Since the arrival in 2004, Goldcorp and its subsidiary Montana in the municipality of San Miguel community in San Marcos department, there has been an increase in local conflicts related to mining presence. Behind this growing conflict involving different members of the population, those who reject the project, the same company and its employees, PNC elements and the army, are the problems identified to be linked to mining - water and air contaminated wells dried and the generation of health problems. In short, this conflict is related to indigenous peoples' right to determine the use of natural resources.
A new event is added to the list of incidents in the region when on Friday June 12, 2009, it failed a meeting in the village of Sacmuj among some representatives of the Montana Community / as who were demanding the removal of machinery mining that was parked on land recently purchased by the company. There was nobody in the company despite his promise in writing the day before, noting that it was withdrawing its machinery of this place. This was considered disrespectful to the / as residents that consequently burned the machinery of the company. This situation brings to light the lack of a comprehensive dialogue between the two groups - the company and / the settlers - and the use of public safety to defend the interests of people as business people. also highlights the lack of recognition by the company's traditional processes / community as / as related to the need to reach consensus decisions on indigenous territory.
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In Sacmuj, in the municipality of San Miguel community, people are worried about the presence of new machinery of Montana that was located close to three wells water. Indeed, these wells provide water to nearby communities so their residents were afraid of possible water contamination and the possibility that wells would dry up because of mining activity as had happened in other parts of the town above.
However, Montana has granted operating license by the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM) although more than half of the 59 villages in the municipality of San Miguel community where referendums were held there was a rejection mining presence. This is reflected in the ruling of the Constitutional Court determines, in 2007, the legality of the consultation but denies its binding. This ruling ignores itself constitudinarios rights of indigenous peoples in the use of natural resources in its territory as stipulated in Articles 15 and 16 of Convention 169 of the International Labour Organization (ILO), ratified by the Congress of Guatemala March 19, 1996.
In the presence of machinery in Sacmuj, opened dialogue between residents and managers of the mine on Wednesday 10 June this year to discuss his retirement. Mining managers reported the threatening posture the protesters rejected the dialogue and called the police to disperse / peasants. Came two units National Civil Police, a unit of private security company of soldiers and four vehicles to meet this task. The next day, people gathered again in the same place. Representatives of the mine and the protesters were able to talk and the company is committed to meeting the demands of the community to remove the equipment the next day at 9 am. On Friday 12 June, at that time, about two hundred people gathered to assist the implementation of the agreement. Hours passed but did not reach any representative of the mining. People are angered by this breach of the undertaking of the mine and machinery burned at noon. As a result
of this situation, the company filed seven complaints sent to leaders / community ezas / as Miguelense, one of which resulted in an arrest warrant against a woman who so far is a fugitive. In addition, on Monday, June 15, about 70 police with army units arrived at the headquarters of the Integral Development Association of San Miguel community (ADISMI) to find the fugitive and accused the / as members of the organization of complicity.
worth mentioning that several European human rights groups consider to " [extreme concern] ... criminal prosecution against members of communities affected by mega projects leaders, NGOs and human rights defenders, which among others, seeks to criminalize social protest. "In addition, the Protection Unit Defenders of Human Rights in Guatemala stated in their Preliminary Report Defenders of Human Rights at the beginning of this year," it was found that 388 farmers are now under orders to capture existing because instead of solving the problem of land use conflicts and the intensification of criminal proceedings to control the population and demand for human rights . "
few days after the conflict in Sacmuj, held a march in the municipality of San Miguel community with the participation of around 1400 people including / workers of the mine and their families and friends. Marched in the city, dresses and girls with white shirts, carrying flowers and candles with messages against the / as leaders of the movements of opposition to the mine including the parish priest, accused of incitement to hatred and violence municipality. Although the priest has taken a stand against the presence of the mine in the town, denied the accusations of hate and violence. The march, called " peace progress " ran in front of the church where the / as members placed hundreds of candles and some learners protesters entered to pray.
