Women in Resistance Against the World Bank
- Details
- Category: Pacific Rim/OceanaGold
- Published: Wednesday, 11 November 2015 13:27
Antonia Recinos - ADES/Radio Victoria
On Thursday October 22, the National Roundtable against Metallic Mining-MNFM and representatives of various communities and social organizations gathered outside the offices of the World Bank in San Salvador to express their firm opposition to metallic mining projects and to send a message to the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes, ICSID which is part of the World Bank and where el Salvador is being sued for $301 million for not granting a mining licence. The law suit was launched by Pacific Rim, now OceanaGold, in 2009. In October 2014, the final arguments were heard by the panel but to date the final decision is unknown.
Jose Avelar, Mayor of Arcatao, spoke about the problems and the deterioration of the environment diverse communities in El Salvador are living due to past mining practices. "We are convinced that San Salvador consumes water from the hills of Chalatenango and if mining becomes a reality in our municipalities, the first affected will surely be the people of San Salvador and our communities," said the mayor.
From September 30th to October 15th, Bernardo Belloso, president of the Association for Development travelled on a speaking tour through Germany, Slovakia and Romania to report on the social resistance against gold mining in El Salvador, to participate in public events, lobby meetings with elected politicians, civil society organizations and press conferences. Mr. Belloso also travelled to Bratislava (Slovakia), for a speaking engagement at the International Conference on Responsible Mining (October 6th-7th) where he spoke about the experiences of CRIPDES, along with civil society organizations in El Salvador, have waged against mining companies. Finally Mr. Belloso travelled to Romania to meet with representatives of the resistance against gold mining in Rosia Montana. As El Salvador, Romania has been sued by a Canadian mining corporation because it was refused a mining licence.
After days of uninterrupted rain, on Thursday October 22nd the sun came back to shine on hundreds of community members and organizations as they gathered for a protest in front of the World Trade Center in the elite Colonia Escalòn of San Salvador, where the office of the World Bank are located.
An official US government document, sent by the then American Ambassador in El Salvador Charles Glazer, and referred to the Department of State in December 2007, constitutes new evidence for the defense of the Republic, which is in conflict with Pacific Rim mining company before the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes, ICSID. The defense wants the tribunal of the World Bank to re-consider the interim verdict that it reached in June 2012.