Shocking new health study confirms Native health concerns; questions Health Canada guidelines Toronto – The health impacts of mercury poisoning in Grassy Narrows people are worse now than in the 1970’s, say the shocking results of a newly translated health study by Japanese mercury expert Dr. Harada. The study is being released today on the 40th anniversary of when Ontario first banned fishing on the Wabigoon River due to mercury contamination by the Dryden paper mill upstream. The study finds that Health Canada safety guidelines are too low to protect people from the cumulative long-term health impacts of low level mercury exposure, which is now ubiquitous worldwide due to industrial pollution from sources such as coal burning power plants. Read the rest of this entry »
Six weeks ago, Peru’s Ministry of Energy and Mines announced that it was “indefinitely suspending” the exploration activities of a Canadian mining company inside the sacred territory of the Awajun and Wampis Peoples.
AMAZONIA FOR SALE Uploaded by ORE-MEDIA. – News videos from around the world.
The announcement was curiously timed just a few days before a new mobilization was supposed to be launched in the Amazon. In part, the mobilization was going to be aimed at the Canadian company, Minera Afrodita (Dorato Resources) , who is believed to be contaminating the Cenepa and Maranon rivers with mercury and cyanide waste. As many as 13 thousand indigenous people depend on these two rivers. Read the rest of this entry »
March 26th, 2010 / Author: underminingsustainability
By Andrew MacLeod,March 17, 2010.
Taseko Mines Ltd. is seeking to prevent a federal panel reviewing its proposal for a gold and copper mine in northern British Columbia from showing a public hearing a documentary it says is biased in favour of the Tsilhqot’in First Nation, who are opposed to the project.
The Tsilhqot’in National Government had requested the film, Blue Gold: The Tsilhqot’in Fight for Teztan Biny (Fish Lake), be shown during a public hearing on Taseko’s proposal, according to a message sent today to review panel participants by the panel’s chair Robert Connelly.
ANNOUNCING A SPECIAL FUNDRAISING SCREENING AT THE BLOOR CINEMA:
Rye Cinema presents the acclaimed feature documentary film:
UNDER RICH EARTH
“Urgent and vital filmmaking in the spirit of Kanahsatake: 270 Years of Resistance and Manufactured Landscapes.”
- Jesse Wente, CBC
Director’s Cut!
Guest Speakers!
Director Q&A!
DVD Launch!
Fundraising!
Date: Saturday, February 13th, 2009
Time: 6:30
Where: The Bloor Cinema, 506 Bloor Street, Toronto, Tel: 416-516-2331
Tickets: $10
Please Arrive Early! Tickets go on sale 1 hour before the event.
This is a fundraising event.
* Winner: Global Conscience Award – Mexico City Documentary Film Festival
* Top Ten Most Popular Canadian Films: Vancouver International Film Festival
* Nominated for Best Documentary – Hamburg International Independent Film Festival
* Nominated for Coral Award – Best Documentary – Havana Film Festival
* Official Selection: Toronto International Film Festival, Vancouver International Film Festival, Victoria Film Festival, Sudbury International Film Festival, Watch Docs Warsaw, Sao Paulo International Film Festival, Encuentros del Otro Cine – Quito, Boulder International Film Festival and many more…
The Honourable John McKay (To Be Confirmed) – John McKay is the Member of Parliament for Scarborough – Guildwood. His private member’s Bill C300 seeks to create a framework for transnational corporate accountability in Canadian law. The Bill has already passed second reading in the House of Commons and is not affected by Stephen Harper’s prorogation of Parliament.
Murray Klippenstein – Murray Klippenstein is a Toronto lawyer representing three Ecuadorians who are suing the Toronto Stock Exchange and the Copper Mesa Mining Corporation for violating their human rights. Under Rich Earth tells the story of the events that ultimately led to this ground breaking transnational lawsuit. Read more in the Toronto Star:http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/729148
FUNDRAISING!
Under Rich Earth was a labour of love produced on a shoestring budget over two years. Proceeds from this event will help to pay for the making of the film and to support two Ecuadorian community organizations that are featured in the film: Radio Intag (a community radio station) and Café Rio Intag, a fair trade coffee co-op located in the Intag valley.
DVD LAUNCH!
The Limited Edition Director’s Cut DVD of Under Rich Earth will be available for purchase:
$25.00 – home use
$150.00 – community organizations
$295 – Universities and Libraries.
Event Sponsors
Nathanson Centre for Transnational Human Rights Crime and Security, Osgoode Hall Law School.
