[van-announce] Water is more precious than Gold - March 11

[maryann at resist.ca]

Water Is More Precious Than Gold
Speaking tour with Vidalina Morales de Gámez

March 11th  |  7:00-9:00 pm
YWCA - 733 Beatty Street
Vancouver - Coast Salish Territories
On Facebook: www.facebook.com/events/131516930359065/

Free Event - Accessible Space - Child Friendly

This event is being hosted as a part of an international speaking tour to
highlight the dangers transnational mining companies pose to people,
waters, and the environment.

Presenting:

Vidalina Morales de Gámez, is a member of the National Roundtable against
Metallic Mining in El Salvador (the Mesa).  Vidalina Morales is a mother
of five children and has worked with ADES – Economic and Social
Development Association of Santa Marta for over 10 years. She has worked
directly on mining issues as an organizer in Cabañas communities since
2006.
[ additional presenters to be confirmed ]

Background:

In 2007, when the Salvadoran government began to put restrictions on the
mining industry, as a result of the efforts made by the Mesa and other
members of civil society, two multinational mining corporations, Pacific
Rim and Commerce Group, responded by filing lawsuits against the
government. The companies claim that their rights as investors are being
violated.  Pacific Rim, a Vancouver based company looking to mine in the
department of Cabañas, is claiming losses of up to $100 million.  On June
1st, 2012 a panel of three arbitrators hearing the case in a trade
tribunal that is part of the World Bank ruled that the case would be
allowed to continue. The controversy over Pacific Rim’s mining project in
Cabañas has not come without a social cost.  To date four
environmentalists opposing mining from the region have been murdered, and
countless others have suffered from threats, attacks, kidnapping attempts
and violence.  While the Attorney General’s Office in El Salvador has
never done thorough investigations into the intellectual authors of the
crimes in Cabañas,
local residents say that community divisions and conflict started when
Pacific Rim arrived and began promoting their mining projects.

The Mesa is fighting back against Pacific Rim and other companies in El
Salvador by educating the population around the dangers of mining,
carrying out scientific research to support their positions, and
pressuring decision makers in El Salvador to protect the environment and
public health.  For the Mesa the only way to protect El Salvador from the
problems caused by metallic mining is complete ban on all metallic mining.
 As the debate around a mining ban continues in the Legislative Assembly,
the communities and social movement continue to organize and struggle
against this dangerous industry.



For more information please contact:
hgrewal at canadians.org<mailto:hgrewal at canadians.org>

The tour is being organized by MiningWatch Canada, Council of Canadians,
United Church of Canada,  Mining Justice Alliance, Committee to Support
Social Development in El Salvador (CODESES), KIAROS: Canadian Ecumenical
Initiatives, Canadians for Mining Awareness, Natural Resource Council of
Maine, Grassroots International, and the Institute for Policy Studies.