On 7 October, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) granted precautionary measures to members of the Association Friends of San ISidro (ASIC) and the community Radio Victoria as well as a local priest after they had received threats believed to be in reprisal for their activism in defence of the environment in San IsidroContinue reading “2009 – IACHR grants precautionary measures on behalf of community defenders opposing El Dorado mine”
Subsoil Key Actors Category Archives
2014 Permanent People’s Tribunal Hearing
In June 2014, the Permanent People’s Tribunal held a hearing in Geneva to hear evidence provided by human rights defenders on eight extractive project cases, including El Dorado. The popular tribunal judges heard evidence of the potential impact of the mine on access to water sources and contamination as well as the consequences for agricultureContinue reading “2014 Permanent People’s Tribunal Hearing”
1992-2001 Constitutional Reforms to recognise Mexico’s pluricultural identity and Indigenous rights
There has been a long struggle for the recognition of the rights of indigenous peoples in Mexico. An important achievement of this movement was the 1991 ratification by the Mexican government of the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention 169 of the International Labour Organisation (ILO). In 1992, article 4 of the Constitution was reformed toContinue reading “1992-2001 Constitutional Reforms to recognise Mexico’s pluricultural identity and Indigenous rights”
2016-2020 Tocoa Municipal consultative assembly to declare “Territory Free of Mining”
According to Article 25 of the Honduran Law of Municipalities, the Municipal Council is empowered “to call a plebiscite of all municipal citizens to take decisions on issues that the Council considers of great importance. The result of the plebiscite is binding and should be made public” (See Legal Action entitled “2007- Municipalities Declare TerritoriesContinue reading “2016-2020 Tocoa Municipal consultative assembly to declare “Territory Free of Mining””
1998-2013 Honduran Mining Laws [ASP1 and ASP2]
In 2013, the Honduran Government, led by President Porfirio Lobo Sosa of the National Party of Honduras (PNH), enacted a new General Mining Law (the “2013 Mining Law”). This law revoked the 1998 Mining Law and lifted a moratorium on new mining concessions. The drafting of the 2013 Mining Law involved input from experts assignedContinue reading “1998-2013 Honduran Mining Laws [ASP1 and ASP2]”
2006-2017 Constitutional Challenges to Honduran Mining Law [ASP1 and ASP2]
In 2006, a constitutional challenge was brought on behalf of 20 Honduran citizens, including representatives of the Honduran Association of Environmental and Agro-Forest Journalists (AHPAAF) and the Committee for the Defense and Development of the Gulf of Fonseca Plant and Wildlife, against the 1998 Mining Law. In 2006, the Court found that 13 of theContinue reading “2006-2017 Constitutional Challenges to Honduran Mining Law [ASP1 and ASP2]”
2019 Constitutional challenge to decree modifying Montaña de Botaderos National Park
On 25 February 2019, members of Municipal Committee in Defence of Common and Public Goods (CMDBCP) and the San Alonso Rodríguez Foundation, and accompanied by the Coalition Against Impunity, filed a constitutional challenge or judicial review (recurso de inconstitucionalidad) of Decree 252-2013 which had reduced the dimensions of the Core Zones of Montaña de BotaderosContinue reading “2019 Constitutional challenge to decree modifying Montaña de Botaderos National Park”
2007- Municipalities Declare Territories Free of Mining [ASP1 and ASP2]
Between 2013 and 2015, approximately 20 municipalities across Honduras declared themselves “territories free of mining” by holding public referenda or consultative assemblies (cabildos abiertos) in which communities voted on whether to allow mining operations where they lived. These municipalities included, among others, Sabá and Balfate in Colón; Danlí and Teupasenti in El Paraíso; El Negrito,Continue reading “2007- Municipalities Declare Territories Free of Mining [ASP1 and ASP2]”
2018 Criminal complaints by CMDBCP against local authorities
On 8 June 2018, during the protest outside Tocoa’s Town Hall, the Municipal Committee in Defence of Common and Public Goods (CMDBCP) filed a criminal complaint with the Public Prosecutor’s Office against the previous and present mayors of Tocoa for failing in their legal duties by unlawfully granting municipal permits to the mine resulting inContinue reading “2018 Criminal complaints by CMDBCP against local authorities”
2018-2019 Criminal complaints by CMDBCP against private company and State authorities
Since 2018 the Municipal Committee in Defence of Common and Public Goods (CMDBCP) have filed a series of criminal and administrative complaints against state institutions, such as Honduran National Institute of Geology and Mining (INGEOMIN), the Honduran Ministry of Energy, Natural Resources, Environment and Mines (MiAmbiente+) and Honduran Institute of Foresty Conservation (ICF), as wellContinue reading “2018-2019 Criminal complaints by CMDBCP against private company and State authorities”
