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2006-2017 The Mesa Nacional drafts and proposes Legislative Bans on Metallic Mining

The National Roundtable against Metallic Mining in El Salvador (Mesa Nacional) has been the driving force behind popular law-drafting efforts around the issue of metallic mining and its relation to human and environmental rights. The Mesa Nacional is an umbrella organization that began in 2005 in an effort to bring together social, environmental, and religiousContinue reading “2006-2017 The Mesa Nacional drafts and proposes Legislative Bans on Metallic Mining”

2006- Popular Law Drafting and Legislative Activities on the Right to Water

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”

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”

2008 and 2009 Latin American Water Tribunal Hearings [Guatemala/Marlin]

In 2008, the Latin American Water Tribunal convened its fifth session in Antigua, Guatemala. This session included a complaint brought by the Pluri-Cultural Centre for Democracy (CPD) against Guatemala and Montana Exploradora de Guatemala, S.A. (wholly owned subsidiary of Goldcorp Inc.) in respect of the Marlin Mine project in San Miguel Ixtahuacán and Sipacapa, DepartmentContinue reading “2008 and 2009 Latin American Water Tribunal Hearings [Guatemala/Marlin]”

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]”

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”

2009-2011 Complaint to Canadian National Contact Point for the OECD

In December 2009, the Front in Defense of San Miguel Ixtahuacán (FREDEMI), assisted by the Centre for International Environmental Law (CIEL), filed a request for review with the Canadian National Contact Point (NCP), alleging that Goldcorp Inc. had breached the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises in its operation ofContinue reading “2009-2011 Complaint to Canadian National Contact Point for the OECD”