Charles Street Video
Mining Awareness Coalition – Toronto
SYNOPSIS
In a remote mountain valley in Ecuador, coffee and sugarcane farmers face the dismal prospect of being forced off their land to make way for a mining project. Unprotected by the police and ignored by their government, they prepare to face down the ‘invaders’ on their own. Their resistance leads to a remarkable and dangerous stand off between farmers and a band of mysterious armed men high in the cloud forest. In a world dominated by news of massacres and terrorism, Under Rich Earth is a surprising and poignant tale of hope and determination.
HERE’S WHAT CRITICS ARE SAYING ABOUT UNDER RICH EARTH:
“Magnificent… a thrilling and revealing portrayal of the search for justice.”
- Alberto Ramos, Signis (Brussels)
“Gripping and disturbing…”
**** Eye Weekly
“Graceful and Uplifting”
Critic’s Pick NNNN
- NOW Magazine
“Hair-raising…”
- Playback Magazine
“A remarkably prescient cautionary tale…”
- Matthew Hays, Montréal Mirror
“An outstanding work of hard journalism…”
- Michael Sauve, Canadian Film Programmers Blog
“A startling exposé… a graceful, well made vérité doc.”
- Marc Glassman, Classical 96.3FM
“Down to earth…without any bullshit”
*** AfroToronto.com
“Powerful… remarkable… dramatic…”
- Chris Cobb, Ottawa Citizen
“It’s impossible not to be intrigued…”
- David Schmeichel, Winnipeg Sun
“Another good film about people power. Things go sideways, diagonally, and off the chart when a small Ecuadorian farming village stands up to the supremely underhanded tactics of an aggressive Canadian mining corporation.”
- Geoff Olson, Vancouver Courier
“Rogge’s most impressive achievement here is how his story gnaws through stereotypes of people as victims of corporate and army oppression. The documentary dispels such notions, revealing the people of Junin as powerful organizers.”
- Ed Janzen, FUSE Magazine
“Unarmed and unprotected, the poor farmers in a tiny mountain community in Ecuador face down and detain armed mercenaries hired by Canadian mining company Ascendant Copper. Canadian documentary maker Malcolm Rogge caught some amazing footage to build a story about corporate malfeasance and how the undertrod overcame the superior forces of might, money and political manipulation.”
- Susan Walker, Toronto Star
Alrededor de 25 personas desafiaron los fuertes vientos del distrito financiero de Toronto el viernes en una vigilia para protestar por el asesinato de tres defensores de derechos humanos que fueron asesinados por hablar contra las prácticas carentes de ética de las empresas mineras canadienses en América Latina. Mariano Abarca Robelo de México, Adolfo Ich Xaman de Guatemala, y Marcelo Rivera, de El Salvador fueron asesinados por hablar en contra de las prácticas mineras que desplazan a las personas, envenenan los ríos, y destruyen la agricultura y la salud humana. Las tres empresas que se benefician con el silenciamiento de sus críticos -HudBay y la Cuenca del Pacífico figuran en la Bolsa de Valores de Toronto. En el caso de Blackfire, tres personas vinculadas a la compañía han sido arrestadas en México en relación con el asesinato de Mariano Abarca. Las organizaciones que participaron en la protesta incluyó a Respuesta Comunitaria Solidaria de Toronto y a Amnistía Internacional de Toronto y a grupos de Derechos Humanos.
La vigilia se llevó a cabo en solidaridad con las protestas del pasado viernes en México, donde, según el Toronto Star, más de 1,500 personas marcharon en Frontera Comalapa, Chiapas. Gustavo Castro, un amigo de Mariano, fue citado diciendo: “Esto no era exclusivamente una protesta contra Blackfire, sino contra la criminalización de la protesta social y la violencia, y el caso de Mariano es un ejemplo de esto”. Mariano Abarca Roblero fue conocido en México por su labor en la promoción del desarrollo comunitario y el medio ambiente, y en oposición a los daños a la salud y ambientales y a las violaciones de los derechos humanos causados por la minería. Mariano fue asesinado el 27 de noviembre por un hombre enmascarado en una motocicleta. Tres hombres vinculados a Blackfire, incluyendo un empleado, han sido detenidos en relación con este crimen. Ahora, los informes han aparecido en la prensa dominante que Blackfire admite haber pagado sobornos (ellos lo llaman extorsión) a la alcaldía de Chicomuselo, donde Blackfire opera su mina de barita., A efecto de “prevenir el vandalismo y la protesta locales en contra la mina.”
