In El Salvador, the right to water and legislative initiatives protecting that right are closely linked to the socio-environmental and political struggle around metallic mining. For instance, in 2006 (the same year that a popular draft law to ban metallic mining was first proposed), a General Water Law was drafted by a group of aboutContinue reading “2006- Popular Law Drafting and Legislative Activities on the Right to Water”
Subsoil Violated Right Archives
2009-2016 Pacific Rim International Investment Arbitration against El Salvador
In April 2009, Pacific Rim Mining Corporation (“Pacific Rim Corp.”), through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Pac Rim Cayman LLC (“PRC”, together referred to as “Pacific Rim”), commenced an Arbitration action under the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Convention seeking damages of more than US$314 million from El Salvador for unlawfully terminating its rightsContinue reading “2009-2016 Pacific Rim International Investment Arbitration against El Salvador”
2009 Latin American Water Tribunal holds Forum on Open Pit Mining
In 2009, the Tribunal held a forum focused on the impact of open pit mining in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Peru. The panel considered, among other things, the fact that the mining projects at issue were owned by foreign transnational corporations and the lack of capacity of governments and companies to develop projectsContinue reading “2009 Latin American Water Tribunal holds Forum on Open Pit Mining”
2008-2017 Goldcorp Human Rights Impact Assessment
Following a series of allegations of human rights violations relating to the Marlin Mine, in 2008, “a group of shareholders called on Goldcorp to undertake an independent human rights impact assessment (HRIA) of the mine” (Yap and Scott, 2010). The company created a steering committee to oversee the assessment, which retained On Common Ground ConsultantsContinue reading “2008-2017 Goldcorp Human Rights Impact Assessment”
2011 Country visit by the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of Indigenous People
In June 2010, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of Indigenous People, James Anaya, visited Guatemala at the invitation of the government after the Special Rapporteur delivered a series of allegations of human rights violations relating to the Marlin Mine. During the visit, the Special Rapporteur metContinue reading “2011 Country visit by the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of Indigenous People”
2006-2014 Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal hearings on Canadian mining in Latin America [Guatemala/Marlin]
Between 2006 and 2010, the Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal (PPT) held three hearings as part of a session, entitled the “European Union and transnational corporations in Latin America: policies, instruments and actors complicit in the violations of peoples’ rights.” This session included testimony and evidence relating to the Marlin Mine in Guatemala. In respect to thisContinue reading “2006-2014 Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal hearings on Canadian mining in Latin America [Guatemala/Marlin]”
2012 Peoples’ International Health Tribunal Hearing on Goldcorp’s Mining Operations in Central America [Guatemala/Marlin]
In July 2012 the Peoples’ International Health Tribunal held a hearing regarding three of Goldcorp’s mining operations in Latin America, including the Marlin mine project in San Miguel Ixtahuacán and Sipacapa, San Marcos, Guatemala. Testimony was heard from health, environmental, and human rights experts, and members of communities directly affected by the mining operations. The Tribunal “delivered a guiltyContinue reading “2012 Peoples’ International Health Tribunal Hearing on Goldcorp’s Mining Operations in Central America [Guatemala/Marlin]”
2004-2005 Human Rights Ombudsperson’s Office carries out investigation into Marlin mine
In January 2004, the Collective of Social Organizations of San Marcos (COSAM) made a request to governmental authorities to cancel the exploitation licences granted to Montana Exploradora de Guatemala, S.A., the wholly owned subsidiary of Goldcorp Inc., owner of the Marlin Mine project. They argued that not stopping the mining licences would result in negativeContinue reading “2004-2005 Human Rights Ombudsperson’s Office carries out investigation into Marlin mine”
2010 Legal Actions against Montana Exploradora regarding Water Discharge from Marlin Mine
In September 2010, the Minister of the Environment, Luis Ferraté, filed a criminal complaint with the Office of the Public Prosecutor against Montana Exploradora de Guatemala, S.A., a wholly owned subsidiary of Goldcorp Inc., to investigate the discharge of residual waters from the Marlin Mine tailing dams because they may have contaminated the Quivichil river,Continue reading “2010 Legal Actions against Montana Exploradora regarding Water Discharge from Marlin Mine”
2012 Criminal Complaint against Marlin Mine filed by 100 Communities in San Marcos
In December 2012, leaders and representatives from approximately 100 communities in San Marcos filed a criminal complaint against the Marlin Mine project for unlawful appropriation of water, unlawful appropriation of property, industrial contamination, spreading of disease among plants and animals, intentionally falsifying and misrepresenting public documents (falsedad material y falsedad ideológica), and illegal exploitation ofContinue reading “2012 Criminal Complaint against Marlin Mine filed by 100 Communities in San Marcos”
