The rural and indigenous women from Ecuador, Guatemala and Peru who took part in the European tour organised by LAMMP in October brought emblematic cases illustrating the
range of obstacles faced by courageous women whose activism is grounded in environmental values and stems from a simple urge to survive.
Their stories show the immense influence of the extractive industry and its capacity to shape the destiny of the region. The women’s unsettling testimonies also emphasise that the expansion of the extractive industry in Latin America is happening at great speed and at the expense of rural and indigenous land.

At a general level, the women’s stories show political and corporate practices that have plagued the region for decades: lack of consultation and criminalisation of anti-mining activism. These are coupled with denial that the extractive industry has any impact on the environment or that it is linked to human rights abuses. The conclusion is that when it is easy to intimidate communities neither governments nor corporations seem willing to engage and obtain a social licence. The impact of these corporate
practices on the erosion of democratic values cannot be exaggerated: they underpin people’s distrust of governments. The range and severity of the violence against women who oppose mining is remarkable. This probably explains why the women’s stories show that they are emotionally troubled and unable to deal with the human tragedy that they live within their families and in their communities.

For the women who participated, the European Tour had a significant impact on their lives and inspired them to continue their struggle “for the right to have rights”. The expressions of support were particularly welcomed by the indigenous women from Guatemala. They could not avoid contrasting the poverty of their communities, deprived of basic services, with the high standards of life of Europe and the wealth they saw in London and Brussels. Above all, many reported in admiration how good it felt to meet and talk at great length to members of foreign governments, MPs and MEPs. A meeting with a member of their government or a representative of a political party is something that in their countries is virtually
impossible to obtain. On behalf of all the delegates, LAMMP would like to express our gratitude to all the people, organisations and funders who with their help and support made the tour such an outstanding success.

Read the complete LAMMP Report EuropeanTour

On Friday 16th October the High Court upheld the injunction to freeze the assets of British mining company Monterrico Metals.

The claimants, including two women, allege they were detained for three days, when they were handcuffed, hooded, beaten and humiliated at the mine site. They claim that they have long-term psychological injuries. One protester, whose widow is a claimant in the case, bled to death after being shot by Peruvian police. The publication of dramatic photographs of the protestors in the Peruvian media in January propelled the case into the spotlight.

The claimants and other witnesses allege that the company was integrally involved with the police in directing, coordinating and assisting in the actions at the mine site against the protesters. Monterrico denies this. In March 2009, Peruvian prosecutors accused the police of torture but cleared the mining company and Forza of wrongdoing. Peruvian human rights groups denounced the findings as incomplete.

Following a fully contested hearing in July 2009, the UK High Court has ordered a freezing injunction for £5 million against London-registered multinational mining company, Monterrico Metals Plc. The injunction was obtained by a group of 31 indigenous Peruvians who allege that in August 2005 they were tortured by the Peruvian police assisted by mine employees and mine security guards, following their environmental protest at Monterrico’s Rio Blanco copper mine in Peru (close to the Ecuador border).

Monterrico was incorporated in England and purchased in 2007 by the Xiamen Zijin Tongguan Investment Co Ltd (a Chinese consortium), when it shifted its corporate headquarters from London to Hong Kong. Monterrico’s principal asset is the Rio Blanco mine. Monterrico owns all the shares in Copper Corp Limited (Cayman Islands); Copper Corp Limited owns all the shares in Rio Blanco Copper Limited (Cayman Islands); Rio Blanco Copper Limited owns 99.98% shares in Rio Blanco Copper SA (Peru). Rio Blanco Copper SA owns the Mine.

In May 2009, Monterrico had announced an intention to de-list from the AIM UK stock exchange on 3 June 2009. It is accepted that this was for genuine commercial reasons and that there was no intention to dispose of assets in relation to these claims, but there were concerns that the transfer of assets out of the UK might make the claimant’s legal action here futile.

