including Tahoe founder and CEO, Kevin McArthur, who was CEO of Glamis Gold and Goldcorp until 2008.

• Goldcorp’s Marlin mine in Guatemala was also put into operation in the midst of widespread opposition and repression. As a result, it has been the subject of repeat international human rights declarations calling for suspension of the mine and raising concern over impacts on community health, the environment and right to self-determination of neighbouring Maya Indigenous communities.

• The Inter American Commission on Human Rights recently admitted a case against Indigenous and human rights violations at the Marlin mine.

Tahoe Resources Inc. is a silver exploration and development company that lists on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges, with offices in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and Reno, Nevada, USA. Escobal is its only project.

Communities in Totonicapán and Quetzaltenango hold community referenda on mining

"The Council of Ancestral Authorities of the 31 communities of Momostenango welcomes you to the good faith community consultation" (All Photos: NISGUA)

On Sunday September 1, the municipality of Momostenango held the third community consultation in the department of Totonicapán. In all three referenda in Totonicapán, as well as two additional referenda in the department of Quetzaltenango, community members overwhelmingly rejected mining projects in their territories.

In Momostenango, 51,667 people, 99.88%, voted No to mining

While there are no mining projects currently operating in Totonicapán, there are 17 concessions for mineral exploration held by Entre Mares and Montana Exploradora, Guatemalan subsidiaries of Canada's Goldcorp Inc. Goldcorp currently owns and operates the Marlin Mine, an open pit gold mine, which has been the source of human rights abuses and tension over lack of respect for indigenous rights, as well as negative impacts on clean water supplies and public health. Goldcorp also holds 40% of shares in Tahoe Resources' controversial Escobal silver mine in San Rafael Las Flores, Santa Rosa.

Two boys show off their inked thumbs - a sign of their participation in the referenda

Since 2005, nearly a million people in more than 78 municipalities across Guatemala have held community referenda on large-scale development projects.

Despite a clear mandate, neither the government nor the companies have respected community decisions. In response to this systematic and historic exclusion of indigenous people from decision-making processes, the Western Peoples' Council (CPO) recently filed a petition with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) for failure to consult with indigenous peoples on projects and policy decisions that impact their territories. 

During a September 3 press conference, Lolita Chávez, member of the CPO in representation of the K'iche' Peoples' Council, explained indigenous peoples' opposition to the large-scale development model imposed by the government: “The government says that we are an obstacle to development, but we believe that your laws and your state are an impediment to the path of our people.”

Read NISGUA's press release: Guatemalan Indigenous Organizations File Complaint over Mining Law with Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

Attacks Continue against Peaceful Resistance in San Rafael Las Flores

Police in San Rafael las Flores, April 11 Source: resistencapacificaelescobal.blogspot.com

While representatives from mining affected communities from throughout Mesoamerica gathered in Huehuetenango to discuss strategies to confront the expansion of mining in their territories, the peaceful encampment in San Rafael Las Flores was violently evicted by members of the National Police. At the time of this writing at least 29 people have been detained and many more were injured in the attack.

Since Monday, April 8, men, women and children from the municipality of San Rafael Las Flores have been peacefully gathered on privately owned land in an ongoing expression of their opposition to the exploitation license granted to Minera San Rafael, the Guatemalan subsidiary of Tahoe Resources.

The encampment had publically and repeatedly expressed their intention to peacefully occupy the land in order to voice their opposition to the recently approved project. On the day of the eviction community leaders denounced acts of provocation by unidentified individuals in a vehicle similar to those used by the mine private security. Instead of investigating the provocations or engaging in dialogue with the encampment, the Government of Guatemala chose to violently evict the peaceful resistance.

The exploitation license was granted in a climate of increasing violence and despite the ongoing criminal investigation into Minera San Rafael for industrial contamination. Community members have repeatedly expressed their rejection of Tahoe’s Escobal project through community consultations, carried out throughout the mining affected region.

We join the Mesoamerican Movement Against the Extractive Mining Model (M4) in denouncing the violent eviction of the peaceful encampment. Please read the recent M4 statement below.

STATEMENT

Translation by NISGUA

THE MESOAMERICAN MOVEMENT AGAINST THE EXTRACTIVE MINING MODEL/ M4

Declaration to the national and international community:

With respect to the violent repression against the community of San Rafael Las Flores, Santa Rosa, on behalf of the public security forces with the complicity of the San Rafael mine for expressing their inconformity regarding the granting of the exploitation license by the Guatemalan Government, we hereby denounce the negative impacts of the recent violations of human rights and rights of the environment.

