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By Carlos Zorrilla, December 5, 2011

LAST (and quick) UPDATE FOR 2011
FINALLY!!!! Earth Economic’s Economic groundbreaking Analysis of Intag’s ecosystem value
HAPPY NEW YEAR

Word has it that Codelco will try to go into the Paraiso area within two weeks. Their Environmental Impact Study was approved- something we confirmed from a high government official. Organizations will meet in the next week to discuss best options.

Needless to say, we are counting on your support. THERE ARE many things we can use from our supporters- such as digital camera equipment; international volunteers, and so on. If you’d like to help, please drop us a line.

But not all is doom and gloom. DECOIN continues to plant thousands of native tree species in protected community land that we helped purchase. Over 900 hectares conserved this year with help from GEO schützt den Regenwald. THANK YOU GEO.

We are also expanding our work to include more environmental education in schools and communities (our thanks to the wonderful people at the Sloth Club).

There are many other things we are up to, BUT PROBABLY THE BIGGEST NEWS is that FINALLY, the Economic Analysis of Intag’s Ecosystem is done, and published

http://www.eartheconomics.org/FileLibrary/file/Reports/Latin%20America/Final%20Intag%20Report_lo_res.pdf

The reports highlights the productiveness of ecosystems, and compares it to the high costs of of mining and its impacts on the environment. One of the main objectives of the DECOIN-contracted study, was to show government officials the real costs of mining in places like Intag, and just how productive ecosystems are.

We are sure the report will help many communities in different parts of the world.
We’ll soon be receiving the hard-back copies to distribute to high, mid and low level government officials, as well as to orgnanizations.

OUR MOST SINCERE AND HEARTFELT THANK YOU to all of you who have gone out of your way to help us in Intag continue to create an alternative to the insanity consuming the world.

OUR BEST WISHES FOR A VERY HAPPY, PROSPEROUS AND HARMONIOUS 2012

INTAG BESIEGED BY MINING AND ILLEGALITY (Español abajo)

AND THIS IS WHY CODELCO WILL ALSO FAIL

As we read in the press release below, CODELCO (Chilean mining company) reports that the Ecuadorian government has approved the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for El Paraíso project, which is close to the Junín copper mining project located in Intag, Imbabura Province. The press release – where the mining concession is referred to as El Palmar – also highlights the fact that both the company and the Ecuadorian government are interested in participating in several copper mining projects in northern Ecuador. So far, Intag is the only site in the north where copper deposits have been found. (Original press release here:

http://www.codelco.cl/prontus_codelco/site/artic/20111128/pags/20111128122201.html

It should be noted that the EIA, as mentioned in CODELCO’s press release, was supposedly developed for an advanced exploration phase. However, the CEDHU (Ecumenical Commission for Human Rights) holds a document by the Ministry of Environment according to which the Preliminary Environmental Impact Assessment –a mandatory requisite for the advanced exploration phase EIA to be approved – does not even exist.

Unfortunately, this is not the only flaw with this mining project. About six months ago, the García Moreno parish government (Cotacachi Canton), in consort with DECOIN (Defense and Conservation of Intag) and the CEDHU, presented a very well grounded opposing posture based on the technical and scientific errors contained in the EIA, as well as on the illegal community consultation process and socialization of the EIA, which excluded four out of the five communities that live within the project area.

Up to this date, the Ministry of Environment has given no response to any of the comments and claims made through this opposing posture, despite the fact that the CEDHU and the Ombudsman have requested such a response more than once. On the other hand, the Ministry of Environment itself highlighted 28 points of dissent with regard to the EIA carried out by the Calidad Ambiental (Environmental Quality) company. Surprisingly, on November 28, we found out about the approval of the latest EIA, which was not socialized with the local governments, let alone the communities within the area of influence of the mining project.

This mining project is threatening primary and secondary forests, five sources of water, and the habitat of at least 12 species of endangered fauna, and the source of drinking water for two communities. To make matters worse, the project area is exceptionally rich in archaeological remains of the Yumbo culture. One of the biggest risks is that the start of this illegitimate project could cause new clashes in the area of Intag and Mandariyacos, since most communities, local governments and NGOs in the area of influence remain firmly opposed to mining.

Según el comunicado de prensa que sigue, CODELCO (empresa minera Chilena) informa que el gobierno ecuatoriano

aprobó el Estudio de Impacto Ambiental para el proyecto El Paraíso, el cual se encuentra muy cercano al proyecto cuprífero JUNIN, ubicado en la Zona de Intag, Provincia de Imbabura (en el boletín de prensa se refieren a dicha concesión minera como El Palmar). El boletín también menciona el interés de la empresa y del gobierno ecuatoriano de intervenir en varios proyectos cupríferos en el norte del país.  El único lugar donde se ha descubierto yacimientos de cobre en el norte del Ecuador, es en la zona de Intag.

Cabe señalar que el Estudio de Impacto Ambiental ( EIA) aludido en el boletín de CODELCO fue supuestamente elaborado para la exploración avanzada.  Sin embargo, según un oficio en manos de la CEDHU del Ministerio del Ambiente, no existe el Estudio de Impacto Ambiental Inicial- requisito indispensable para que se apruebe el EIA para la exploración avanzada.

Pero esta no es la única irregularidad relacionada a este proyecto minero.  Hace aproximadamente seis meses, el gobierno Parroquial de García Moreno (Cantón Cotacachi), juntamente con la CEDHU y la DECOIN presentó una oposición muy bien fundamentada basada en los errores técnicos y científicos del Estudio de Impacto Ambiental,  al igual que en la ilegítima consulta con las comunidades,  y en la socialización del EIA, la cual excluyó a cuatro de las cinco comunidades dentro del área del proyecto.

Hasta la fecha, el Ministerio del Ambiente no ha respondido a las observaciones y reclamos realizadas en dicha oposición, a pesar de ser solicitado en más de una ocasión por la CEDHU y el Defensor del Pueblo.   Por otro lado, el propio Ministerio del Ambiente resaltó 28 puntos de inconformidad relacionados al EIA, el cual fue llevado a cabo por la empresa Calidad Ambiental.  Sorpresivamente, nos enteramos el día 28 de noviembre de la aprobación del nuevo EIA sin que se hubiera socializado con los gobiernos locales, y peor aún con las comunidades dentro del área de influencia del proyecto minero.

Este proyecto minero amenaza bosques primarios y secundarios y cinco fuentes de agua, además que el hábitat de por lo menos 12 especies de animales en peligro de extincción, y la fuente de agua bebible de dos comunidades. Como si fuera poco, el área del proyecto es excepcionalmente rica en vestigios arqueológicos de la cultura Yumbo.  Uno de los mayores riesgos es que el arranque de este ilegítimo proyecto provoque nuevos enfrentamientos en la zona de Intag y los Mandariyacos, ya que la mayoría de las comunidades, gobiernos locales y ONG en el área de influencia mantienen una firme oposición a la minería.

But, here is

WHY CODELCO WILL ALSO FAIL IN INTAG

I recently had a look at the government’s brand new mining development plan for 20II-20I5. Junin is mentioned several times, not just as having an incredible 40% of the country’s mineral wealth (supposedly 84 billion dollars worth- quite a stretch!!), but also because the government thinks it can start working in Junin in 2012. Where does this leave CODELCO? The world’s largest copper producer (owned by the Chilean Government and its people) is trying very hard to look for copper just west of Junin- in the vicinity of the El Paraiso community. Apparently, the individual who owns the concession, has $omehow managed to get approval the first stage of the Environmental Impact Study. But, bear in mind that CODELCO only does mega mining project- coincidentally, in the world’s driest desert (the Atacama, in northern Chile). They will not consider relatively small projects as might exist in the 800 hectare concession they are playing around in at the moment. It’s pretty clear their sights are set on Junin, and they are likely seeing it as a joint-venture with the Ecuadorian government.

