Donate to Create Viable Alternatives to Mining and Demand Justice for Assassinated Anti-Mining Activists

 

In This Announcement:

• 1. Overview of Anti-Mining Movement
• 2. What the CIS is doing to support the people of El Salvador and their struggle against metallic mining?
• 3. Act Now!
• 4. Links to learn more

Overview of Anti-Mining Movement

 

In the month of June 2011 the assassination of a fourth environmental activist in El Salvador, Juan Francisco Duran Ayala took place--the first since Marcelo Rivera, Ramiro Rivera, and Dora Alicia Sorto Recinos in 2009.  Since late 2010, threats and violence in the department of Cabañas have again escalated in relation to the struggle around mining in the region.  In December of 2010, Darwin Serrano, a minor who participated in the murder of Marcelo Rivera but who had been subsequently released from jail, was attacked and killed in the same community where Marcelo had been assassinated a year and a half before.  Almost a month later, Gerardo Abrego León, a key witness in the Marcelo Rivera case, was also murdered. 

In January of 2011, a new outbreak of death threats and intimidation was unleashed against members of Radio Victoria(the community radio station in Victoria, Cabañas who have spoken out continuously against gold mining), alongwith Father Luis Quintanilla of Santa Marta, and Hector Berríos and Zenayda Serrano, two lawyers who are members of MUFRAS-32 and the National Roundtable Against Metallic Mining. 

These events have culminated in the disappearance and assassination of Juan Francisco Duran Ayala, student and anti-mining activist on June 3^rd 2011, one day after participating in posting flyers and banners asking for the approval of a law banning Metallic Mining in El Salvador.  His body was found on June 4^th, but was buried by the medical examiner in a common grave, and it wasn’t until 10 days later that his family and friends found out that his body had been found, and were able to identify him.  He was shot twice in the head, execution style.

In the context of this violence and intimidation, the anti-mining movement has not been silent.  Following each series of threats and particularly after the assassination of Juan Francisco, they have responded by bravely speaking out to denounce these acts, and demand that the police and attorney general thoroughly investigate and bring to justice both the material and intellectual authors of these crimes, pointing out that these crimes have continued as a direct result of the ongoing impunity in the deaths of Marcelo Rivera, Ramiro Rivera, and Dora Alicia Sorto. 

The Salvadoran and international community have also taken note and voiced their outrage and alarm in the face of the murder of Juan Francisco Duran Ayala and threats against other environmentalists.  Amnesty International put out action alerts regarding the threats received by Hector Berríos and members of Radio Victoria.  The Central American University (UCA), as well as the Interamerican Commission on Human Rights have condemned the murder, and called on the Attorney General and the National Civilian Police to bring justice in the case of Juan Francisco and to protect those being threatened.

The movement has also continued to carry on its organizing and advocacy work under these threats.  In the framework of President Obama’s visit to El Salvador on March 22-23, many international solidarity organizations along with organizations of the Salvadoran social movement presented President Obama with a letter signed by 19 members of the U.S. House of Representatives asking for the amendment of DR-CAFTA to eliminate the right of foreign investors to sue a sovereign nation in the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID, or CIADI in Spanish). 

On March 15^th, 2011, ICSID threw out a different case brought against El Salvador, by the mining company Commerce Group, which was a great triumph for the anti-mining movement, and created hope that the same might happen with the case brought by Pacific Rim.  At the same time, on March 21^st, the Mesasubmitted an Amicus Curie, or “Friend of the Court” brief for the hearing on the case that took place from March 23-26, and held a press conference to announce it.

In the beginning of April, the Ministry of Economy began a process of a Strategic Environmental Evaluation, which was heavily criticized by environmental and civil society groups who question the lack of transparency in how it is being carried out, as well as the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Economy in a “Strategic Environmental Evaluation,¨ and see the Evaluation as a bureaucratic measure to favor transnational mining companies.  Also in April, Francisco Pineda, founder of the Cabañas Environmental Committee, was awarded the 2011 Goldman Environmental Prize for defending his community and country against the threat of metallic mining.

On May 4th, after repeated threats and harassment through notes and text messages, Radio Victoria and ADES (Association for Economic and Social Development in Santa Marta) held a press conference outside the office of the Attorney General´s office in San Salvador, denouncing their inability to bring both the material and intellectual authors of the murders of 3 environmentalists and the threats against themselves and many other community members to justice.