For this reason:

WE DEMAND that the Government of Guatemala and the other pertinent institutions, to end the persecution, harassment, intimidation, psychological, and physical violence carried out during the recent days that has disturbed the peace and harmonious coexistence which guarantee the development and integrity of indigenous peoples.

WE DEMAND the immediate liberation of our brothers and sisters who were detained during the events of Thursday, April 11, of the current year.

WE DEMAND justice and reparations for all of those affected by this act which was carried out by the national police and disguised agents who employed excessive and brutal force.

WE DEMAND respect for the right to peacefully protest and for the collective right to be heard through the community consultation process, which has demanded the departure of the company.

To the community of San Rafael Las Flores in resistance to mining we convey our immense solidarity in response to the events of today.

WE REJECT THE ATTACKS AGAINST THE COMMUNITY IN PEACEFUL RESISTANCE IN SAN RAFAEL LAS FLORES, IN DEFENSE OF LIFE AND TERRITORY.

For the respect of natural resources and human rights we demand justice and liberty.

From Canada to Panama, mining will not advance!

Guatemala, April 11, 2013


NISGUA has been accompanying the consultation processes in the communities surrounding the Tahoe Resources mine site since 2011. 

Communities in San Rafael Las Flores say NO to Tahoe Resources' Escobal Project

Last weekend, 93% of the population of Los Planes rejected Tahoe Resources' proposed Escobal project, voting NO to chemical mineral mining on their territory. This good-faith referendum, organized by local authorities, is the second of 26 community referenda planned in the municipality of San Rafael Las Flores. The first referendum, held February 17 in San Juan Bosco, also soundly rejected the project, with 99% of the population voting NO to mining and YES to life. 

Community authorities count votes. (Photo: C.P.R.Urbana)

 These small-scale referenda, regulated by Guatemalan Municipal Code, are communities' best option for making their voices heard. That’s because municipal authorities in San Rafael Las Flores have refused requests for a referendum at the municipal level, similar to those held in Santa Rosa de Lima and Nueva Santa Rosa in 2011.

For the last two years, community members and local human rights organizations have been peacefully resisting the Escobal project in the face of increasing violence, intimidation and criminalization. The Escobal mine is operated by Minería San Rafael S.A., a Guatemalan subsidiary of Canada’s Tahoe Resources, which acquired the Escobal project from Goldcorp in 2010. Despite not having a license for mineral exploitation, Tahoe insists final permission to begin mining is imminent and, as a result, has already invested millions of dollars in infrastructure.

The wave of referenda throughout the municipality of San Rafael Las Flores comes on the heels of an attack against the mine's private security, resulting in the deaths of two guards. Shortly following the attack, Minister of the Interior Mauricio López Bonilla insinuated possible links between this event and the local non-violent resistance to Tahoe Resources’ project. Bonilla linked local mining resistance to terrorism, delinquency and drug trafficking, and stated that local, peaceful opposition to Tahoe's project does not exist¹.

But the opposition is real. With these 26 democratic consultations, the communities surrounding the proposed Escobal project are demonstrating, once again, their commitment to peacefully resisting the imposition of mining on their territory. They are demanding that the Guatemalan government respect the referenda and recognize their right to participate in decision-making processes. This ongoing, community-based resistance indicates the company not only lacks the necessary permits to proceed with the mine, as it acknowledged in a January 14 press release,² but it also lacks the social license to operate.

Citizens of Los Planes wait in line to cast their vote (Photo: C.P.R.Urbana)

In a recent open letter to Guatemalan Attorney General Claudia Paz y Paz, the International Coalition Against Unjust Mining in Guatemala (CAMIGUA) joined the communities of Santa Rosa and Jalapa in condemning acts of violence occurring around US and Canadian-owned mining sites and demanding respect for consultation processes. The letter calls for an investigation of the violent events and an end to the criminalization of community-based peaceful resistance.

TAKE ACTION! Sign this petition and join NISGUA and the Center for International Environmental Law in demanding NO mining license for Tahoe Resources.

 

1 Castañon, Mariela. “Cuarto órdenes de captura por ataque en mina San Rafael.” La Hora 7 Feb. 2013. http://www.lahora.com.gt/index.php/nacional/guatemala/actualidad/173135-cuatro-ordenes-de-captura-por-ataque-en-mina-san-rafael

2 http://www.tahoeresourcesinc.com/tahoe-reports-incident-and-updates-escobal-project/