Why do I say Codelco will surely fail in Junin? Let me count the ways:
Because they started on the wrong foot: lying to locals, failing to consult in good faith, and trying to buy the support they need with money and promises (Duh!, that’s creative!!)
Because they know, or should know, that the overwhelming majority of communities, organizations, and local governments in Intag reject mining as a model of development in (hello in there… two transnationals defeated, and what can you do that they others didn’t?). In a recent national anti-mining assembly, the rejection of Codelco’s presence in Intag was vociferous as it was total. And if that wasn’t enough, in a recent development that should grow a few grey hairs in Chile, the mayor of Cotacachi County, Alberto Andrango, publicly stated (newspaper interview in August of this year) his rejection for mining for the whole County, and that his government will support tourism and agriculture instead.
Because they know, or should know, that the area is rich in primary cloud forests that are the home of dozens of species of mammals and birds facing extinction. And because open-pit mining is illegal in Cotacachi County. It was outlawed in 2000 with the passing of the legally-binding Cotacachi Ecological County Ordinance. Plus, they are practically surrounded by and within four protected areas (the Los Cedros, and the Chontal Protected Forests, the Toisan Municipal Protected Area, and the Junin Community Reserve). Not enough? How about that where they are looking for copper is extraordinarily rich in pre-Spanish archeological vestiges belonging to a people which very, very little is known about? Oh, and by the way, for all practical purposes, mining is illegal in such sites.
Because they know, or should know, that the people in Intag will not allow it. During the course of the last almost 17 years of standing up to transnationals, they’ve learned a few tricks. They made Mitsubishi clear out in 1997, and then Copper Mesa in 2008. In the case of the latter, not only did it have to abandon Intag, but the company lost its concessions, was kicked off the Toronto Stock Exchange, and was sued in Canada. It hasn’t been heard from since.

Surely, at a time when hundreds of thousands of Chileans are taking to the streets to protest in favor of improved public education, the Chilean government can think of better things to do with its citizen’s money than to throw away in a mining project that is guaranteed to fail.

Carlos Zorrilla
Intag

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By Carlos Zorrilla, November 29, 2011

Ecuador’s state mining company, signed a deal   to begin exploration of promising copper deposits  in the north of the country and within mining areas belonging to Ecuador.  There are very few places with such characteristics, and of course, the main one is in Intag. And, in fact, Codelco mentions in this news release (http://www.codelco.cl/prontus_codelco/site/artic/20111128/pags/20111128122201.html)  the name El Palmar, which is a mining concession near to Junin better known as El PARAISO (see past blogs).

Codelco says- incredibly- that the amazingly flawed Environmental Impact Study was approved, and that activities should begin soon.

Let me remind everyone what is at stake and WHY:

CODELCO WILL ALSO FAIL IN INTAG

I recently had a look at the government’s brand new mining development plan for 20II-20I5. Junin is mentioned several times, not just as having an incredible 40% of the country’s mineral wealth (supposedly 84 billion dollars worth- quite a stretch!!), but also because the government thinks it can start working in Junin in 2012. Where does this leave CODELCO? The world’s largest copper producer (owned by the Chilean Government and its people) is trying very hard to look for copper just west of Junin- in the vicinity of the El Paraiso community. Apparently, the individual who owns the concession, has $omehow managed to get approval the first stage of the Environmental Impact Study. But, bear in mind that CODELCO only does mega mining project- coincidentally, in the world’s driest desert (the Atacama, in northern Chile). They will not consider relatively small projects as might exist in the 800 hectare concession they are playing around in at the moment. It’s pretty clear their sights are set on Junin, and they are likely seeing it as a joint-venture with the Ecuadorian government.

Why do I say Codelco will surely fail in Junin? Let me count the ways:
Because they started on the wrong foot: lying to locals, failing to consult in good faith, and trying to buy the support they need with money and promises (Duh!, that’s creative!!)
Because they know, or should know, that the overwhelming majority of communities, organizations, and local governments in Intag reject mining as a model of development in (hello in there… two transnationals defeated, and what can you do that they others didn’t?). In a recent national anti-mining assembly, the rejection of Codelco’s presence in Intag was vociferous as it was total. And if that wasn’t enough, in a recent development that should grow a few grey hairs in Chile, the mayor of Cotacachi County, Alberto Andrango, publicly stated (newspaper interview in August of this year) his rejection for mining for the whole County, and that his government will support tourism and agriculture instead.
Because they know, or should know, that the area is rich in primary cloud forests that are the home of dozens of species of mammals and birds facing extinction. And because open-pit mining is illegal in Cotacachi County. It was outlawed in 2000 with the passing of the legally-binding Cotacachi Ecological County Ordinance. Plus, they are practically surrounded by and within four protected areas (the Los Cedros, and the Chontal Protected Forests, the Toisan Municipal Protected Area, and the Junin Community Reserve). Not enough? How about that where they are looking for copper is extraordinarily rich in pre-Spanish archeological vestiges belonging to a people which very, very little is known about? Oh, and by the way, for all practical purposes, mining is illegal in such sites.
Because they know, or should know, that the people in Intag will not allow it. During the course of the last almost 17 years of standing up to transnationals, they’ve learned a few tricks. They made Mitsubishi clear out in 1997, and then Copper Mesa in 2008. In the case of the latter, not only did it have to abandon Intag, but the company lost its concessions, was kicked off the Toronto Stock Exchange, and was sued in Canada. It hasn’t been heard from since.

Surely, at a time when hundreds of thousands of Chileans are taking to the streets to protest in favor of improved public education, the Chilean government can think of better things to do with its citizen’s money than to throw away in a mining project that is guaranteed to fail.

Carlos Zorrilla
Intag

(Small part of Red Dog mine in Alaska)

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By Carlos Zorrilla, October 24, 2011

 Please see this blog for the photos accompanying the denouncement of the presence of military personnel in Intag to suppossedly control the traffic of illegal lumber and alcohol, and updating mapping information http://cordinadorazonalintag.blogspot.com

This comes at a time when the Correa regimen has made it public its intent on opening up and exploiting the JUNIN copper reserve together with CODELCO, Chile´s copper coorporation. If you need translation, use http://translate.google.es/#

Carlos

¿Empieza la militarización de Intag?Cordinadora Zonal de Intag

Octubre de 2011

 La presencia de más de una veintena de militares del batallón Yaguachi en la zona de Intag, Cotacachi desde hace casi una semana, ha causado gran malestar y preocupación en la población.

El día viernes 14 de octubre un grupo de 9 efectivos fue interceptado por la comunidad en el antiguo camino al campamento minero de los japoneses en la comunidad de Junín.

 Cuando se les preguntó el motivo de esta inesperada visita al área minera, en un primer momento el oficial a cargo, quien no quiso identificarse, indicó pertenecer al Instituto Geográfico Militar (IGM) y que se encuentran actualizando los mapas del área. Sin embargo el mismo soldado descubre su mentira cuando poco más adelante dice ser del batallón Yaguachi de Ibarra y que los puntos que tomen con el GPS los mandan por e-mail al IGM…

“Somos del IGM……”  la insignia en el uniforme corresponde al batallón Yaguachi. 

 Fue tan evidente la contradicción del uniformado que de manera inmediata los comuneros de Junín les advirtieron ante cualquier intento que tengan ellos para abrir el camino a la exploración minera en la zona, lo cual será impedido a toda costa por la comunidad organizada.