Adolfo Ich Xamán, un maestro de escuela y líder en su comunidad maya Q’eqchi ‘, fue sacado el 27 de septiembre por los guardias de seguridad durante los desalojos ilegales cuando fue a ver si los niños se estaban retrasando. Según la información disponible, el jefe de seguridad CGN lo vio y lo llamó para hablar con él. Cuando llegó a los guardias de seguridad, fue golpeado y atacado con un machete y luego lo arrastró hacia la propiedad de la empresa, donde fue baleado y asesinado por los guardias de la CGN. Habitantes mayas locales de Ich y de Qeqchi, han resistido los daños y los desalojos forzosos provocados por las empresas mineras canadienses de níquel. La primera oleada de desalojos, asesinatos y la represión se produjo en la década de 1970, a principios de 1980 la represión de las protestas relacionadas con las concesiones INCO en la zona. Los desalojos y la represión reiniciaron en 2006 (por Skye Resources), hasta la actualidad. No se ha hecho justicia acerca de ninguna de las anteriores matanzas, ni de los abusos, ni en el caso de Adolfo. La empresa Minerales HudBay niega cualquier responsabilidad y continúa con los esfuerzos para “reubicar” potencialmente a miles de aldeanos mayas Qeqchi, que viven en estas tierras desde mucho antes de que los mineros de níquel (INCO) llegara en la década de 1960. Como en los otros países de América Central, esta lucha se enfrenta a una severa represión.
En el vecino El Salvador, Marcelo Rivera fue desaparecido el 18 de junio, bajo la reminicente táctica de terror de las guerras civiles de los años 80. Su cuerpo fue encontrado en un pozo de 60 pies de profundidad y con claros signos de tortura. Marcelo Rivera había sido muy activo en el movimiento para detener la minería de metales en El Salvador, específicamente de la empresa Pacific Rim. El Salvador es un país muy pequeño con una grave escasez de agua, la minería de baja concentración de minerales usa muy intensivamente el agua y también utiliza grandes cantidades de cianuro. Después de la muerte de Marcelo los representantes del movimiento contra la minería en El Salvador visitaron Canadá para aumentar la alarma, William Castillo, uno de ellos señaló “los beneficios [de la minería] son muy pobres en comparación con los costos que todo el país vamos a tener [que pagar] … Es demasiado riesgoso tener la exploración de metales en este país. No importa lo que paguen, los riesgos son demasiado altos “. (www.sialavidatour.com).
Según un representante de Respuesta Comunitaria Solidaria de Toronto, la razón para protestar ante la Bolsa de Valores de Toronto (TSX) es que: “No hay requisitos de derechos humanos que se coticen en la Bolsa de Valores de Toronto, si hay requisitos de presentación de informes, pero las normas actuales en materia de derechos humanos no existen. La misma TSX está siendo demandada como una de las involucradas en relación con las acciones ilegales de prospección en una mina de en Ecuador, donde los guardias de seguridad dispararon contra manifestantes pacíficos, entre ellos mujeres y niños “.
Los manifestantes clamaron “Es una vergüenza el juego mortal asesino de las empresas mineras por fines de lucro”. Susana Caxaj, de CSRT, dijo: “Creo que a muchos de los canadienses se les han engañado y mentido. Queremos creer que nuestro gobierno sea algo de lo que podamos estar orgullosos, cuando en realidad nuestro gobierno y estas empresas canadienses nos hacen cómplices de las peores abusos de derechos humanos “.
Lamentablemente los asesinatos continúan. El pasado domingo a las 4PM Ramiro Rivera Gómez, otro líder de la resistencia a la empresa Pacific Rim Mining, fue asesinado en la aldea de Cabañas, El Salvador.
Chelopec village – Bulgarian Re-sisters testify about the lack of faith they have in mining activities of the cyanide mining project by Canadian company Dundee Precious Metals. They also talk about the protests by young people and mothers which led to the cancellation of the project.
The mayor Maria Shopova explains why she supports the protests by the people of Popintsi against mining by the Canadian company Euromax Resources Limited.
December 26th, 2009 / Author: underminingsustainability
Around 25 people braved the bitter winds of the Toronto’s financial district on Friday in a vigil to protest the killings of three human rights advocates who were killed for speaking out against the unethical practices of Canadian mining companies in Latin America. Mariano Abarca Roberlo of Mexico, Adolfo Ich Xaman of Guatemala, and Marcelo Rivera of El Salvador were all murdered for speaking out against mining practices that displace people, poison rivers, and destroy both agriculture and human health. The three companies that benefit from the silencing of thier critics- HudBay and Pacific Rim listed on the Toronto Stock exchange. In the case of Blackfire, three people connected to the company have been arrested in Mexico regarding the murder of Mariano Abarca. Organizations involved in the protest included Community Solidarity Response Toronto and Amnesty International Toronto’s Business and Human Rights group.
