Pacific Rim

How Sustainable Is 'Socially Responsible' Mining?

Kailash — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 20:40:33 +0000

In a six-day period over Christmas, two prominent anti-mining activists in El Salvador were shot dead in broad daylight.

In the ten years since the mining industry has gone “responsible,” have things really improved for local communities—or has the industry’s PR just gotten better?

First, Ramiro Rivera Gomez, vice-president of the Cabanas Environment Committee, which is campaigning to stop Canadian mining company Pacific Rim from opening a gold mine in the area, was killed while walking with his 14-year-old daughter.

Canada's Long Road to Mining Reform

Kailash — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 08:41:17 +0000

Rape. Murder. Corruption. Environmental contamination. Impunity. These are just some of the charges and incidents that have plagued Canadian mining operations abroad for years. Now one Canadian lawmaker has taken on the Herculean challenge of legislating mining reform in a country that has traditionally acted like a parent in denial.

“The mining industry in Canada is too powerful a lobby,” said Liberal Member of Parliament (MP) John McKay.

Sixty percent of the world’s mining corporations come from Canada.

Anti-Mining Activist Ramiro Rivera Assassinated in Cabanas

Kailash — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 10:03:58 +0000

Ramiro Rivera Gomez, vice-president of CAC (Comite Ambiental de Cabanas/ the Environmental Committee of Cabanas) and a local leader in the community struggle against the environmentally-destructive gold mining projects proposed by Pacific Rim, was assassinated on Sunday, December 20, 2009 in the Trinidad neighborhood of Ilobasco, in the department of Cabanas where he lived.

Hector Berrios reports that Ramiro Rivera was killed by hitmen carrying M-16 rifles. Ramiro’s thirteen-year old daughter who was with him on Sunday afternoon was also injured but is reportedly in stable condition.

Closing the Doors to El Dorado

Kailash — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 09:37:30 +0000

In 2002, the Canadian mining company Pacific Rim received preliminary permits to explore gold-mining possibilities in northern El Salvador. The company’s representatives assured residents of nearby San Isidro that the El Dorado mine project would create much-needed jobs and development.

Although Pacific Rim insisted that its cyanide-based extracting methods were eco-friendly and that its cleaning processes would render all the water it used potable, community leaders were skeptical.

THREE COMMUNITY "CONSULTAS" ABOUT GOLDCORP's MINING IN GUATEMALA: THREE COMMUNITIES SAY "NO A LA MINA, SI A LA VIDA"

Kailash — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:58:24 +0100

While the Canadian mining giant Goldcorp Inc.

Another Anti-mining Activist Shot in Cabanas El Salvador, Hitman Tied to Pacific Rim is Detained

Kailash — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 16:30:27 +0100

A leader in the movement opposed to re-opening the El Dorado goldmine in northeast El Salvador was in stable condition after being shot eight times in the back and legs. Doctors at San Salvador’s Rosales Hospital said it was “miraculous” that Ramiro Rivera survived the attack, which occurred in front of Rivera’s modest house.