Pobladora de Junín conversa con el oficial a cargo del grupo de militares quien no se identificó 

 Al parecer los militares no se han puesto de acuerdo sobre su misión en Intag: increpados por su presencia en la zona, han expuesto una infinidad de objetivos: control de armas, control de motos robadas, control de aguardiente, control de madera, están persiguiendo a unos narcotraficantes colombianos, viene a capacitar a la gente, actualizar mapas, dar seguridad ante el robo de ganado… sin embargo hasta el momento se han limitado a hacer labores de “inteligencia”, parando vehículos y solicitando identificaciones, haciendo preguntas sobre las actividades económicas de las personas, averiguando sobre las organizaciones, etc.

 El día lunes 14 fueron vistos vestidos de civil comprando bebidas en Apuela, lo cual motivó el reclamo de las personas que están en el lugar. Posteriormente estaban bañándose en las piscinas de aguas termales de Nangulví a las 3 de la tarde del lunes (y espantando a los turistas). La gente se pregunta si es esa la forma de controlar la delincuencia.    

  Lunes 17 de octubre 14h30. Disfrutando de un “merecido” baño en las aguas termales  

 (FOTO) Campamento militar en cabañas Río Grande 

 En todo caso lo que es seguro es que están en Intag, haciendo campamento en una hostería privada con baño en las termas incluido y dicen que se quedan de largo.

   Control de madera, aguardiente, areteo de ganado, mapas. Entre los múltiples oficios encomendados para los militares en Intag. Vehículos muy apropiados para tal labor. 

 ¿Será que la minería responsable empieza con los militares?

Se ha pedido respuestas sobre la presencia de los militares en Intag a distintas autoridades. Gobernación, alcaldía, ministerios de defensa y de interior. Nadie dice una sola palabra.

 Sin embargo ya vemos como ésta estrategia ha sido utilizada en varios lugares. Mientras vemos por los medios la violenta represión ocurrida en Chone contra la población opuesta al proyecto de propósito múltiple y en defensa de sus tierras, o el desalojo de las comunidades que resisten al proyecto hidroeléctrico en el río Topo en Tungurahua, la militarización de sistemas de agua del Azuay, la presencia de militares en territorio Achuar y Quichua de la Amazonía para proteger intereses mineros y petroleros, no es de extrañarse que el gobierno de Correa pretenda también aplicar esta misma estrategia en Intag.

 Las recientes declaraciones Wilson Pastor Morris, ministro de recursos naturales no renovables (MRNNR) manifestando la intención de crear una empresa de economía mixta con CODELCO de Chile para el proyecto Junín y la próxima subasta de concesiones mineras, son evidentemente el escenario que quieren asegurar los militares.

 Huyen del diálogo por que saben que no tienen respuestas.

 Se esconden detrás de las armas por que le temen al pueblo.

 Mienten cada sábado por que piensan que el pueblo es tonto y que se vende por papelitos de colores.

 CODELCO en Intag

 La presencia de CODECLO en Intag desde hace mas de un año, en el sector El Paraíso, (también llamado El Palmal o concesión Mandariyacus, ridícula estrategia de distracción de CODELCO y el MRNNR), a pocos Km. de Junín,  se da en condiciones absolutas de ilegalidad. El mismo ministerio del ambiente negó el estudio de impacto ambiental para exploración avanzada luego de la oposición planteada por la Junta Parroquial y las organizaciones locales, así como la negativa de la municipalidad de Cotacachi a otorgar la autorización respectiva por ser una actividad contraria a la visión del cantón.

 Video de la reunión de “socialización “ de Codelco: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RqIFDzbx-0

 Sin embargo, de manera insólita, el MRNNR organizó hace pocas semanas una inspección con más de 10 funcionarios para “demostrar” que el área no es zona urbana y tratar de interpretar a favor de la minera el contenido del plan de desarrollo y ordenamiento territorial del cantón. Lamentablemente para ellos, El Paraíso es una comunidad con escuela, canchas, capilla, reserva hídrica, talleres de artesanías y un grupo de mujeres organizadas y “bien bravas”. Además, el plan de desarrollo y ordenamiento territorial de Cotacachi, tiene una visión no extractivista, declara ilegal actividades que contaminen el agua y que utilicen sustancias químicas peligrosas. Mas bien potencia en estos lugares la conservación y las actividades sustentables como eco turismo, agroforestería, reforestación, artesanías, agroindustria, generación hidroeléctrica a pequeña escala, con proyectos rentables y sustentables cuyos estudios de factibilidad demuestran ser más viables que la minería.

 Para completar el triste cuadro de intereses creados del MRNNR en la zona, en clara violación y contraposición a los principios de la constitución y la ley de minería, que supuestamente refuerza el rol de Estado en los procesos de información y consulta con las comunidades, CODELCO ha subcontratado a la empresa S.A.M SA. (cuyo socio principal es gerente de exploraciones de IAM GOLD). Esta  empresa está encargada nuevamente de hacer el “trabajo sucio”: ganarse a población con fiestas, hornado y regalitos de navidad, seguir explorando de manera ilegal y realizar nuevamente un estudio ambiental.

 Como si con eso fueran a cambiar 15 años de historia de la población de Intag oponiéndose a un modelo de desarrollo devastador y genocida como la minería metálica a gran escala.

 CODELCO es una de las empresas estatales más cuestionadas en Chile por los crecientes casos de corrupción en que sus dirigentes se ven envueltos, precisamente en un país que deja ver los huesos de un sistema basado en la minería. Modelo que en lugar de repartir riqueza, la ha concentrado y generado tal desigualdad, que hoy vemos cada día un nuevo episodio de la lucha que jóvenes libran contra un estado que les roba el futuro. Mientras eso ocurre, las rentas mineras van a engordar los arsenales del ejército y la policía, claro ejemplo del devenir de las economías dependientes de la explotación de materias primas: estados represores altamente militarizados.

Pareciera que Correa y Piñera tienen mucho más en común de lo que muchos se imaginan. Veremos como evoluciona en los próximos meses este intento por militarizar Intag para comprobarlo.   

  Río Manduriaco Grande, aguas cristalinas amenazadas por la minería metálica a gran escala en la Cordillera del Toisán 

  — Cordinadora Zonal de Intag

comunidades – organizaciones – gobiernos locales de Intag Cotacachi, Imbabura

intag.cordinadorazonal@gmail.comhttp://cordinadorazonalintag.blogspot.com

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By Carlos Zorrilla, September 22, 2011

Intag news, September two thousand and eleven

Police arrests anti-mining activists Updated 25 September

Stopping Codelco in Intag- For Now
Large Scale mining: another green light
The folly of Ecuador’s new mining plan
Conservation in Intag

Selva Alegre and Lafarge: New Arrests in Intag

This last September 9, a squad of police from the town of Otavalo arrested nine activists protesting against Lafarge’s Selva Alegre limestone mine. In the violent police raid, and according to first-hand reports- a woman was beaten, and a house broken into by police without a legal warrant. Four of the nine are currently under arrest and charged with terrorism, sabotage and for obstructing a public road. The activists were arrested for blocking the road the company uses to transport the limestone to Otavalo to make cement, and were part of about twenty-five others belonging to a local group opposed to the mining activities which is impacting their land. The protestors were also clamoring for more jobs to go to the locals.

