PHA-Exchange> Ecuador's Mining Prospects in Conflict

[claudio at hcmc.netnam.vn]

from Kléver Calle <kcalle at gmail.com>  PHM Ecuador
From: Jennifer Moore <jenmoore0901 at gmail.com>

> Unlike many other Latin American nations, Ecuador is not yet a major
> mineral producing country. However, for the last 15 years it has been
> preparing to head in this direction. Resistance to large scale open
> pit mining projects at the local level has been long standing and
> vehement as communities have been subject to tremendous social
> division, human rights violations and, in some cases, militarization.
> 
> Their struggle has recently been brought together with the formation
> of the National Coordinator for the Defense of Life and Sovereignty
> which is demanding investigations into current projects such that they
> will be suspended and ultimately annulled, and such that Ecuador may
> be declared a country "free of large scale mining" and free to pursue
> alternative paths.
> 
> Since January, the National Coordinator has been seeking the support
> of President Rafael Correa's government. Following numerous delays and
> as part of an awful display of police repression against
> demonstrations by campesinos and supporters last week, the government
> has taken a strong stand against this movement and revealed its
> interest in developing this sector  - albeit with greater gains for
> the state than would be realized under the current mining law.
> 
> Ecuador's Indymedia has some photos posted from demonstrations last
> week; more shortly 
(http://www.ecuador.indymedia.org/es/2007/06/20341.shtml). If
> you are interested in further details, please contact us directly.
> 
> ALAI, America Latina en Movimento
> http://www.alainet.org/active/18420&lang=pt


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