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An article written by Johan Van de Wauw of the Ghent University shows that the levels of arsenic are rising sharply in the groundwater of San Miguel Ixtahuacán, where Montana Exploradora (subsidiary of Goldcorp) exploits its Marlin mine.
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| By Allan Lissner |
An analysis of the surveys of Montana itself demonstrates that arsenic concentrations in the groundwater that is pumped by the mine, has risen sharply since the start of the operations. On the other hand, arsenic was also found in some of the groundwater sources around the mine in levels far above the WHO health standard. These levels are alarmingly high, especially in an area where groundwater is used for drinking water. The findings of elevated arsenic concentrations in urine of people around the mine and an increase in reports of arsenic-related diseases makes this concern even bigger. It is known that arsenic in drinking water at certain concentrations causes bladder, lung and skin cancer and may also cause liver and kidney cancer. Furthermore, arsenic is also known to harm the central and peripheral nervous systems as well as heart and blood vessels. All this shows that a broader and independent research is necessary prior to further groundwater extraction.
Click here to read the article
Tim Høiland grew up in Sipacapa. His parents were working as linguists among the people of Sipakapa, whose language, Sipakapense, had never previously been reduced to writing. For the first time in more than a decade, Tim returned to Sipacapa as a graduate student of international development at Eastern University, to conduct interviews with community leaders and members of the mining resistance movement.
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| By Allan Lissner |
In the latest edition of the “Alternative Evangelical Magazine”, PRISM, he wrote the cover story on Sipacapa. The 2005 community consultation, in every town of Sipacapa clearly refused metallic mining in their municipality would be the first of 42 consultations in the Guatemalan highlands. The story further elaborates on how Goldcorp’s operations in San Miguel Ixtahuacán (bordering with Sipacapa) are against all Christian values. Even though the company likes to talk about their “environmental stewardship and social responsibility”, when push comes to shove, “economic prosperity” for the few (read: the shareholders) is the only concern.
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| The Marlin mine in San Miguel Ixtahuacán (Photo: COPAE) |
SAN MARCOS, GUATEMALA - On September 30th, in a paid advertisement in Guatemala newspapers, the mining company Montana, a subsidiary of the Canadian corporation Goldcorp, responsible for the Marlin mine, stated that discharges of industrial water were done in the rivers of San Miguel Ixtahuacán, San Marcos, in the presence of state authorities. A few days later the Ministry of Environment filed a complaint against the company, stating that the discharge was without authorization. The villagers suspect that this wasn’t the first illegal discharge of the company. All this is occurring while the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) awaits the pending suspension of the Marlin mine.
In an open letter to Milton Saravia, general manager of Montana, FREDEMI (Miguelense Defense Front) asks his company to leave the community of Saqmuj, where they are pushing the villagers to sell their land, despite their repeated refusal to do so.
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Note by the author: the community consultation in Huitán will be postponed until november 22nd, due to the legal terms, described in article 28 of the constitution (12/10/2010)
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| By Copae |
October 2010 is a month that will be long remembered in the highlands of Guatemala. In that month, 4 community consultations will take place on the issue of mining. That would be the 43rd, 44th, 45th and 46th community consultation at the municipal level in the highlands.
It is noteworthy that so far in all the consultations that have taken place, the population has unanimously spoken out against mining.
Three years ago thousands of farmers of North-Peru rejected the Rio Blanco mining project. Between cloud forests and páramos, they want a future for their organic export-oriented agriculture. Civic society of four provinces demand their territory to be declared no-go zones for mining. Sign the petition now!
Thursday 16th September the campaign starts in Ghent, Belgium.
Download the press dossier (EN).
OPINION by COPAE´s communications team
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| De Copae |
Ana Gonzalez (L), head of Monitoring team of COPAE and Anabela Sibrián (R) of the Plataforma Holandesa at the Third Water Report by COPAE
When COPAE submitted its third study of environmental monitoring in Guatemala City on August 25, we knew we were going to annoy some people.
Montana Exploradora de Guatemala (subsidiary of Goldcorp), increasingly beset by scientific studies against them, has changed strategy. Before, the company would receive criticism like cows watching trains go by, they would more or less read what the report says, draw their conclusions and make a statement claiming inconsistencies in the reports. But today things have changed.
Analysis by the communications team of COPAE
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| De Copae |
Last month, ASIES(Association of Research and Social Studies), presented a cost-benefit study of the Marlin Mine in San Marcos. This is the first economic study on Goldcorp's mining project in the municipality of San Miguel Ixtahuacán. Unable to defend themselves in environmental and human rights issues, the mining company has always boasted for being an economic benefactor, bringing integral development to the municipality and to the country of Guatemala. In its conclusions, the study strongly refutes this discourse, demonstrating the unequivocal economic loss for the country. ASIES also presented a public opinion survey showing that mining companies are acting against the people´s will.