Concerned residents of Toronto hold photo of murdered Maya Q’eqchi’ schoolteacher Adolfo Ich Xaman in front of the stock market ticker at the Toronto stock exchange (all photos of vigil by Eric Akaoka. Photo of Adolfo Ich by James Rodríguez).
The vigil was held in solidarity with protests Friday in Mexico, where according to the Toronto Star over 1,500 people marched in Frontera Comalapa, Chiapas. Gustavo Castro, a friend of Mariano’s, was quoted as saying “This wasn’t exclusively a protest against Blackfire but against the criminalization of social protest, and violence, and Mariano’s case is an example of this.” Mariano Abarca Roblero was known in Mexico for his work in promotion of community development and the environmental, and in opposition to health and environmental harms and human rights violations caused by mining. Mariano was shot by a masked man on a motorcycle on Nov. 27th. Three men linked to Blackfire, including an employee, have been arrested in connection with this crime. Now reports have surfaced in the mainstream press that Blackfire admits to having paid bribes (they call it extortion) to mayor of Chicomuselo, where Blackfire operates its barite mine., for the purposes of “to prevent locals from vandalizing and protesting against its mine.”
A woman holds a photo of Mariano Abarca, killed of Chiapas, Mexico. Passers-by were angered when told of his death and of the arrest of Blackfire employees in connection with it.
Adolfo Ich Xaman, a schoolteacher and leader in his Maya Q’eqchi’ community, was taken off by security guards on Sept 27th during illegal evictions when he went to see if any children were being left behind. According the information available, the head of CGN security saw him and called him over to talk to him. When he reached the security guards, he was beaten and attacked with a machete and afterwards dragged onto company property, where he was shot and murdered by CGN’s guards. Ich, and local Mayan-Qeqchi villagers, have long been resisting the harms and forced evictions caused by Canadian nickel mining companies. The first wave of evictions, killings and repression occurred in the 1970s, early 1980s- repression of protests related to the INCO concessions in the area. Evictions and repression began again in 2006 (by Skye Resources),through to today. No justice has been done for any of the earlier killings and abuses, nor in Adolfo’s case. HudBay Minerals denies any responsibility and continues with efforts to “relocate” potentially thousands of Mayan-Qeqchi villagers, living on these lands since long before the nickel miners (INCO) arrived in the 1960s. Like in the other Central American countries, this struggle is facing severe repression.
In neighboring El Salvador, Marcelo Rivera was disappeared on June 18th, a terror tactic reminicent of the civil wars of the 80s. His body was found in a 60-foot deep well with clear signs of torture. Marcelo Rivera had been very active in the movement to stop metal mining in El Salvador, espeically by the company Pacific Rim. El Salvador is a very small country with a severe shortage of water- mining low-grade ores is very water intensive and also uses large amounts of cyanide. After the death of Marcelo representatives in the movement against mining in El Salvador visited Canada to raise awarenss here, including William Castillo, “the benefits[of mining] are very poor compared to the costs that the entire country we will bear…Its too risky, to have metal exploration in this country. It doesn’t matter what they pay the risks are too high” (www.sialavidatour.com).
According to a representative from Community Solidarity Response Toronto, the reason to protest at the Toronto stock exhange is that: “There are no human rights requirements to be listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, reporting requirments yes, but actual regulations on human rights do not exist. The TSX itself is being sued as one of the plaintiffs regarding illegal actions at a prospective mine in Ecuador, where security guards shot at peaceful protesters including women and babies.”
Members of Community Solidarity Response Toronto and Amnesty International Toronto stand in front of the Toronto Stock Exchange, demanding accountability. About 25 people braved the frigid winds of the downtown financial district.
Protesters chanted “mining companies deadly game- murder for profit that’s a shame”. Susana Caxaj, of CSRT, said “I think a lot of Canadians have been deceived and lied to. We want to believe that our government is something we can be proud of when really our government and these Canadian companies are making us complicit in the worst human rights abuses.”
Sadly the killings continue. Sunday at 4PM Ramiro Rivera Gomez, another leader in the resistance to Pacific Rim Mining corporation, was killed in a village in Cabanas, El Salvador.
The killings of community leaders who speak out against mining continue. To the photos of these three must now be added that of Ramiro Rivera Gomez, killed Sunday in El Salvador for his opposition to Pacific Rim. (photo: Susana Caxaj)
This song describes the present day exploitation of tribal land and forests in the name of development. Inspired by a song by Bhaghwan Maaji, leader of the adivasi struggle against bauxite mining in Kashipur, India.