The mine, which belongs to the world’s largest cement manufacturer, was recently cited for contamination and illegal mining practices. Only in an upside down world such as ours does the police arrest demonstrators opposing an illegal mining operations. But that’s another story- you can read about some of the outrageousness associated with the world’s larges cement maker- Lafarge, on our site:  www.lafargeotavalo.com

UPDATE 25 Sept>  According to new information, the four arrested- who were also beaten up during the violent raid- were set free on Thursday- but they have to report once a week to the public prosecutor in Otavalo until the authorities decide what to do with them… It seems that the government officials would like the whole thing to just go away, as there will very likely be charges filed for human rights violations against the police.  The woman who was cruelly beaten left the clinic on Sept 12- four days after the police action-  If the police had not confiscated the cameras used to document the alleged police brutality, we would be showing some of the images in this post.  The Quito-based  human rights organization, CEDHU, will be supporting the victims of the police raid, as well as the Public Defender (Ombudsman).  The police  and the public prosecutor will have some explaining to do regarding the brutal use of force and the illegal entry into a home without a search warrant.

Sadly, the use of public force to quell public protest in order to uphold business rights and governmental policy  is becoming a norm in this once-upon-a-time peaceful country.  This, in spite of the fact that right to resist policies and measures that threaten one’s Constitutional rights- such as the right to live in an safe  environment,  are embedded in the Constitution.

Stopping Codelco in Intag- for Now
I mentioned in my earlier blog that Junin without Codelco makes no sense, especially since - except for undermining human rights- the Ecuadorian government mining company has no experience at all with any kind of mining. It seems that the letter of opposition that DECOIN, Cedhu (human rights organization) and the local government of Garcia Moreno sent to the Ministry of the Environment worked to stop the start of the exploration at the El Paraiso concession- just west of Junin. The Ministry cited 28 instances of non-compliance with the law in the Study where the concession owner (a private individual), will have to first comply with before it can began exploring. Together with Cedhu, we are hoping to soon present new legal challenges to this very poor study. But for now, the exploration has been stopped. A total lack of funds to pay for legal fees is the main obstacle that keeps us from pursuing the legal angle more fully.

Ecuador’s new mining plan.
As I mentioned previously, Ecuador has a brand new mining development plan. It calls for opening up all the country to large-scale mining- including its ocean floor. Presently, only about 4% of the country is in the hands of mining companies; the plan would like to see all of the country explored or exploited for minerals. All, except the protected areas- but these can be opened with a simple OK of the legislative, which is controlled by the Executive who is, in turn, enamored with the mining model of development (which translates into: more cheap resources for the rich North; more poverty and environmental, cultural and social devastation for the South).

The Junin concession figures very large in the Plan- with about 9 million dollars earmarked by the government for exploratory activities for what is left of this year, and 2012. According to the government, Junin holds 40% of the nation’s mineral wealth. Where they got this number is a mystery, but it is entirely fabricated. In any case, given that yesterday the government approved the Environmental Impact Study for the very first large-scale copper mine in the South (El Mirador- belonging to a Chinese company), the pressure is bound to increase here in the North. The El Mirador study had 250 issues brought up by experts in the field of Environmental Impact Studies; yet the government went ahead and approved it. No, it does not bode well four our neck of the woods…

Conservation:
DECOIN continues to buy forests (800 hectares in 2010; 900 planned for 2011), is working with communities to continue planting trees in their reserves (50,000 this year)); and to try to buy more community watershed reserves to protect water, biodiversity and forests. The project also protects the health of thousands of Inteño residents, by providing safe water. The project is now severely underfunded, even though it is, in my mind, the single most effective conservation initiative going in Intag. Why? Because the communities urgently want to protect their water sources and are willing to do whatever it takes to protect them.

There are many paper protected areas in the world; many will be invaded, or ransacked by loggers or copper and gold mines, or oil extraction in the near future, initiated by governments like Ecuador’s, who can only see the short-term benefits of extractive development. In this context, it is appalling to me that so many conservation organizations are into the numbers game, and cannot see the value of community-based conservation initiatives such as ours. They are stuck in the Big Numbers Syndrome of “protected forests”, so they can show off to their donors the large numbers of hectares they are supposedly helping protect. Ours is a small-is-beautiful- but very effective approach. Give communities a real reason to protect biodiversity and forests, and they will risk their lives to protect them, even if it means fighting the government’s short-sighted plans. For me, it is the only way of assuring long-term protection of the country’s biological wealth. And it is tragic that it is so difficult to assure enough funding for these kinds of initiatives.

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By Carlos Zorrilla, August 12, 2011

WHY CODELCO WILL ALSO FAIL IN INTAG

I recently had a look at the government’s brand new mining development plan for 20II-20I5. Junin is mentioned several times, not just as having an incredible 40% of the country’s mineral wealth (supposedly 84 billion dollars worth- quite a stretch!!), but also because the government thinks it can start working in Junin in 2012. Where does this leave CODELCO? The world’s largest copper producer (owned by the Chilean Government and its people) is trying very hard to look for copper just west of Junin- in the vicinity of the El Paraiso community. Apparently, the individual who owns the concession, has $omehow managed to get approval the first stage of the Environmental Impact Study. But, bear in mind that CODELCO only does mega mining project- coincidentally, in the world’s driest desert (the Atacama, in northern Chile). They will not consider relatively small projects as might exist in the 800 hectare concession they are playing around in at the moment. It’s pretty clear their sights are set on Junin, and they are likely seeing it as a joint-venture with the Ecuadorian government.

Why do I say Codelco will surely fail in Junin? Let me count the ways:
Because they started on the wrong foot: lying to locals, failing to consult in good faith, and trying to buy the support they need with money and promises (Duh!, that’s creative!!)
Because they know, or should know, that the overwhelming majority of communities, organizations, and local governments in Intag reject mining as a model of development in (hello in there… two transnationals defeated, and what can you do that they others didn’t?). In a recent national anti-mining assembly, the rejection of Codelco’s presence in Intag was vociferous as it was total. And if that wasn’t enough, in a recent development that should grow a few grey hairs in Chile, the mayor of Cotacachi County, Alberto Andrango, publicly stated (newspaper interview in August of this year) his rejection for mining for the whole County, and that his government will support tourism and agriculture instead.
Because they know, or should know, that the area is rich in primary cloud forests that are the home of dozens of species of mammals and birds facing extinction. And because open-pit mining is illegal in Cotacachi County. It was outlawed in 2000 with the passing of the legally-binding Cotacachi Ecological County Ordinance. Plus, they are practically surrounded by and within four protected areas (the Los Cedros, and the Chontal Protected Forests, the Toisan Municipal Protected Area, and the Junin Community Reserve). Not enough? How about that where they are looking for copper is extraordinarily rich in pre-Spanish archeological vestiges belonging to a people which very, very little is known about? Oh, and by the way, for all practical purposes, mining is illegal in such sites.
Because they know, or should know, that the people in Intag will not allow it. During the course of the last almost 17 years of standing up to transnationals, they’ve learned a few tricks. They made Mitsubishi clear out in 1997, and then Copper Mesa in 2008. In the case of the latter, not only did it have to abandon Intag, but the company lost its concessions, was kicked off the Toronto Stock Exchange, and was sued in Canada. It hasn’t been heard from since.

Surely, at a time when hundreds of thousands of Chileans are taking to the streets to protest in favor of improved public education, the Chilean government can think of better things to do with its citizen’s money than to throw away in a mining project that is guaranteed to fail.

Carlos Zorrilla
Intag

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By Carlos Zorrilla, June 4, 2011

JUNE 4 UPDATE:

Mining Paradise II:  Intag’s New Ominous Mining THREATS

Is the Junin nightmare about to restart?