The National Roundtable Against Metallic Mining continues to press the Legislative Assembly and President Funes to pass a law prohibiting Metallic Mining in El Salvador.  On Wednesday, June 29th, they took out an advertisement asking President Funes not to delay the passage of this law any longer.

Environmental activist are not only fighting against mining, they are fighting for their lives and livelihoods. One of the points that our partner organization in Cabañas, MUFRAS-32, has emphasized to us is the importance of not only halting mining and other mega-projects in El Salvador, but creating viable and sustainable alternatives to guarantee a decent quality of life for Salvadorans.


What the CIS is doing to support the people of El Salvador and their struggle against metallic mining?

Within the CIS Network of Communities, CIS grassroots organizers have been working to educate themselves and member communities about the struggle against metallic mining. The promoters have done workshops on the effects of mining and on the community level, groups have participated in “Caminatas Verdes” or “Green Marches” to advocate against mining in El Salvador.

In addition to contributing to the nationwide struggle to educate our communities about the dangers of mining and advocate for a law banning all metallic mining, the CIS has partnered with an organization on the ground to support a group of residents in the epicenter of the mining struggle-San Isidro, Cabañas.  For those most directly affected by the prospect of a gold mine in Cabañas, the struggle is not just about detaining mining and its devastating effects on the environment, but also improving their quality of life through viable economic options. Last year, the CIS provided economic support for the Francisco Sanchez 1932 Unified Movement (MUFRAS-32), one of the main anti-mining organizations in Cabañas, to rent 8.6 acres of land.  The land is used for agriculture, with the hopes to eventually produce enough to create a source of income and food security for residents.  Last year MUFRAS-32 focused on planting basic grains, but have plans for this coming season to expand.  They will be producing honey with six bee hives and planting 200 small fruit trees. 

Last year´s economic support has helped MUFRAS-32 to advance this productive economic initiative, which gives the people involved in the resistance against the gold and silver exploitation projects in San Isidro an opportunity to better their lives.

1. Donate to the rental of land for the MUFRAS-32 sustainable agriculture initiative.  The MUFRAS-32 has asked the CIS to continue to collaborate with the cost of renting the land ($700) and buying materials to make a shed to store tools and install electricity.

2. Send email to attorney general and Minister of Justice and Public Security to demand thorough investigations. See Samples below

3. If you speak Spanish call the Attorney General and the Minister of Justice and Security to demand thorough investigations. See sample script below.

Call Script for Attorney General Barahona

(direct number for his assistant, Hector Burgos: 011-503- 2230-6350)

Buenos (días/tardes)

Mi nombre es_______________________ y llamo para expresar mi indignación sobre el asesinato de Juan Francisco Duran Ayala y la violencia contra líderes sociales en Cabañas.

Urge una investigación profunda sobre el asesinato del Señor Duran Ayala con un equipo especializado, y así también es necesario re-abrir los casos de Marcelo Rivera, Dora Alicia Sorto y Ramiro Rivera para investigar vínculos entre estos caso, los asesinatos de Darwin Serrano y Gerardo Abrego León, las nuevas amenazas contra el personal de Radio Victoria y la desaparición del Señor Duran Ayala.

El hecho de que la violencia y amenazas anteriores quedaron en impunidad ha permitido que surgieran los nuevos hechos de violencia. Pido que el Fiscal General tome las medidas necesarias para asegurar justicia y protección para las y los afectados.

Gracias

 

Call Script for Minister of Justice and Public Security Manuel Melgar

(direct number: 011-503- 7070-0081)

Buenos (días/tardes)

Mi nombre es_______________________ y llamo para expresar mi indignación sobre el asesinato de Juan Francisco Duran Ayala y la violencia contra líderes sociales en Cabañas.

Urge una investigación profunda sobre el asesinato del Señor Duran Ayala con un equipo especializado, y así también es necesario re-abrir los casos de Marcelo Rivera, Dora Alicia Sorto y Ramiro Rivera para investigar vínculos entre estos caso, los asesinatos de Darwin Serrano y Gerardo Abrego León, las nuevas amenazas contra el personal de Radio Victoria y la desaparición del Señor Duran Ayala.

El hecho de que la violencia y amenazas anteriores quedaron en impunidad ha permitido que surgieran los nuevos hechos de violencia. Pido que la PNC tome las medidas necesarias para asegurar justicia y protección para las y los afectados.

Gracias