On 2 June 2009, a freezing injunction was granted to the Claimants by the High Court. This prohibited Monterrico from disposing of assets to an extent that would leave Monterrico with less than £7.2 million. The injunction application was made in the absence of Monterrico. A further hearing occurred on 8/9 July, with both parties present when Monterrico argued there was no justification for freezing its assets as the claimants did not have an arguable case against Monterrico. Monterrico said it could not be held responsible for the conduct of the police and vigorously denies that its officers or employees had any involvement with the alleged abuses.

Hong Kong solicitors, Gall & Lane, were then instructed on behalf of the claimants. On 5 September a freezing injunction was granted by the Hong Kong High Court over Monterrico’s assets in Hong Kong.

On 16 October 2009, Mrs Justice Gloster ruled that the Claimants had a ‘good arguable case’ against Monterrico and that company assets of £ 5 million should remain frozen.

Richard Meeran of Leigh Day & Co said: “From the evidence we have seen I believe that it is inconceivable that the company did not know of the protesters’ harsh treatment during their three day ordeal at the Rio Blanco mine. There is no evidence that I have seen of the company taking any steps to prevent these actions. On the contrary, it would appear to be the case that the company was working in cahoots with the police. The principle that multinationals are held legally accountable for human rights violations occurring at their overseas operations is vital. Without this freezing injunction, access to justice would effectively have been denied”

Source: Leigh Day & Co
Video: The Guardian
Photograph: EFE

In “Women Fight South American Mines” Kathryn Hopkins reports on our European Tour and the visit of “a group of South American women arrived in Britain this week to highlight the plight of indigenous people around the world fighting international mining companies.”

Read Kathryn Hopkins article “Women Fight South American Mines” in The Guardian

Laguna Negra (“Black Lagoon”) is a video by Michael Watts that explores the core values of a subsistence farming community in Huancabamba (Peru), the way the fabric of this society has been threatened by large scale mining and the destructive outcome of imposing a capital intensive model of development on a society based on traditional values.

It features Cleofe Neyra, one of the women LAMMP supports.

Women in areas of Guatemala where mining companies operate have condemned the sexual abuse by security forces during forced evictions in, for example, San Juan Sacatepéquez. The women state that the police was acting on behalf of the Guatemalan Nickel Company (CGN), local subsidiary of HudBay Minerals Inc., a Canadian mining company.

There is a 2-minute video with soundtrack in Spanish.

5 September is the International day of the indigenous women, in which the cruel death of Bartolina Sissa is commemorated in La Paz, Bolivia.

El 5 de septiembre se celebró el Día Internacional de la Mujer Indígena, instituido el año 1983 durante el Segundo Encuentro de Organizaciones y Movimientos de América, en Tihuanacu (Bolivia).

La fecha fue escogida porque un día 5 de setiembre muere Bartolina Sisa, una valerosa mujer quechua que fué descuartizada por las fuerzas realistas durante la rebelión anticolonial de Túpaj Katari en el Alto Perú, hecho sucedáneo de la gran rebelión que protagonizara Túpac Amaru y su valerosa compañera, Micaela Bastidas, en todo el sur andino (1780-82).

La mujer indígena es portadora vital de la herencia cultural, la que enseña la lengua ancestral a los hijos e hijas, la que continúa con las tradiciones, la que resiste las diferentes formas de violencia estructural precisamente por su condición de excluida: ser indígena y ser mujer.

La sobrevivencia de nuestros pueblos se debe en gran parte a la lucha anónima y tenaz de las mujeres indígenas; ellas desempeñan un papel fundamental en la lucha contra la pobreza, el hambre y la exclusión social y étnico-cultural, y hacen posible el mantenimiento de la unidad familiar.

Source: Mujeres Por La Selva Blog

LAMMP supports the group “Women Defenders of Mother Earth” in Ecuador, an organisation which enables rural and indigenous women to raise their concerns about the consequences of the new mining law and the impact of the Canadian Kinross Gold Inc. and Corriente Resources Inc. on their livelihoods.