On 30 July, a month and a half after the incident Sacmuj, Parish Commission Peace and Ecology (COPAE) presented its second annual report of monitoring and analysis of water quality which expresses a level of copper, aluminum, manganese and arsenic that exceed the maximum allowable by the World Bank to open pit mining in rivers and Quivichil Tzala located around the Marlin mine. However, these figures were rejected by representatives of the company questioning the validity of this monitoring. In a paid ad in the Free Press of August 10, 2009, Montana COPAE report accuses of lacking " scientific support, technical and ethical "and being a tool of conflicts with communities."
community movements continue to organize campaigns of information and consultation processes despite their leaders / ezas are still victims of intimidation including death threats received text messages on their cell phones and smear campaigns that come through anonymous pamphlets circulated in the municipality. It is considered that these acts of intimidation are intended to prevent the development of the work that these / defenders of human rights defenders.
Many of these threats have been reported against local authorities but to date remain unpunished. An example of an excuse to hinder community work is presented in the death threat Javier de Leon, ADISMI, received a text message on his cell phone on 15 June. The message said "Hello sir Leon, you do not get where it suits you, if you get say goodbye to your wife and say goodbye to your loved ones. And only death awaits ... "This threat was reported on Tuesday June 16 at the San Marcos Public Ministry but to date has not been investigated.
is expected in September to conduct the first hearing against the seven individuals who received complaints about to events in Sacmuj. In addition, the mayor of the municipality of San Miguel community, now in favor of the consultation, you want that take place in the course of the month.
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For ACOGUATE
Photo: ACOGUATE
1. Pastoral Commission Peace and Ecology (COPA). 2009. "Second Annual Report of the Monitoring and Analysis of Water Quality." - http://resistencia-mineria.org/espanol/files/Segundo_% 20Informe_Anual_del_Monitoreo_y_Analisis_de_la_Calidad_del_Agua-COPAE.pdf
Oxfam America. 2008. "Metal Mining and sustainable development in Central America: An assessment of costs and benefits,"
Oxfam America. 2008. "Metal Mining in Central America: Pain and Resistance."
2. See "Indigenous territories and Guatemalan democracy under pressure" - June 2009 - http://guatemala.at/ido% 20smi/ido_sanmiguel.pdf
3. A paper signed by the representatives of the company and some community.
4. Interview with Javier de León - 18/06/2009.
5. See "Indigenous territories and Guatemalan democracy under pressure" - June 2009 - http://guatemala.at/ido% 20smi/ido_sanmiguel.pdf
6. For more information, see the Convention. [Online] http://www.ilo.org/public/spanish/region/ampro/lima/publ/conv169/convenio.shtml
7. Interviews with members of ADISMI - 18 and 19/06/2009.
8. According to the statement of the mine-affected communities in the parish of San Miguel community, of ADISMI, the Youth and Rights at Work - 12/06/2009 and interviews with members of ADISMI - 18 and 19/06 / 2009.
9. According to the statement of the mine-affected communities in the parish of San Miguel community, of ADISMI, the Youth and Rights at Work - 12/06/2009. 10.Entrevistas
members of ADISMI - 18/06/2009 and 19/06/2009. 11.Federación
International Human Rights (FIDH), Copenhagen Initiative for Central America and Mexico (CIFCA), Dutch Platform Against Impunity in Guatemala, APRODEV, South Group and CIDSE. July, 2009. Guatemala recommendations on the Council of the European Union. Protection 12.Unidad
Defenders of Human Rights. April, 2009. "Preliminary Report of Defenders of Human Rights: January-April 2009."
13.Prensa Free. June 18, 2009, "March for Peace." - Page 38
14.Entrevista with Father Eric Gruloos - 19/06/2009
15.Prensa Free. July 31, 2009. "Diocese of San Marcos denounced the presence of metals in water sources." http://prensalibre.com/pl/2009/julio/31/331904.html
16.Comisión Pastoral Peace and Ecology (COPA). 2009. "Second Annual Report of the Monitoring and Analysis of Water Quality."
17.Prensa Free. August 10, 2009. Montana Paid field. Page 31. 18.Entrevistas
members of ADISMI - 18 and 19/06/2009.
