Category Archives: Sister Cities

Anti-Mining Movement Cautiously Celebrates Commerce Group Case Victory

Exactly two years after the Milwaukee based mining company Commerce Group filed their Notice of Intent to sue the Salvadoran Government for $100 million, the international trade tribunal released their decision to dismiss the case.   On March 14th, the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) threw out the case on a technicality, stating […]

Protests Against US Foreign Policy Welcome President Obama to El Salvador

President Barack Obama´s visit to El Salvador was met with protests by various sectors of Salvadoran society, from campesinos to students and even U.S. Citizens.  With so many strong criticisms of U.S. foreign policy, the protests could not be contained in a single day of action.    {mosimage}The various different marches that blocked off streets and took over […]

Thousands March in San Salvador for International Women’s Day

On March 8th, thousands of men and women took to the streets to celebrate International Women’s Day and demand the passage of a new bill called the Law of Gender Equality and Equity. The new legislation would guarantee the rights of women to equal pay, equal education, equal access to land and equal political representation.   […]

Resistance and Repression: Why I’m Not Hailing the Chief in El Salvador

By Alexandra Early President Obama’s visit to El Salvador this week has become a focal point for protest organizing by Central American social movement organizations and their North American allies, who are equally outraged about U.S. trade policy and military meddling in the region.Local environmental and community organizations have joined together with allies like U.S. […]

Commerce Group Lawsuit against El Salvador Rejected

International tribunal rejects Milwaukee mining company’s $100 million claim against El Salvador International community continues to demand reparations for environmental damage Washington, DC: On March 15, 2011, a tribunal at the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) rejected Commerce Group Corporation’s claim against the government of El Salvador, essentially tossing out the […]

Contribute Your Committee’s History to the Sister Cities 25th Anniversary Book!

Dear Sister Cities members, To commemorate Sister Cities 25th Anniversary, the Sister Cities Committee is creating a book about Sister Cities’ history with testimonies and stories from U.S. committees and our Salvadoran partners. We need your contributions to make this book possible. Here are some suggestions to get you started writing: Write about how and […]

We Need to Awaken the Solidarity Movement: A Report Back from Honduras

Report Back from the January 2011 Honduras Accompaniment Project Delegation By Alexandra Early (SC Staff) and Ann Legg (SC board member)   The government sells itself by saying they have advanced in terms of human rights, that they have created mechanisms to protect human rights, and they say they are concerned about reconciliation in Honduras. They […]

Milwaukee Company´s Controversial Lawsuit Draws International Opposition

WASHINGTON, D.C. – While a World Bank tribunal deliberates on whether to allow a Milwaukee gold mining company’s controversial $100 million lawsuit against the government of El Salvador to move forward, local and international activists continue to pressure the company to withdraw the suit.   Commerce Group Corporation is pursuing its suit under the U.S.-Dominican Republic-Central America […]

Midwest Coalition calls on Commerce Group to Drop Suit Against El Salvador

On January 5th, 2011, Steve Watrous, of the Midwest Coalition Against Lethal Mining (MCALM) was interviewed on the Madison radio station, WORT-FM, about the$100 million dollar Commerce Group suit against the government of El Salvador and the anti-mining movement in El Salvador. The Commerce Group Corporation is a Milwaukee based company which owns a gold mine in […]