COPAE has its own Facebook page now. If you want to keep up to date on the latest news from the defense of the territory of the people of the west of Guatemala, you should become a fan.
Click here
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| De Copae |
To read the Third Report of the Monitoring and Analysis of Water Quality (in Spanish) , click here. The English version will be posted later.
“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” Gen. 15.2
Since 2007, the Pastoral Commission Peace and Ecology (COPAE), part of the Pastoral Social service of the Diocese of San Marcos, conducts monitoring of surface water of the rivers Tzalá and Quivichil, close to the exploitation of the Marlin mining project, owned by Montana Exploradora de Guatemala, which in turn is a subsidiary of the Canadian company Goldcorp.
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| De Fotos de investigación |
That the mining activities of the Marlin Mine in San Miguel Ixtahuacán, exploited by Montana Exploradora, subsidiary of Goldcorp, constitute violations of human and indigenous rights and of Guatemalan law has been a known fact from the onset. Now, the excellent legal researchers of the mining resistance movement in the west of Guatemala, brought to light that the act of buying of the lands of San Miguel constituted a mere crime to Guatemalan law. The person accused of this crime is no one less than the current president of the Supreme court of Guatemala.
By Nathaniel D. Howard and J. David Henry
Above: Flower farm in La Linea, Sibinal (Photo: N. Howard)
In 1999, with Guatemalan government support, Glamis Gold Corporation began preliminary work on an open pit gold mine in the San Miguel Ixtahuacan region of western Guatemala. In November, 2006, Goldcorp merged with Glamis, and the Marlin Mine officially opened. The Marlin Mine has been impressively profitable for Goldcorp. Its corporate annual report states that in 2007 Marlin Mine produced 227,000 ounces of gold and 2.9 million ounces of silver for almost $204 million in revenue and $72.8 million in profits.
The chief benefits of the project to Guatemalans are employment of unskilled labor and tax revenue. A human rights assessment of the Marlin Mine recently stated that in 2008 the producing mine provided 980 of 1609 jobs (61%) to local residents. Based on the company’s agreement with the Guatemalan government, one percent of proceeds stays in the country as taxes and royalties.
Published at Oxfam America
Three new reports find human rights violations, water contamination, and other concerns at Marlin gold mine.
WASHINGTON, DC – International humanitarian organization Oxfam America cites three new independent studies as further evidence that Marlin gold mine in the San Marcos department of Guatemala should be suspended until community concerns are adequately addressed. The
studies support the government’s recent announcement that it would suspend operations the mine, owned by the Canadian company Goldcorp, following environmental and human rights complaints.
“Together, these reports indicate that Marlin Mine has had serious social and environmental impacts on surrounding communities. It’s time for the government to take action to suspend mining operations to protect the health, safety, livelihoods, and most importantly, the
rights of these communities,” said Raymond C. Offenheiser, president of Oxfam America.
By Håkan Mårtensson, sub General Secretary SweFOR, Christin Sandberg, vice-chairman Solidarity Sweden-Latin America, published at The Swedish Wire
"It is unacceptable that the Swedish citizen’s pension money goes to investments that lead to environmental degradation and human rights abuses", write leaders of NGOs Solidarity Sweden-Latin America and the Swedish Fellowship of Reconciliation. ??
Although the company Goldcorp Inc. violates indigenous peoples rights in Guatemala the public Swedish pension funds (AP fonderna) maintain their investment in the company. This position could be questioned.
A new survey, carried out by the network Global Justice Now (globalrattvisa.nu), shows that four out of seven parliamentary parties believe that environmental and human rights must prevail over the public pension funds goal of high profits. Meanwhile, new reports on how the Canadian company Goldcorp Inc., one of the companies that the Swedish citizens pension money is invested in, destroys the environment and violates the rights of indigenous peoples in Guatemala. ??
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| De 2010-07-18 |
Marlin mine (Photo: COPAE)
A month ago, the defenders of human and indigenous rights and local organizations in defense of their territory like FREDEMI (Miguelense Defense Front), member of CPO (Council of Peoples of the West) applauded Guatemala’s government's decision to suspend the Marlin mine. However, the same organizations refrained from making celebratory statements. The CPO urged the government to expedite the administrative process, for the suspension to take effect without further delay, so its commitment would go beyond mere speech. A month later we see why the CPO was concerned, up to this day, the mine's neighbors have not seen any sign of precautionary measures, while the government is looking for any argument to deny the allegations, supporting the mining company Goldcorp.
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