Environmental Defenders in Danger - Central Amer

Chicomuselo, Chiapas, Mexico. In November 2009, Mariano Abarca Roblero, an environmental defender against the mining exploitation being carried out by Canadian-owned Blackfire, was assasinated in Chiapas. He was an indigenous leader and belonged to the Mexican Network of those Affected by Mining (REMA). He had publicly denounced the negative social and environmental impacts of Blackfire and had called for its closure.

For more information:
http://www.ciel.org/Publications/IACHR_Oct10.pdf

Cerro de San Pedro, San Luis Potosí, Mexico. In December of 2009, activists from the Frento Amplio Opositor (Broad Opposition Front) were attacked while waiting for a visit from a commission of federal deputies. El Frente has been active in resisting the San Xavier mine, a subsidiary of Canadian-owned New Gold. In September of 2009, the company was prohibited from operating because they were not in compliance with national law. They have continued operating anyway.

For more information:
http://www.ciel.org/Publications/IACHR_Oct10.pdf

Temascaltepec de González, State of Mexico. The 4 were in the community of Albarran, Temascaltepec investigating the environmental impacts of the La Guitarra mine.

For more information:
http://www.ciel.org/Publications/IACHR_Oct10.pdf

San José del Progreso, Oaxaca, Mexico. In june of 2010, there was a confrontation between municipal authorities and the people of San Jose del Progreso, El Cuajilote and Maguey Largo. These people had organized protests against the mining company Cuzcatlan for the environmental destruction associated with their gold and silver mine. 11 people were also detained by the police.

Madera Municipality, Chihuahua, Mexico. Dante Valdez led the organization of peace protests to defend the environmental rights and the land of the indigenous community of Huizopa Chihuahua. In August of 2008, Valdez was attached by 30 people while participating in a teacher training course. The majority of the aggressors were employees at the local mine.

For more information: http://www.ciel.org/Publications/IACHR_Oct10.pdf

San Miguel Ixtahuacán, San Marcos, Guatemala. The Marlin mine, a subsidiary of Goldcorp, has caused numerous conflicts in the surrounding communities. The main concerns of the communities include the lack of free, prior and informed consent obtained by the company, as well as various health impacts resulting from water contamination.

In 2005, the army and the national police intervened during a blockade that lasted 40 days on the Pan American highway. One person was killed.

Goldcorp has also issued numerous complaints against community members, including 8 women who interumpted the flow of electricity to the processing plant to protest the construction of large lamp posts on their properties without permission. The state has a habit of rapidly responding to company complaints but rarely to the complaints of community members, indicating a severe imbalance in access to justice.

Finally, in July of 2010, Diodora Antonia Hernandez Cinto, an environmental activist, was shot in her home.. She had previously been threatened for her participation in the anti-minign movement.

For more information: http://www.ciel.org/Publications/IACHR_Oct10.pdf

Asuncion Mita, Jutiapa, Guatemala. In July of 2010, a group of 3 environmentalists were imprisoned and threatened. They were intercepted by an armed group of 6 men, on their way to a meeting where they would be discussing the Cerro Blanco mine, which would impact the Ostua and Lempa rivers, as well as the Guija Lake.

For more information: http://www.ciel.org/Publications/IACHR_Oct10.pdf

El Estor, Izabel, Guatemala. Conflicts over who has the right to the land in El Estor have been rife since Guatemala issues Canada's INCO a mining license in 1965.

In 1999, an activist with an organization for the development of the Maya Q'eqchi people, Carlos Coc Rax, was "disappared" while on his way to negotiations for indigenous communities.

In January of 2007, state and private security forces entered the community of Lote 8 and, in attempt to issue mass evictions, destoyed the houses and belongings of 100 families living there. 12 women have alleged that they were raped by the security forces. During the attacks, teacher and community leader Adolfo Ich Chaman was shot and killed.

Fore more information: http://www.ciel.org/Publications/IACHR_Oct10.pdf

La Union, Copan, Honduras. Francisco Machado Leiva has been pressuring Yamana Gold, owner of the San Andres mine, to reform its mining practices. Organizing numerous protests, including one against the destruction of a cemetery, Franciso Machado was black-listed and forced to flee to his family in the US in political asylum.

In September 2008, 40 members of the Azacualpa community were arbitrarily detained, and have continually been subjected to threats and intimidation.

For more information: http://www.ciel.org/Publications/IACHR_Oct10.pdf

Santa Rosa de Copán, Honduras. Germán Rivas, director of the news agency CMV-Noticias, was killed by a bullet to the head in a community close to San Andrés, where Yamana Gold is operating. He had denounced the construction of a mine in a nature reserve.

For more information: http://www.ciel.org/Publications/IACHR_Oct10.pdf

All over Honduras, including Siguatepeque. In July of 2007, while peacefully demonstrating in favour of mining reform in Honduras, protesters were attacked by the national police using tear gas and firearms.

San Isidro, Cabañas, El Salvador. In July of 2009, the body of anti-mining activist Marcelo Rivera was discovered, his body showing signs of having endured torture. In the same month, three journalists received death threats. In December of 2009, Ramio Rivera Gomez, member of the National Roundtable against Metal Mining, and his wife Felicita Echeverria were killed. An investigation into these two murders has not been carried out.

For more information: http://www.ciel.org/Publications/IACHR_Oct10.pdf

Donoso, Colon, Panama. In May of 2009, the Penomé police destroyed the blockade camp that had been established by two organizations: the Pro Cierre Committee of the Petaquilla Mine (which represents more than 55 peasant and indigenous communities in Panama), and the National Coordinator in Defense of Land and Water. . 19 people were injured. Mining companies lent their helicopters to the police in order for them to observe the events.

For more information: http://www.ciel.org/Publications/IACHR_Oct10.pdf

Cerro Colorado, Boqueron, Panama. In 2010, Yaritza Espinosa Mora had to go into hiding because the state ordered her detention because of her activities relating to the protection of the environment. The project lies within the traditional territory of the Ngobe-Buglé indigenous peoples and has had severe environmental and social effects.

In July of 2010, journalist and president of the Latin American chapter of Human Rights Everywhere Paco Gomez Nadal was detained by immigration agents. They claimed that, despite being a legal resident of Panama, if he left the country he was told he could not return.

Environmental Activist Olmedo Carrasquilla was also detained in May of 2010 for "suspicious activity" less than two weeks after participating in an anti-mining protest.

For more information: http://www.ciel.org/Publications/IACHR_Oct10.pdf

Panama. In June 2010, the "Chorizo Law" was adopted. It eliminates the need for an obligatory environmental impact assessment, limits workers' ability to organize collectively, and making it more difficult for authorities to investigate police actions - which would directly affect environmental defenders.

For more information: http://www.ciel.org/Publications/IACHR_Oct10.pdf