Mining , Human Rights & the Environment in El Salvador

Pacific Rim Mining Corporation based in Vancouver (and Nevada, USA) has been working on its El Dorado Gold property in Cabañas, El Salvador since 2002 near Sensuntepeque (pop. 49,000).  The exploration and exploitation permits were granted by the ARENA government without any community consultation.

Community activists have resisted this development because extensive drilling has caused water systems to dry up and the proposed use of cyanide in gold refining would further contaminate river systems and ground water. Archbishop of San Salvador, Fernando Saenz Lacalle, supports these concerns and says, “Not one drop of cyanide should enter El Salvador.”

On June 18, 2009 Gustavo Marcelo Rivera, a community leader and anti-mining activist, was disappeared.

Less than two weeks later his corpse was found at the bottom of a 60-foot-well; an autopsy revealed he was strangled to death and tortured. Rivera was the director of the local community centre and founded Amigos of San Isidro, an organization that formed part of the main coalition of groups that opposed the El Dorado mine.

The details around Rivera's case, his "disappearance" and torture, corresponds with the way death squads worked during that country's civil war. “...history may be repeating itself in El Salvador," said Jamie Moffett, USA film maker who made a film on Rivera. See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvXm52BhSHQ 

Another film about gold mining in El Salvador by Jesse Reeston can be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BBifbxZZMM

 On Monday July 28, parish priest Father Luis Quintanilla’s vehicle was forcibly pulled over by three men wearing ski masks. According to video testimony, Quintanilla and narrowly escaped under a nearby fence. Quintanilla was target of threats. The priest had received a volley of cell phone text messages, one of which read: “Extermination: you’ve been warned to stop f**king around. You better shut your mouths if you don’t want us to shut them once and for all.”

Recently, Human Rights Ombudsman, Oscar Luna, held a special press conference to denounce threats made against reporters at Radio Victoria, a community-based radio station, including “you’re on the list,” and “you’ll be next.”  “Be careful, because they spoke too much in San Isidro.” The Radio Victoria staff opposes the proposed gold mine plans, and calls for a public investigation into their friend Marcelo’s assassination.

El Salvador is a beautiful country, rich in resources and skilled people, but years of conflict, foreign backed exploitation and corrupt governance has kept most people poor. The new FMLN cannot make many changes as it does not have a majority in parliament, even though it won the Presidential election.  President Funes did use his authority to cancel Pacific Rim’s permits after his election. But Pacific Rim is suing under CAFTA (Central America Free Trade Agreement) through its USA branch – for $80million in damages.

ACTION
Please write letters to: Catherine McLeod-Seltzer, Chair, and Thomas C. Shrake, President & CEO, Pacific Rim Mining Corp, 410 – 625 Howe St. Vancouver, V6C 2T6,  BC
Express your concern over the violence and environmental destruction of El Dorado & ask that Pacific Rim drop its suit against El Salvador and withdraw from operations there.