Sister Cities
Gold Mining Analysis and Resistance Series #3, November 2008
Pacific Rim Out of El Salvador! Campaign Kicks off November 12
La Virgen de Resistencia
In San José Las Flores, keeping mining companies off their land is about more than protecting it from pollution and unwelcome incursions by transnational mining companies. It is a struggle to keep sacred land sacred.
On September 13, the community commemorated the 24th anniversary of the massacre of more than sixty civilians in the hills on the edge of town. No mercy was shown by the military. The majority of victims were women and children.
With the signing of the Peace Accords, some of the land at the massacre site was included in the land transfer process. The rest of the land at the site was purchased by the community with the help of funds donated by international solidarity.
Twenty-four years later this land that is “bathed in blood” has been converted into a place of life. Much of it has been reforested and it is used as a grazing field for cows and horses. However, international mining companies threaten to make it a place of destruction once again. In response to this threat, the community erected a statue of the Virgen de Resistencia (Virgin of Resistance) making the statement that this land is sacred and showing their commitment to protect it against mineral exploitation.
Current Resistance to Mining
While the company Pacific Rim has reported suspending activities in El Salvador (see the Gold Mining Analysis and Resistance Series #1 ), it is clear that mining companies are still active in El Salvador. To confront the continued threat of mining, the National Roundtable against Mining inaugurated its Pacific Rim Out of El Salvador Campaign on November 12th. The campaign will include radio ads about the effects of mining, collecting signatures for a letter to be presented to the Salvadoran Government rejecting mining in El Salvador, the presentation of a study done about the effects of mining on the Lempa River, and a number of forums and presentations on the topic.
On a local level the Association of Communities for the Development of Chalatenango (CCR) continues doing education about the effects of mining in the communities in Chalatenango. They are currently distributing fliers denouncing “green mining” and videos about the effects of mining in Honduras. They are also putting up billboards in different parts of the region with messages like “Mining is not compatible with the environment. There is no such thing as green mining. All mining contaminates [the environment].” So far two such billboards have been erected, and there are plans for at least three more.
Municipal governments in Chalatenango are also voicing their opposition to mining. The Municipality of Nueva Trinidad has made the first point on its municipal governing plan to reject mining. The municipality of San Antonio Los Ranchos has passed a municipal ordinance banning mineral exploitation in the municipality. The CCR is also supporting other municipalities in passing similar ordinances.
In North America
In North America this month, be sure not to miss The Dominion Newspaper, whose special November 2008 issue was an in-depth analysis of the Canadian mining industry, in Canada and around the world. The Dominion’s website featured one mining analysis article per day for the 30 days of November, and all are archived on the website as well: www.dominionpaper.ca.
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