Paraiso and Codelco

Lafarge Cement taken to court

Mining mayhem

June 4…  Yesterday we heard that Codelco, Chile’s state-owned copper company and the world’s largest producer of the red metal, was officially interested in reopening the JUNIN mine as part of government initiative (this according to Ecuador’s Chamber of Mines).  Late in the evening, however, Codelco went out of its way to say it was not planning to explore the JUNIN   concession.  At the same time reliable sources from the PARAISO area, reported eight pick-up loads of Codelco engineers, who are, supposedly, taking samples from the the area around El Paraiso, and perhaps the rest of the Toisan Range (water and rock samples).   El Paraiso, as pointed out before, is much too small for Codelco, who only has undertaken huge mining projects- most of them in the world’s driest desert (Atacama). So, it looks like they (teh company and government) are testing the waters before plunging.

The possible start up of the JUNIN project is just one of 7 ongoing and potential mining hassles going on in Intag (the others are:  marble mine at Barcelona; a new marble mine proposed at El Rosal; Paraiso, Corazon (small gold mine with  contamination issues);Lafarge,  and two new concessions in the Paraiso area),,, Make that 8, not seven hassles.

Regarding El Paraiso: together with Cedhu, Ecuador’s most prestigious human rights organization, and the government of Garcia Moreno, DECOIN filed an opposition to El Paraiso’s hard-to-believe Environmental Impact Statement.  The Ministry of the Environment responded that they haven’t even received the EIA, so not to worry (yes, we worry!!)..  Apparently, the concession owner (who works closely with CODELCO) is amending the EIA.  One of the main points we made was that the EIA was illegitimate because it did not include legitimate public discussion.  We also pointed out some of the abundant mistakes  in the document, which seemed more of a copy and paste of another EIA.

LAFARGE.   Recently we got a hold of the Environmental Audit for the Lafarge limestone quarry here in Intag and found some interesting stuff.  The Auditors found the company in violation of many environmental norms (using and destroying the side of a mountain to process the limestone, air and noise contamination of school kids living next to the road, river contamination with phenol and limestone, complete destruction of archeological site, and a few more great impacts generated by one of the world’s most responsible mining companies who has, by the way, a deal with WWF to be greener.

CHECK THE NEW WEBSITE we made to denounce Lafarge at:

www. lafargeotavalo.com

Mining Paradise II: Update 5 April

It’s been a while.  I’m going to try to summarize as much as possible as too much is going on.The new mining threat, in the area of the El Paraiso community, lies approximately 4 kilometers in a straight line west of Junin as is part of a 800 hectare mining concessions owned by an individual who has signed (according to official documents) an agreement with CODELCO, the world’s largest copper producer (1,8 million tons, or 11% of the world’s total production). The concessions is adjacent to the extremely biodiverse Los Cedros Protected Area.  While lying within the Cotacachi County, this area is known as Manduriacos and is adjacent to Intag.

CODELCO is owned by the Chilean government and has little experience with mining copper outside the Atacama desert- the driest in the world- where most of its large mines are located.

This week the concession owner, with the support of the Ministry of the Environment, and the Ministry of Non-Renewable Resources, commenced socializing its environmental impact study (EIS) in El Paraiso in order to begin exploration of the concession- with Codelco personnel.  The existence of the study was news to most of the people in the area- and especially those around Magdalena Bajo, who were hardly aware of the existence of the mining project and who did not participate in the making of the Terms of Reference- a legal preliminary step necessary for carrying out the EIS.

This is not the only illegality CODELCO is so far party to.  Citing violation of its Ecological Ordinance, the Municipality of Cotacachi last month refused to emit a legally required permit to the concession owner to carry out mining activities.  The ordinance prohibits mining in native forests.  The owner, supported by CODELCO, is obviously intending to ignore the wishes of local residents and disrespect local laws.  The disrespect of local authorities extends to the local Government of Garcia Moreno- who has not received any documents  from the mining company as required by law.

Rejection early in the game.      This last Saturday (March 26) 57 persons from the community of Magdalena Bajo with members of El Paraiso and other nearby communities met to express their outrage and rejection of  the mining project.  One of the resolution taken was to ask the assistance of DECOIN and for it to be present next Saturday’s meeting in El Paraiso when government officials will come to attempt to legitimize the illegality (the socialization of the EIS is a legal step in the process to begin exploration- but so is socializing the Terms of Reference which was never properly done).

Lafarge, or is it Lafarce?

Yes, it’ll seem surreal, but at the same time this new threat is looming over the horizon, a group of people affected by the operations of the quarry site in Selva Alegre, Intag, as well as the cement factory outside Otavalo where Lafarge transforms the limestone mine in Intag into cement contacted us to see if we could help them with labor, human rights violations and contamination issues.  France-based Lafarge is the world’s largest cement manufacturer.  In Intag they use the technique known as mountain top removal to strip the limestone from an area rich in native cloud forests.

After many denunciations and persistence from a group of landowners surrounding the mine and factory in late 2010 the Ministry of the Environment carried out several inspections to both sites and confirmed that the company “was in violation of Ecuadorian environmental law and regulations- specifically regarding the components: air, water and soil, and vibration“ (taken from one of the inspections).  We are working with involved stakeholders to see how we can be of help.

However, given that quite a remarkable number of illegalities and irregularities have been documented and completely ignore in the case of the nearby marble mine affecting the residents of Barcelona, we don’t hold much hope the contamination and human rights violations will soon stop. The Barcelona conflict is still active, as well as the one affecting the community of El Rosal (another marble project).

Oh, I nearly forgot to mention that Lafarce has an agreement with non other than WWF to clean up its act!

How bad can contamination from a cement factory be? Lafarge has been implicated in mercury contamination in a cement factory in New York (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lafargehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lafarge)  The hundreds of thousands of tons of dust emitted annually in the making of cement can also cause or aggravate a wide range of respiratory illnesses for people and animals living around the factory- including tuberculosis and silicosis.

Oh, I nearly forgot to mention that Lafarce has an agreement with none other than WWF to clean up its act!

Losses in Court.

I am hoping that Upside Down World will publish an article I’m working on dealing with the the recent court decision in Canada to throw out the case brought by Polibio and Israel Perez and Marcia Ramirez against the Toronto Stock Exchang and Copper Mesa (See www.ramirezversuscoppermesa.comfor more details). Basically the judges determined that the directors of both these institutions have no obligation to non-investors.  If their actions or omissions cause other people (and especially foreigners) to die or become ill from contamination, it is not their responsibility.  However, if these fine institutions lie to investors and cause them to lose money, then woe is them.  Since it costs way too much to appeal again, this is where this ends.

In fact, the monetary element is one of the bigger issues facing communities when they try to use the legal systems to fight for their rights.  In the case of Ramirez versus Copper Mesa, the real costs where over one-hundred thousand dollars- all of it generously covered by the Toronto-based law firm of Klippensteins.  If the lawsuit contributed to the company being delisted from the Stock Exchange and to company’s bankruptcy, as it happened early last year, then it was very much worthwhile.

In a related note, if anyone of you lives close to Boston, the Harvard Law School will be holding a panel discussion on the difficulties of communities use of the legal system against transnationals.  It’s to take place this coming April 14^th and I’ve been invited to participate.  Under Rich Earth will be shown before the panel discussion,  and I’ll be joined by representatives of Rights Action and Oxfam.

The other courtroom loss, of which I am not going to go into detail for now for lack of time and energy, took place I think the same week as the other loss, and it involved my criminal lawsuit for libel against Ecuacorriente, a Chinese-owned mining company who financed the making of a documentary that portrayed me as terrorist and behind the anti-mining movement in the south of Ecuador.  The lawsuit was thrown out on procedural grounds.  The project is a huge open-pit  copper project in the very biodiverse Condor Range. Since their main argument was that the community manual I co-authored for communities to better stand up to mining companies is a vile and terrorist tool, I believe their objective was to try to convince the government that the manual is responsible for any and all past and future anti-mining activities. Or something absurdly along this line.   Does this feel like Alicelandida sometimes? You betcha!  More on the criminalization of the social protest later?

