{"id":11185,"date":"2019-05-15T15:22:13","date_gmt":"2019-05-15T13:22:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/catapa.be\/?p=11185"},"modified":"2019-05-23T10:38:02","modified_gmt":"2019-05-23T08:38:02","slug":"mines-territory-april-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/catapa.be\/en\/mines-territory-april-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"Mines & Territory, April 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

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MONTHLY ONLINE REVIEW ON EXTRACTIVIST ISSUES IN COLOMBIA<\/span><\/h2>\n

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ISSUE 04
\nApril 2019<\/h3>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column][vc_column_text]Collection, summary and edition by Sam Packet, Karlijn Van den Broeck and Laura Garc\u00eda<\/em>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Download Mines & Territory, April 2019 <\/em>here<\/a>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”custom” accent_color=”#009c55″][vc_empty_space][vc_custom_heading text=”MINES & TERRITORY” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:center” google_fonts=”font_family:Quicksand%3A300%2Cregular%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][vc_custom_heading text=”April 2019″ font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:center” google_fonts=”font_family:Quicksand%3A300%2Cregular%2C700|font_style:300%20light%20regular%3A300%3Anormal”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

News comes and goes. With social media as the main outlet for civil society organizations in Colombia to get their stories heard, a story can be famous for a day after which it disappears in the mass information. Mines & Territory aims to register<\/strong> and share<\/strong> these stories for longer than just a viral thread. Mines & Territory collects the most remarkable events<\/strong> that have occurred in the past month regarding extractivist matters in Colombia<\/strong> and summarizes them in English and in Spanish<\/a> so that the information is accessible to anyone interested and raises awareness internationally to the current eco-socio realities in Colombia.<\/p>\n

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Controversial video reveals Minesa’s strategy to avoid the rejection of its mine in Santurb\u00e1n<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The leaked video shows the president of the company Minesa, Santiago Urdinola. Minesa is an Arab company that earlier this year handed in an Environmental Impact Study to the National Authority of Environmental Licenses (ANLA), with the purpose of extracting about nine million ounces of pyrite and copper in the area of Santurb\u00e1n.<\/p>\n

Urdinola exposes in a private meeting the strategy to take forward the environmental license. “If I have the world on fire, but in Bogot\u00e1 they feel that we are well, then we are fine. If the decision makers feel calm, despite that we\u2019re having a daily march here (…), it works for us “, he says.<\/p>\n

The president continues saying that the indicated way to minimize the contradictory voices to the mine is by developing a narrative, a stereotype that represents the protesters as opposition activists, linked to the political movements of Senator Gustavo Petro (former opposition presidential candidate), the Green Party, the Democratic Pole and some elites of Bucaramanga, who would be looking through these demonstrations to overthrow the Government of President Iv\u00e1n Duque. “If they feel that it\u2019s all about Petro marching to overthrow Duque’s government, it works for us (…) The question is how do we make our stakeholders feel calm”, is what\u2019s heard in the video.<\/p>\n

According to Urdinola, one of the keys is to present the most effective information to the ministers in charge. To talk, for example, about renewable energies with the Minister of Mines and Energy, Mar\u00eda Fernanda Su\u00e1rez.<\/p>\n

Urdinola seems to be disturbed by the frequent news in which Minesa does not seem to be standing well. “There’s going to be a lot of media pressure here. The media likes the history of the angry community, not the story of those we have helped, of the children who\u2019re finally going to school and have access to drinking water thanks to Minesa. The story is one of the community that feels they are going to be resettled. There are about 50 families we\u2019ll have to take out of their territory – where they have lived for over 100 years – because they\u2019re living in the center of the project. That is the media story; which will explode\u201d, he warns.<\/p>\n

The video, which lasts almost nine minutes, fell very badly among those who are part of the Committee for the Defense of the P\u00e1ramo de Santurb\u00e1n, which for several years has called marches to protest the mining exploitation in the territory.<\/p>\n

“We strongly reject the statements made in the video. It is a strategy against the citizens who we had to mobilize 9 years ago to reject the mega-mining in Santurb\u00e1n. It is a strategy to deceive Bucaramanga, Bogot\u00e1 and the officials who are making the decisions. It is putting a mantle of doubt in this process of citizen resistance\u201d, says Mayerly Lopez, one of the spokespersons of the Committee.<\/p>\n

She points out that, if ANLA approves the environmental license of this project, the water supply of 2.5 million people will be put at risk. “We trust that the ANLA will make a serious and rigorous process. We do not trust the company, and even less after this video”, she said, while revealing that on May 10th they will hold a new march to oppose the Minesa project.<\/p>\n

