Last week, residents of San Limón, Sensuntepeque confronted exploration workers from the Pacific Rim Mining Company, asking them to dismantle any equipment related to the exploration process. The request was immediately honored by Pacific Rim employees. The action was the next in a series of responses by communities organized to prevent mining activity, and to defend farmlands and water supply from permanent contamination.
Several transnational corporations including Pacific Rim and Aura Silver Resources from Canada have stepped up exploration of potential mines over the last two years. The focus is on the northern provinces of El Salvador, especially Chalatenango and Cabañas. Communities along with sustainable development and environmental organizations have come out strongly against mining in the country due to the high quantities of water (an already taxed resource in El Salvador) that would be needed for the extraction process and the highly toxic chemicals that would be used which pose a threat to the environment and health of people living in those zones.
On November 20, community leaders from the municipalities of Metapan, Ilobasco, Sensuntepeque, El Divisadero and others resolved to expel companies that are looking to exploit mineral wealth in and near their communities from the area. Presently the prognosis for mining companies does not look too promising. In July, Archbishop Fernando Saenz Lacalle announced that the Catholic Episcopal Conference had discussed the issue of mining and determined that “metal mining is not convenient for the country.” Later, in August the Minister of Environment, Hugo Barrera, also announced that metal mining is not “convenient” for the country and that the Ministry would not grant licenses to mining companies if they could not guarantee 100% that they would not harm the environment. Civil society is also pushing for the creation of a national mining law that would ban metallic mining in El Salvador.
Sources:
http://www.share-elsalvador.org/news/091406.htm
http://www.diariocolatino.com/nacionales/detalles.asp?NewsID=14569
http://www.diariocolatino.com/nacionales/detalles.asp?NewsID=13214
http://www.oxfamamerica.org/es/noticias/salvador_mineria