This is all I have time for now, I’ll try to update later on the week or after the meeting this coming Friday.  BUT, I thought I’d let you know that last year we helped pay for the transportation of 15 high school groups.  School will begin next week, and only Junin is funded.  Likewise, the new mining threat catches us with very (as in VERY!)   little funding for this kind of activity.   SO please loosen your wallets.

THANKS

Carlos

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By Carlos Zorrilla, March 28, 2011

Mining Paradise:  Intag’s New Ominous Mining Threat

Lafarge Cement

Two courtroom Losses in the same week

Mining Paradise II: Update 5 April

It’s been a while.  I’m going to try to summarize as much as possible as too much is going on.The new mining threat, in the area of the El Paraiso community, lies approximately 4 kilometers in a straight line west of Junin as is part of a 800 hectare mining concessions owned by an individual who has signed (according to official documents) an agreement with CODELCO, the world’s largest copper producer (1,8 million tons, or 11% of the world’s total production). The concessions is adjacent to the extremely biodiverse Los Cedros Protected Area.  While lying within the Cotacachi County, this area is known as Manduriacos and is adjacent to Intag.

CODELCO is owned by the Chilean government and has little experience with mining copper outside the Atacama desert- the driest in the world- where most of its large mines are located.

This week the concession owner, with the support of the Ministry of the Environment, and the Ministry of Non-Renewable Resources, commenced socializing its environmental impact study (EIS) in El Paraiso in order to begin exploration of the concession- with Codelco personnel.  The existence of the study was news to most of the people in the area- and especially those around Magdalena Bajo, who were hardly aware of the existence of the mining project and who did not participate in the making of the Terms of Reference- a legal preliminary step necessary for carrying out the EIS.

This is not the only illegality CODELCO is so far party to.  Citing violation of its Ecological Ordinance, the Municipality of Cotacachi last month refused to emit a legally required permit to the concession owner to carry out mining activities.  The ordinance prohibits mining in native forests.  The owner, supported by CODELCO, is obviously intending to ignore the wishes of local residents and disrespect local laws.  The disrespect of local authorities extends to the local Government of Garcia Moreno- who has not received any documents  from the mining company as required by law.

Rejection early in the game.      This last Saturday (March 26) 57 persons from the community of Magdalena Bajo with members of El Paraiso and other nearby communities met to express their outrage and rejection of  the mining project.  One of the resolution taken was to ask the assistance of DECOIN and for it to be present next Saturday’s meeting in El Paraiso when government officials will come to attempt to legitimize the illegality (the socialization of the EIS is a legal step in the process to begin exploration- but so is socializing the Terms of Reference which was never properly done).

Lafarge, or is it Lafarce?

Yes, it’ll seem surreal, but at the same time this new threat is looming over the horizon, a group of people affected by the operations of the quarry site in Selva Alegre, Intag, as well as the cement factory outside Otavalo where Lafarge transforms the limestone mine in Intag into cement contacted us to see if we could help them with labor, human rights violations and contamination issues.  France-based Lafarge is the world’s largest cement manufacturer.  In Intag they use the technique known as mountain top removal to strip the limestone from an area rich in native cloud forests.

After many denunciations and persistence from a group of landowners surrounding the mine and factory in late 2010 the Ministry of the Environment carried out several inspections to both sites and confirmed that the company “was in violation of Ecuadorian environmental law and regulations- specifically regarding the components: air, water and soil, and vibration“ (taken from one of the inspections).  We are working with involved stakeholders to see how we can be of help.

However, given that quite a remarkable number of illegalities and irregularities have been documented and completely ignore in the case of the nearby marble mine affecting the residents of Barcelona, we don’t hold much hope the contamination and human rights violations will soon stop. The Barcelona conflict is still active, as well as the one affecting the community of El Rosal (another marble project).

Oh, I nearly forgot to mention that Lafarce has an agreement with non other than WWF to clean up its act!

How bad can contamination from a cement factory be? Lafarge has been implicated in mercury contamination in a cement factory in New York (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lafarge http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lafarge)  The hundreds of thousands of tons of dust emitted annually in the making of cement can also cause or aggravate a wide range of respiratory illnesses for people and animals living around the factory- including tuberculosis and silicosis.

Oh, I nearly forgot to mention that Lafarce has an agreement with none other than WWF to clean up its act!

Losses in Court.

I am hoping that Upside Down World will publish an article I’m working on dealing with the the recent court decision in Canada to throw out the case brought by Polibio and Israel Perez and Marcia Ramirez against the Toronto Stock Exchang and Copper Mesa (See www.ramirezversuscoppermesa.com for more details). Basically the judges determined that the directors of both these institutions have no obligation to non-investors.  If their actions or omissions cause other people (and especially foreigners) to die or become ill from contamination, it is not their responsibility.  However, if these fine institutions lie to investors and cause them to lose money, then woe is them.  Since it costs way too much to appeal again, this is where this ends.

In fact, the monetary element is one of the bigger issues facing communities when they try to use the legal systems to fight for their rights.  In the case of Ramirez versus Copper Mesa, the real costs where over one-hundred thousand dollars- all of it generously covered by the Toronto-based law firm of Klippensteins.  If the lawsuit contributed to the company being delisted from the Stock Exchange and to company’s bankruptcy, as it happened early last year, then it was very much worthwhile.

In a related note, if anyone of you lives close to Boston, the Harvard Law School will be holding a panel discussion on the difficulties of communities use of the legal system against transnationals.  It’s to take place this coming April 14^th and I’ve been invited to participate.  Under Rich Earth will be shown before the panel discussion,  and I’ll be joined by representatives of Rights Action and Oxfam.

The other courtroom loss, of which I am not going to go into detail for now for lack of time and energy, took place I think the same week as the other loss, and it involved my criminal lawsuit for libel against Ecuacorriente, a Chinese-owned mining company who financed the making of a documentary that portrayed me as terrorist and behind the anti-mining movement in the south of Ecuador.  The lawsuit was thrown out on procedural grounds.  The project is a huge open-pit  copper project in the very biodiverse Condor Range. Since their main argument was that the community manual I co-authored for communities to better stand up to mining companies is a vile and terrorist tool, I believe their objective was to try to convince the government that the manual is responsible for any and all past and future anti-mining activities. Or something absurdly along this line.   Does this feel like Alicelandida sometimes? You betcha!  More on the criminalization of the social protest later?

This is all I have time for now, I’ll try to update later on the week or after the meeting this coming Friday.  BUT, I thought I’d let you know that last year we helped pay for the transportation of 15 high school groups.  School will begin next week, and only Junin is funded.  Likewise, the new mining threat catches us with very (as in VERY!)   little funding for this kind of activity.   SO please loosen your wallets.