December 2nd, 2009 / Author: underminingsustainability
Title: Guatemala Reportback – Someone Else’ Treasure Location: Tequilla Bookworm, 512 Queen St. West Link out: Click here Description: Home to sixty per cent of the world’s mining companies, Canada leads the way in the global mining industry. But people the world over are raising complaints describing the mining industry as Canada’s number one contribution to global injustice.
Please join Toronto based photographer Allan Lissner to discuss “Someone Else’s Treasure”, an on-going project shedding light on the experiences of people around the world – including Guatemala, the Philippines, Tanzania, Papua New Guinea, Australia, Chile, and Canada – whose lives have been impacted by the global mining industry.
Claudia Susana Caxaj, recently returned from a delegation to Guatemala with Rights Action examining the impact of mining on human rights, will also be speaking. Susana is a PhD student at University of Western Ontario, studying self-determination and health in communities affected by mining. Start Time: 19:00 Date: 2009-12-03
November 29th, 2009 / Author: underminingsustainability
by Elio Henriquez, correspondent for “La Jornada” Saturday 28th November, 2009
(translated by Megan Kinch)
On Friday night, 27th , Mariano Abarca Roblero was assassinated by gunshot. Mariano was one of the strongest opposition leaders against mining exploitation by the Canadian mining company Blackfire in the hills of Chiapas, Mexico.
Gustavo Castro, of the Network of Mexicans Affected by Mining (REMA for its initials in Spanish), said that according to those close to Mariano he was assassinated around 8:30 PM in the main part of Chicomuselo, close to the border with Guatemala, by a motorcyclist carrying a high-caliber weapon.
They explained that Abarca Roblero was talking outside of his house with Orlando Velásquez, also a member of REMA-Chipaas, when an unidentified person shot Abarca in the head and the chest. Velásquez was also was wounded and was transported immediately to a hospital en the city of Comitán.
Last August 17th, Mariano Abarca was arraigned by the Prosecutor General of State Justice after he was accused by Blackfire of various charges including organized crime. Due to a national and international outcry against this injustice, he was freed on the 24th of the same month, where he immediately joined the sit-in with his fellows in the municipal seat of Chicomuselo to press for the immediate removal of the company. At the end of August, the participants in a second meeting of Chiapas members of REMA in Chicomuselo, celebrated his release.
Castro said that the opposition leader in the exploitation of mines had filed a criminal complaint against a man (whose name was not provided) who was supposedly used by Blackfire to incarcerate Mariano in August. He said that this person had been summoned to appear before the proper authorities yesterday, but the case was postponed until next Thursday.
Gustavo Casrtro put forth his theory that the murder of Mariano Abarca is related to his years of campaigning against mining exploitation.
According to data from REMA, the federal authorities have authorized 54 permissions for mining exploitation to Canadian Companies in their municipalities: to Blackfire extract barite, gold and antimony en more than 10 concessions; Linear Gold Corp, with 24 concessions, mostly gold and some of them granted for 50 years; Frontier Dev. Group with 12 projects, and also with New Gold Inc. with three concessions and Radius Gold with 7, although apparently these last ones have been withdrawn.
PRESS RELEASE
AMAP CONDEMS THE ASSISTATION OF MARIANO ABARCA
28th November 2009
The Mexican Alliance for the People’s Self-determination (AMAP for its initials in Spanish) expresses its condemnation for the assassination of Mariano Abarca Roblero, which occurred the night of the 27th of November in Chicomuselo, Chiapas. The same attack also resulted in the grave wounding of his companion Orlando Velazquez.
Mariano led a citizen’s resistance in the municipality of Chicomuselo against the Canadian mining company Blackfire and participated actively in REMA (the Mexican Network of People Affected by Mining). Given his intense activity he was harassed on many occasions ans arbitrarily detained last August, where he was kept for 10 days before being released.
However, the hostility against his person has recently increased. Only a few days ago he filed formal charges against the Directors of the Blackfire, who had delivered death threats in a public manner and appear to have followed through on them.
AMAP demands that this crime not go unpunished and beseeches to the government of Chiapas led by Juan Sabines that the material and intellectual perpetrators of this crime be prosecuted to the full extent of the law , and that the Attorney General’s office immediately follow the investigations already begun on the denunciation made by Mariano against LUIS ANTONIO FLORES VILLATORO and CIRO ROBLERO PEREZ, the first of these head of public relations for the Blackfire mine, who had publicly threatened to kill Mariano Abarca.
No more crimes against defenders of social justice! End the criminalization of citizen protest!
no Abarca Roblero was assassinated by gunshot. Mariano was one of the strongest opposition leaders against mining exploitation by the Canadian mining company Blackfire in the hills of Chiapas, Mexico.