As a direct result of their activism, the full weight of the judicial system and the police apparatus was thrown onto members of the group, and today many have to defend themselves against criminal allegations made by the office of the public prosecutor.

More information about the group and its members can be read in the “Women and Mining” section of this site.

An investigation by the Peruvian government into allegations of the torture and kidnapping of protestors against the British-Chinese Monterrico mining company has blamed the police but cleared the company and its security firm of wrong-doing.

See this link for further details

http://www.mineweb.com/mineweb/view/mineweb/en/page66?oid=80497&sn=Detail

Cleofe Neyra (member of ULAM the women’s Defenders Network funded and supported by LAMMP) is one of the two women kidnapped during a 2005 community protest against Monterrico. She was tortured and sexually abused whilst she was detained at the mine-camp owned by Monterrico. Her testimony can be read in the section Women and Mining of this website.

ULAM (Unión Latinoamericana de Mujeres) has issued a statement about the recent dramatic events in Peru. See below for text in Spanish.

RED UNIÓN LATINOAMERICANA DE MUJERES POR EL DERECHO A
DEFENDER NUESTROS DERECHOS – ULAM –

EN SOLIDARIDAD CON LAS COMUNIDADES INDÍGENAS DE LA
AMAZONÍA PERUANA

Las organizaciones y grupos de mujeres asociadas a la Red Unión Latinoamericana de Mujeres Por El Derecho A Defender Nuestros Derechos – ULAM –

Condenamos Enérgicamente

Los Brutales ataques de las fuerzas de seguridad nacionales del Perú en contra de las comunidades de la Amazonía, en particular en la ciudad de Bagua, que dieron como resultado el asesinato de un número indeterminado de campesinos por su lucha y resistencia para proteger el territorio ancestral de la incursión de las compañias transnacionales petroleras, mineras, madereras que buscan explotarlo en forma irresponsable.

Las atrocidades cometidas por aquellos quienes deberían proteger a la ciudadanía manchan con sangre y con deshonor no solamente al pueblo peruano, sino a todo el continente.

Nos unimos a la Exigencia de la derogación de los decretos legislativos 994, 995, 1020, 1060, 10064, 10081, 1089 y 1090 que afectan los legítimos derechos de los habitantes de la Amazonía y de los Pueblos Indígenas Peruanos. Estos decretos son inconstitucionales y violan las normas internacionales – en particular, el convenio 169 de la OIT. Tal como lo señala la Defensoría del Pueblo de Perú, los decretos en cuestión fueron aprobadas pasando por alto el debido proceso de consulta a los pueblos y las comunidades de la Amazonía.

Recordamos al gobierno peruano que la Amazonía es un patrimonio ecológico nacional y de enorme importancia a nivel global. El hecho que el gobierno esté dispuesto a permitir la destrucción de aquel patrimonio tan valioso por las transnacionales no ha pasado desapercibido en el resto del mundo. Las agencias de noticias y organizaciones internacionales, los gobiernos y las organizaciones no-gubernamentales – todos observan con estupor como el gobierno peruano encabezado por el Dr Alan García Pérez no solamente ha dado la luz verde a la depredación de la Amazonía, sino que tambien ha ordenado una sanguinaria represión contra aquellos ciudadanos que la protegen.

“The earth has no price. It can’t be bought or sold or exchanged.”

A Yanomami Indian shaman from the Brazilian Amazon has denounced the violence in Peru during a recent visit to London invited by Survival International. ‘We must listen to the cry of the earth which is asking for help. The earth has no price. It can’t be bought, or sold or exchanged. It is very important that white people, black people and indigenous peoples fight together to save the life of the forest and the earth. If we don’t fight together what will our future be? Your children need land and nature alive and standing. We Indians want respect for our rights. You can learn with us and with our shamans. That is important not only for the Yanomami but for the future of the whole world.’ A full description of the event can be found here and a wide ranging article covering the visit by John Vidal at the Guardian newspaper can be found here