THANKS

Carlos

MINING PARADISE II: Farcing, Mayhem and Catatonics in Paradise (April 5 update)

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By Carlos Zorrilla, December 7, 2010

News, Dec 2010

Four years of impunity.
This month marks the fourth anniversary of the paramilitary attack on the Junin community paid for by Copper Mesa Mining Corporation. It is four years and one month since the paramilitary incursion into the Barcelona and Cerro Pelado communities. Also paid by the mining company. Four years and two months since the trumped up charges and illegal lawsuit against Carlos Zorrilla that led to
the police raid to his home and the planting of a gun and drugs inside his house by a police. FOUR YEARS OF IMPUNITY. No one has been arrested, or even investigated. None of the prosecutors or judges that allowed the outrageously illegal judicial set up has been suspended, much less charged with crimes. None of the paramilitaries or the companies that hired them were ever charged with anything. In other words, nothing happened in Intag. Nothing happened in the Canada, where the lawsuits by the three Junin community members suing the Toronto Stock Exchange and the mining company, who paid for all this illegality and outrage, was thrown out. The decision was appealed, but only after the law firm in Canada working pro-bono put up $12,000 for the appeal to go ahead (a final decision is expected by January or February)

Forests and reforestation:
We’ve been buying hundreds of hectares of forests for the communities and the Cuellaje Parish government reserve. About 1200 hectares in the past few months.
Thanks to Geo schutzl den Regenwald, in November of 2010, DECOIN published a full-color community reforestation manual with valuable information on setting up community nurseries and working with the native tree species. In the next few months, reforestation with 16,000 trees will start up again.
•
Mining

On September of 2010, we received news that the government had put aside $180,000.00 to reactivate the Junin mining project (since then, the information was withdrawn from the government site). This news was followed by a newspaper report on the government’s plans to develop seven mining project, including Junin.

This time, the project would be developed by the State-owned, National Mining Company, Enami, and with public funding. However, on the ground we’ve not seen any signs of the company’s presence. What we have seen is strong presence of government agencies (as many as five Ministries) offering communities and campesinos families all kinds of housing and credit subsidies; especially around the mining area. This could very well be part of a long-range campaign to get support for the government’s intent on reactivating the Junin mine.

Lawyers and more mining hassles. During the past six months, DECOIN has been assisting the community of Barcelona (in the Selva Alegre municipality), with legal support to help them close down a limestone mine that has caused a lot of environmental and social problems. The mine has been illegally operating for years without proper permits, but the government refuses to close the mine or fine the owners. Eight campesinos are facing charges in court related to the peaceful protests, and they are being defended by two lawyers that DECOIN hired.

• El Rosal. The community group from El Rosal produces soaps, shampoos and cream, and is one of the more solid groups in the area. They asked DECOIN to help them stop a new mining company that wants to develop another limestone mine close to their community, and which would impact the community’s water source. We’ve hired the services of a lawyer to try to stop this illegal mine from opening.
•
El Paraiso. El Paraiso is a community west of Junin and bordering the Chontal Protected Forest. People from that area have asked us for legal support to denounce the apparent illegality of the gold exploration, and ask the owners of the mining concession to present all legal permits. One of the worrisome aspects of this new company is that the owner of the concession- a private individual- is working with engineers from Codelco- the world’s largest copper producing company (owned by the Chilean government). We hired the same lawyer representing the campesinos in Barcelona for legal assistance in this case.

Carlos’ lawsuit against Ecuacorriente. Im happy to report that the lawsuit I presented against Ecuacorrientes, a Corriente Resources subsidiary (Canadian mining company), has been accepted as valid by the court. I am suing the company for libel in relation to a documentary they helped produce in which I they portray me in very unfavorable light (by which i mean that they imply that I am responsible for the anti-mining movement in the south of Ecuador).

Information on mining. We’ve created seven radio messages with mining information for communities which will be broadcasted in Intag and other areas of Ecuador (in Dec it started on two radio stations). This activity also includes buying air time in two, and possibly four radios. We have also made these radio messages available for free to other communities in Ecuador for their use. Carlos has also written two essays on mining in Ecuador, one of which was published in a book form by FLACSO, one of Ecuador’s most prestigious university. The other is set to be published next year (also by Flacso).

Water and Biodiversity Forum.
In spite of rainy weather, this past November 19th, we held the V Water and Biodiversity Forum in Pucará. Approximately 130 representatives from communities and showed up from all over Intag to attend the most popular environmental gathering in the area. This is the fifth year Prodeci, a local development organization, has helped us carry out the forum. One of the more worthwhile news to report from the gathering is that Karen Knee, a Fullbright Phd student, reported the findings from her analysis of the water in community reserves to date. She reported that the water from the community reserves is comparable to the water coming out of natural forested areas. That is, very clean, and potable!! That, of course, made us all at DECOIN very happy and extremely proud to be involved in the community watershed project (which, unfortunately, is currently not being funded).

Education:
We helped 15 groups of high school kids pay for the part of the transportation costs so they can attend the three normal high schools in the area (Peñaherrera, Apuela and Garcia Moreno). In addition to this, and as reported elsewhere, we helped the Chalguyacu Bajo distance high-school education group (around 55 students) build their classroom, which is nearly finished. They are accepting donations to complete the building and furnish it.

We also distributed the Great kapok tree to 1,500 second grade kids in I can’t remember how many grade-schools. It was a huge hit. (please see our web site for more details on our activities).

We also plan to produce children’s programs on the environment, and will be buying air time on Radio Intag to broadcast the programs. DECOIN’s support for Radio Intag has been essential to keep the radio from going bankrupt. We believe it is absolutely essential to keep the radio in the hands of communities and organizations. Unfortunately, no other organization has helped in any meaningful way to keep the radio afloat.

This is a brief summary of our current work- please see our web site for more information.

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By Carlos Zorrilla, September 7, 2010

NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSEMBLY HELD IN INTAG

CORREA’S GOVERNMENT OPENLY PRO-MINING AGENDA INCLUDES INTAG

UPDATES FROM BARCELONA AND EL ROSAL

THIS PAST FRIDAY AND SATURDAY (Sept 3 and 4), 100 folks from all over Ecuador met to discuss environmental and social issues affecting Ecuador, and to reaffirm the National Environmental Assembly’s work. The Assembly is made up of indigenous, afroecuadorians, environmental and human rights NGO’, women’s groups, and communities which share a vision of a socially just and economically and environmentally sustainable Ecuador.

The resolution (in Spanish for now below), rejects the government’s pro-extractive industry, and the its smear campaign against community activists who are defending the environment, as well as the distortion of important concepts like Buen Vivir (Good Life), the Rights of Nature which the government says it pursues, but at the same time opens the country to large-scale metallic mines (see below)

The document denounces the regime’s strategy of systematically trying to control, and of outright destroying civil society organizations, at the same time that it calls on all organizations to join forces to secure the environmental rights enshrined in Ecuador’s Constitution.

ANA’s declarations also firmly supports the communities of El Rosal (Garcia Moreno) and Barcelona (Selva Alegre), in Intag, who are defending their rights against two mining companies who are flagrantly violating their rights.

CORREA’S GOVERNMENT LARGE-SCALE MINING AGENDA

On the 20^th of August, Quito’s El Hoy newspaper published a two-page spread on the government’s open push supporting large-scale metallic mining in Ecuador (link below). The Minister of Non-Renewable Resources, Wilson Pastor, said that by 2013 the seven large-scale copper mining projects in Ecuador- including JUNIN- would be producing their first tons of copper concentrate.

According to the article, the Ecuador’s new national mining company, in a joint-venture with Codelco, will (try to) open the mine in Junin. Codelco is the world’s largest producer of copper and is owned by the Chilean government (and it mines copper in the driest desert in the world- the Atacama desert).

The article also went into detail about the cooper mining projects in the Cordillera del Condor (south of the country), where a Chinese joint-venture company is ready to start opening the open-pit mine in November. All of the copper is set to sail to China.

Something to keep in mind is that in the past three or four months, China has lent Ecuador over 3 billion dollars to help the government balance the budget. Is it any coincidence that China is aggressively looking for raw resources all over the world, but particularly copper and petroleum?

I suppose there are worse scenarios than Chinese mining companies in our communities, but I can’t think of any.