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Sources: CONTAGIORADIO ‘Filtran video que evidencia campa\u00f1a de estigmatizaci\u00f3n de Minesa contra ambientalistas’; EL ESPECTADOR ‘Pol\u00e9mico video revela estrategia de Minesa para evitar el rechazo de su miner\u00eda en Santurb\u00e1n’.
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Camera approved the construction of one of Latin America\u2019s biggest port in Tribug\u00e1, Choc\u00f3<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The sections of the National Development Plan that give the constructing of the port a green light were approved yesterday by the Legislative. The decision, although still pending Senate approval, generates worries for communities and experts. It\u2019s estimated that 1,000 hectares of mangrove in the Pacific will be destroyed with this intervention.<\/p>\n

The communities of Tribug\u00e1, one of the nine corregimientos of Nuqu\u00ed (Choc\u00f3), do not want the port. Its position makes sense: although an investment on this scale promises jobs, development and roads for a region that needs it, the construction of this big port involves going over a territory protected by them: the Regional District of Management – Cabo Corrientes, an ecosystem that not only the communities depend upon thanks to artisanal fishing, the use of mangroves and ecotourism, but where around 8 species of mangroves flourish and where turtles pianguas and small mollusks nest on 971 hectares of beaches, all ensuring the certainty of food in the area.<\/p>\n

If approved by the Senate, a port of docks up to 3,600 meters in length would be built, with depths between 15 and 20 meters and a capacity to receive ships of up to 200,000 tons. And all of that in the middle of this natural territory. The port is estimated to be larger and bigger than the Port of Buenaventura and one of the most massive ones in Latin America.<\/p>\n

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Source:<\/em> EL ESPECTADOR ‘C\u00e1mara aprob\u00f3 la construcci\u00f3n del Puerto de Tribug\u00e1 en Choc\u00f3’<\/em><\/p>\n

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Inhabitants of Taganga, in Magdalena, denounce the construction of a new port in their bay<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Inhabitants of Taganga, in Magdalena, denounce that the Daabon Liquid Bulk Terminal Company (Terlica) is advancing its third modification of the environmental license granted for the construction of a port in the bay, even though the communities mobilized against the project because of the social, economic and environmental effects it would cause.<\/p>\n

In 2008, the rupture of a valve at the Terlica facilities in Taganga caused a spill of crude palm oil to the Bay of Playa Grande, affecting thousands of corals and other marine organisms. Despite this historial account and the fact that the company has not yet finished to compensate the damages, the environmental authorities have already approved the first two modifications to the environmental license.<\/p>\n

The locals fear that the environmental emergency caused by Terlica in 2008 might happen again, damaging the environment and the way of living of the 6,000 inhabitants of the municipality who depend on fishing and tourism. In addition, evidence points out that an accident at the wharf could cause more serious damage since it\u2019s intended to transport palm oil, chemical derivatives and hydrocarbons through this new port.<\/p>\n

Senator Antonio Sanguino of the Green Alliance argues that the environmental license approved by the ANLA is not legitimized. It did not have any consent neither was the project socialized with the communities that inhabit the territory. Besides that, several people involved assume acts of favoring policy in the granting of the licenses and concessions.<\/p>\n

“We say no to the Port of the Americas because it would be located within the \u201clinea negra\u201d, which is a theological zone of the indigenous people of the Sierra Nevada, so it requires, first of all, at least a prior consultation with the indigenous community,” he said.<\/p>\n

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Sources:<\/em> CONTAGIORADIO ‘”\u00a1No queremos muelle!”: el grito de los habitantes de Taganga’; REVISTA7 ‘Nuevo Puerto en Taganga \u00bfen veremos?’<\/em><\/p>\n

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What did the social leaders who installed the \u2018humanitarian shelter\u2019 in Bogot\u00e1 accomplish?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

For nearly a week about 2,000 leaders from across the country gathered in the capital to make a call to the National Government and the international community for the lack of security guarantees in their territories. They were in Congress, in several embassies, they demonstrated and carried out important commitments.<\/p>\n

“It\u2019s just unthinkable that we are at the discretion of a president who thinks more about Venezuela than about Colombia (…) While he calls for peace in Venezuela, right here in Colombia leaders get assassinated, threatened, and taken out of their lands”, says senator A\u00edda Avella in her speech to thousands of social leaders who arrived in Bogot\u00e1 to combat what they consider the neglect of the government of Iv\u00e1n Duque to the violent wave against human rights defenders in the country.<\/p>\n

The spokesmen of the shelter indicate that the general goal of the humanitarian shelter and the sensibilization of the public opinion in the big cities about the crisis on the countryside, was reached. They also managed to sensitize the embassies, to make them aware of the situation, and they assumed the commitment to talk with the National Government so that the topic of protecting social leaders can be better addressed”, explains Alejandra Llano of the \u2018National Indigenous Organization of Colombia\u2019 (ONIC). Apart from that, Ricardo Arias, Director of Human Rights of the Ministry of Home Affairs, affirmed publicly that the National Guarantees Roundtable, a space of direct dialogue between social organizations and several entities of the National Government – which was suspended since the arrival of Iv\u00e1n Duque to the Presidency \u2013 would be reactivated soon.<\/p>\n

