Comunidades en resistencia pacífica de San José del Golfo y San Pedro Ayampuc en departamento de Guatemala. Noviembre de 2012:
Fuente: Vimeo
Comunidades en resistencia pacífica de San José del Golfo y San Pedro Ayampuc en departamento de Guatemala. Noviembre de 2012:
Fuente: Vimeo
Unfortunately, I don’t read Spanish because I am interested in your letter defending your proposed mine and its effect on the quality of life of community members.
Perhaps it will provide jobs, but who will its employees be? My guess is former subsistence farmers, and that these new jobs will change the lives of all community members. A cash-based economy will replace the current functioning system of barter and mutual aid. It will create something entirely new, social classes. The differentiation between community members who are earning cash wages and subsistence farmers will become institutionalized.
At any rate, I understand that the legally mandated consultation with community members was never fulfilled. Why? Doesn’t this fact alone negate any claims of respect for local communities to which your company(s) seem to lay claim.
Also, there is the issue of impunity. Have those involved in the assasination attempt on Yolanda Oqueli been prosecuted?
Why were the military and local police called to attack a legal protest taking place on the communities’ own land? What was the government’s interest in the situation? Their presence alone has “the appearance of impropriety.” I would like an explanation of their presence.
It seems to me that the “burden of proof” in this conflict lies with the mining company(s) since it is they which are proposing a drastic change in the nearby communities.