To complicate matters, lately the government has been very busy giving away all kinds of subsidies for “poor citizens” in Intag, and offering to support development projects.

It is one thing to fight against a “nasty” transnational mining company, another to defend the social, economic and environmental rights enshrined in Ecuador’s Constitution being threatened by the very same State that is supposed to guarantee them. One of the rights of the new Constitution is the right of Resistance. I imagine it is one right that will be used extensively in Intag.

YES, IT IS DEPRESSING, to see that the government is so………… idiotically and selfishly throwing away Ecuador’s potential to live permanently off its biological resources.

Let’s summarize:

1. Ecuador is one of the world’s most biological and culturally diverse countries. There are more orchids in tiny Ecuador than in Brazil.
2. The most important mining sites are located in exceptionally biodiverse and threatened areas. Intag and the Cordillera del Cóndor, harbor dozens of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and plants threatened by extinction. And, the sites have not even been completely studied.
3. Both areas also are very rich in pristine rivers and streams. Heavy metal contamination will render them and their fauna and flora toxic for centuries.
4. Ecuador is the only Andean nation without large-scale mining. Talk about a comparative advantage for attracting the ecotourists of the world!
5. Its potential to benefit from an ethical carbon market is enormous
6. Ecuador has humongous nature-based tourism potential (rural, eco, medicinal, agro, etc.)
7. It is extremely wealthy in water resources (to export hydroelectricity for example)
8. It rains a lot in the mining areas where the copper is. Heavy rainfall and mining are sure-fire ingredients for a perpetual ecological nightmare. The functionaries of the present government will not be around to waken to the worse aspects of it. Today’s young people and future generations will have no choice but to live in it.
9. Most (and I mean most!) indigenous people have said they will not allow mining in their territories. Most mestizo communities have also openly rejected large-scale mining projects. This sets the scenario for unending social conflicts and human rights violations.
10. No one has added up how much it will cost the national and local governments to deal with mining related environmental and social upheaval. After the mining rush, and after their minerals have helped China grow a few more percentage points, Ecuador will be left with an unimaginably hefty bill. Mining remediation can easily cost hundreds of millions of dollars per site. The rainier the site, the higher the costs. Just about all of Ecuador’s mineral deposit will produce acid mine drainage. In the developed North, companies have to treat water in perpetuity to prevent heavy metal contamination. How many companies can guarantee they’ll be around in a hundred, or a thousand years?
11. Mining extraction has, in developing countries like Ecuador, shown to exacerbate poverty.

I could go on.

SIMPLY PUT, IT’S MADNESS.

LINK TO NEWSPAPER ARTICLE     http://www.hoy.com.ec/noticias-ecuador/ecuador-un-potencial-exportador-de-cobre-425478.html

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BARCELONA AND EL ROSAL

The community of Barcelona has been standing by watching truck after truck loaded with limestone leave an illegal mine (without valid environmental impact statement), and being scorted by the police. Their patience is wearing thin and more and more community members and now others from others communities are sick of seeing so much injustice and corruption to prop up an illegal mining operation. It’s been almost four months of work stoppages, lawsuits to try to force the authorities to enforce the nation’s environmental and mining laws, and the response has been police repression and bullshit meetings. There are more than enough legal reasons to close the mine. Yet, the government opts to support the mining company and illegality.

El Rosal. This again, is one for Ripley’s. A new mining company is building a road to a site to exploit limestone, suppossedly. There is no environmental impact study for the road, much less for the mine. The mine will almost certainly impact the drinking water sources of El Rosal and the Parish center of García Moreno. Yet, instead of stopping the road and demanding studies and levying fines for working without permits- the provincial government takes over the road building for the company!! How much injustice can a community endure?

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By Carlos Zorrilla, August 13, 2010

Please see the news on our site for more details on going ons

13 August. Earth Economics finally received full funding to finish their alternative economic study of the Intag area!!!!!  The study aims to present solid economic information on the value that all of Intag’s ecosystem services are providing which would be destroyed by mining development, such as climate regulation, carbon sequestration and water purification (it would also including the impacts on the area’s ecotourism and small hydro electric generation potentials).  A larger study will also include other aspects, such as the real wealth (beyond just economic) generated by Intag’s sustainable businesses. (See http://www.eartheconomics.org/Page99.aspx )

We feel this study is extremely important because it will present verifiable facts to Ecuadorians, but more importantly, to policy makers, that we fell will prove that large-scale mining in areas like Intag is economically not viable.  Right now the economic leg is the only one the government is using to promote large-scale mining projects.  The study should be applicable to other parts of Ecuador, and the world, sharing similar environmental conditions.

Mining temporarily halted at Barcelona.    Activities at the Barcelona limestone mine has been suspended by the government for seven days while they review (once again) the mine’s documentation and permits.  This was the most tangible result after a five hour  meeting between government, company and community representatives this past Thursday in Otavalo. Also participating were two members of the National Assembly’s Biodiversity Commission, who are supporting the community’s call for the mine to close.

JUNIN MINE? We have not heard anything concretely about the government’s plan to start up the Junin mining project again with its own company, except that it’s confirmed that mining development here in Intag is within the government’s “national development plan”, which was carried out without any genuine consultation with local governments and communities.

Support for high school groups. Thank you to all who supported our work to help hundreds of high-schoolers get to high school  DECOIN gave funds for 15 groups of high-school groups to help pay the outrageous transportation costs for them to get to school (most in the back of trucks).  Yes, 15 groups; ranging from 13 kids to 60- and attending all three “normal” high schools in the are (Peñaherrera, García Moreno and Apuela).  We were unaware that there were so many groups, so the support was very limited. In most cases, we could only pay for less than 25% of the costs (which could run to several thousand per school year per group).  The following is a shot of one of the groups heading home after classes.

The lack of school transport continues to be a huge problem for Intag.  In a related note that puts it more in perspective, there are hundreds of kids participating in distance high-school education, mainly because they cannot afford to pay for transportation.  As previously reported, we helped the 55 member group in Chalguayacu Bajo by helping them buy a piece of land, and construct a building so they can meet on Saturdays to study (THE BUILDING IS FINISHED!!)… But there are other groups that have nowhere to meet.  One of these, the student group that meets in Apuela, was recently kicked out of the Apuela high-school where they were holding classes. They asked us for support to buy a piece of land in Apuela to, at least, dream of having their own school-house.  I think we could buy an appropriate piece of land in Apuela for about $ 5,000.00, and build a decent building for another $ 12-15,000.00.  Just buying the land will make the building much more likely to happen.  By the way, the overwhelming majority of these kids do not have computers to practice on and do their homework with, so that you could donate to cover this urgent need.

Call for donations. There is still a urgent need for donations to help Barcelona, and two other communities pay for legal expertise to defend community members facing criminal charges, plus find a legal way to stop the opening of another limestone mine (El Rosal), and a new company from exploring in the Paraiso area.

Community Reserves. During the past 12 or so years, we have been able to help communities create over 40 watershed and forest reserves, which are protecting over five thousand hectares of cloud forests and endangered wildlife, and the source of drinking water for thousands of Intag residents (see previous blogs for more details).   Unfortunately, while we are presently acquiring some land for the Cuellaje Township, DECOIN is unable to meet the pressing demand from other local governments and communities that want to enlarge, or create new community watershed and forest reserves.

Support for Intag’s work of building a sustainable economic model is still essential. It is no less essential that it was 15 or more years ago when the struggle to stop Mitsubishi from building a mine began.

Without positive examples of development, what do we have left?

If you are interested in learning about our sustainable agricultural work, check out previous blogs on our site.