However, they are left with lots of questions regarding the responses of the Government, particularly by the Attorney General\u2019s Office.<\/strong> A main issue is the sample of results in the investigations on the armed structures in charge of executing the murders of social leaders, about which they have asked for explanations without success. Supposedly, the findings in this regard are minimal\u2026<\/p>\n

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Source:<\/em> EL ESPECTADOR ‘\u00bfQu\u00e9 lograron los l\u00edderes sociales que instalaron el refugio humanitario en Bogot\u00e1?’<\/em><\/p>\n

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Prosecution requests precautionary measures for environmental damage of Hidroituango<\/h3>\n

It is a request based upon the work developed by a team of 9 experts, engineers, biologists and ecologists who, supported by the Judicial Police, were in Hidroituango investigating possible environmental damage.<\/p>\n

Among the conclusions is the finding of risks for water springs, fauna, flora and the life of the inhabitants. A first risk is the arrival of \u2018el buch\u00f3n\u2019, explains N\u00e9stor Humberto Mart\u00ednez, the Prosecutor. It is an invasive plant that already expanded among 8.5 kilometers due to the strong winds. The presence of this plant causes un unsmooth running of the water current and a reduction of the self-regulating processes of the ecosystems, which leads to the disappearance of animals that inhabit the river.<\/p>\n

A second measure is related to an abandoned asphalt fabric on the San Andr\u00e9s river, explained the Prosecutor. At the moment there are residues that fall into the water, which from the San Andr\u00e9s river pass to the Cauca and finally to the Magdalena, diminishing the quality of water. This asphalt plant had been used by Hidroituango, but it would not have been closed properly. In addition, Mart\u00ednez points out: \u201cchildren take asphalt waste to play as if it were plasticine, although these residues, like pitch, have components with carcinogenic characteristics.\u201d<\/p>\n

A third measure has to do with the \u201cEl Higuer\u00f3n\u201d waste dump. The dump is located on a slope that overlooks the Cauca River and the rocks now threaten to detach. Experts found cracks up to 60 meters deep. This generates a great danger of falling into the river or collapsing on the road underneath, through which vehicles and pedestrians pass. Therefore, the researchers requested the immediate and urgent stabilization of the slopes and a technical closure of the dump.<\/p>\n

Finally, the Office of the Prosecutor requested measures to intervene into the food chain instability in the area. The Hidroituango dam is preventing the downstream passage of sediments and nutrients necessary for the optimal life of the fauna in and around the river. “The sediments and nutrients cannot overcome the barrier of the dam and get stuck there,” explained the head of the accusing entity. Apparently, this his has not only an effect on the diversity and biological richness in the river. The experts found also deregulations in the fish populations regarding quality, size, reproduction and weight..<\/p>\n

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Source:<\/em> EL TIEMPO ‘Fiscal\u00eda pide medidas cautelares por da\u00f1os ambientales de Hidroituango’<\/em><\/p>\n

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5th meeting of the National Environmental Movement in San Vicente de Chucur\u00ed, Santander<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Associations, collectives and environmental committees from all over the country met on April 5, 6 and 7 in San Vicente de Chucur\u00ed in Santander for the 5th meeting of the National Environmental Movement of Colombia. The meeting resulted in three days full of exchanges of experiences, sensibilization strategies and interactive workshops among the environmentalists who were present.<\/p>\n

The event closed on Sunday afternoon with the first environmental march in the municipality of San Vicente; “Where in the year 2017, the mayor of the municipality was pressured by mining companies to refuse the call for a citizen consultation that had already been legitimately demanded by the inhabitants and endorsed by the administrative court of Santander”, according to the final statement, which eternalized the meeting.<\/p>\n

The final declaration of the meeting can be read here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Source:<\/em> MOVIMIENTO NACIONAL AMBIENTAL ‘Declaraci\u00f3n del V Encuentro del Movimiento Nacional Ambiental San Vicente de Chucur\u00ed, Santander’.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Local leaders and social organizations in Jeric\u00f3 show their outrage over ‘Public Debate<\/strong>‘<\/h3>\n

Jeric\u00f3 banned mining by municipal agreement, but the debate about the convenience of this industry in the small municipality with a vocation on coffee farming is still open, as the multinational AngloGold Ashanti has his eyes set on its land, in which it sees great potential.<\/p>\n

On April 12th, there was a public debate held in the municipality of Jeric\u00f3, convened by the Democratic Center of Colombia. This audience raised within its purposes a dialogue between several actors to address issues on “environment and sustainable development in southwest Antioquia” and promoted a follow-up commission to the “mining situation, the social aspect and the planning of the Territory.” In the audience the spokesmen of several environmental organizations, experts in geology, environmental engineering and law, employees of AngloGold Ashanti, and delegates from the departmental and national governments, signed present.<\/p>\n

The call to this hearing surprised several local leaders and social organizations in the region because the purposes and scope of this initiative are not yet very clear. It is important to keep in mind that its call and implementation was developed in a strange and confusing context that was characterized by:<\/p>\n