We have been following the situation of the Ngobe community of Charco la Pava, where a huge American-sponsored hydroelectric project is under way. The American company AES is operating in violation of the InterAmerican Commission on Human Rights' decision calling on Panama to halt construction. The Panamanian government rejected the decision and the project continues. Local residents report that they are being threatened and intimidated by Panamanian police.
For those of us who are struggling against Dominion Minerals' illegal mining concession, the Panamanian government's refusal to abide by the Human Rights Commissions' decision is emblematic of our own challenges in calling the government to account for its betrayal of the Ngobe people. We stand in solidarity with the people of Charco la Pava as they fight to defend their land and livelihoods.
More information on the situation on Charco la Pava:
Cultural Survival's Ngobe Campaign
Panama Does Not Intend to Suspend Dam Construction on Ngobe Lands
jueves, 16 de julio de 2009
jueves, 9 de julio de 2009
Stories from Cerro Chorcha: Ngöbe Environmentalists Investigate Dominion Minerals' Cerro Chorcha Mining Concession
On June 5th and 6th, 40 Ngöbe representatives from many different communities met at the site of Dominion Minerals' proposed Cerro Chorcha mine to peacefully protest the company's illegal operations in our territory.
The community of Jaramillo lies within the boundary of Dominion's mining concession on the southern side of the Cordillera Central. This is one-room schoolhouse serves the area's approximately 25 families.
As we hiked through the mining concession, we passed through an area of fallen trees and dying vegetation. It appears that an herbicide has been used to clear plant matter, possibly to prepare the site for new test drills or construction.
In this photo, a leader of the Ngöbe General Congress explains that this tree's roots have weakened and lost their grip on the soil, causing it to topple over. As all the trees on the side of the mountain die and fall over, the soil will become unstable and prone to landslides.
After climbing the central mountain range, we reached Dominion Minerals' mining camp, which lies just over the continental divide on the north side of the comarca, at the headwaters of the Guariviara River.
The mountaintops that Dominion proposes to turn into an open-pit copper mine are sacred to us as the mythological burial ground of powerful Ngöbe spirits. Because of this, it is highly offensive to us that foreigners want to destroy these important cultural sites. An appropriate analogy would be if a foreign company were to build a mine on top of the Vietnam Memorial.
As we hiked to the camp, we crossed the Guariviara River and could see traces of copper and gold in the cliffs and rocks along the trail. The Guariviara is one of the major rivers on the northern side of the comarca, providing water for thousands of Ngöbe families.
We reached the camp and expressed our desire that Domion Minerals leave the comarca, and that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MICI) revoke the mining concession. The Ngöbe General Congress, the comarca's highest authority, rejected the company's request for permission to operate in the comarca, but MICI ignored our community's decision and granted the concession anyway in 2006. Dominion claims to have the support of the Ngöbe people, but in reality, it has only the signatures of a few people who are not authorized to speak on our behalf, and who have received payments from the company.
We toured some of the new drill sites and found a variety of equipment awaiting the next stage of exploration.
A water pump
Base frame for drilling equipment
Two drilling platforms
In addition to violating our established decision-making process, MICI accepted Dominion's initial concession application without the submission of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). Dominion proceeded to carry out 11 test drills, which Panama's environmental agency, ANAM, has declared illegal.
In December 2008, Dominion submitted an EIA to ANAM for 26 additional test drills. This EIA was rejected in March of 2009. We await Dominion's new EIA and ANAM's response.
jueves, 25 de junio de 2009
domingo, 21 de junio de 2009
Indigenous Ngöbes defend their lands
The following article appeared in La Estrella Panamá on June 15, 2009.
La Estrella - 15 de junio 2009
ZELODETH CORTEZ periodistas@laestrella.com.pa
Dominion Minerals Corp. expects to drill 26 new test holes in indigenous territory
Ngöbe Buglé Comarca. Indigenous groups in the Ngöbe Buglé Comarca report that a large area of destroyed forest, landslides, and a lack of native fauna characterize the intended area of operation near the Dominion Minerals mining camp.
Forty indigenous delegates from various locations in the comarca participated in a 3-day tour of the Chorcha Mining Project, located in Guariviara in the district of Kankintú. The groups were accompanied by Father Joseph Fitzgerald, from the Catholic Church of Soloy, and Marian Thorpe, an environmental student from Yale University in the United States.
At the camp, the indigenous groups found sites ready for the next drilling stage, which includes Dominion Minerals’ expected 26 new test holes. According to the camp caretakers, the drilling equipment arrived 5 months ago, but the company then removed the equipment 2 months ago. Still remaining on site are 2 water pumps for drilling, 3 wooden platforms, a metal platform, and some 500 wooden boxes for transporting ore.
La Estrella - 15 de junio 2009
ZELODETH CORTEZ periodistas@laestrella.com.pa
Dominion Minerals Corp. expects to drill 26 new test holes in indigenous territory
Ngöbe Buglé Comarca. Indigenous groups in the Ngöbe Buglé Comarca report that a large area of destroyed forest, landslides, and a lack of native fauna characterize the intended area of operation near the Dominion Minerals mining camp.
Forty indigenous delegates from various locations in the comarca participated in a 3-day tour of the Chorcha Mining Project, located in Guariviara in the district of Kankintú. The groups were accompanied by Father Joseph Fitzgerald, from the Catholic Church of Soloy, and Marian Thorpe, an environmental student from Yale University in the United States.
At the camp, the indigenous groups found sites ready for the next drilling stage, which includes Dominion Minerals’ expected 26 new test holes. According to the camp caretakers, the drilling equipment arrived 5 months ago, but the company then removed the equipment 2 months ago. Still remaining on site are 2 water pumps for drilling, 3 wooden platforms, a metal platform, and some 500 wooden boxes for transporting ore.
sábado, 20 de junio de 2009
Indígenas ngöbes defienden tierras
La Estrella - 15 de junio 2009
ZELODETH CORTEZ periodistas@laestrella.com.pa
Unas 26 perforaciones pretende realizar la empresa Dominion Minerals Corp., en el sector indígena
Provincia COMARCA NGÖBE BUGLÉ. La gran cantidad de área boscosa destruida, derrumbes y poca presencia de fauna nativa en el área cercana al campamento minero que desea explotar la empresa Minerals Corp, fue el resultado de un informe presentado por grupos indígenas de la Comarca Ngöbe Buglé.
En la gira de tres días al campamento donde se localiza el Proyecto Minero de Chorcha, en Guariviara, Distrito de Kankintú, participaron 40 delegaciones de diversos puntos de la comarca, quienes estuvieron acompañados por el sacerdote José Fitzgerald, de la Iglesia Católica de Soloy y la estudiante de Medio Ambiente de la Universidad de Yale (EEUU), Mariana Thorpe.
En el campamento, los grupos indígenas encontraron sitios preparados para la nueva etapa, que incluyen las 26 perforaciones que pretende realizar la empresa Dominion Minerals Corp., pero quienes cuidar el campamento la maquinaria llegó hace 5 meses, y la empresa la sacó hace dos, pero todavía quedan dos bombas de agua para las perforaciones, tres rampla de madera, una rampla de hierro, y unas 500 cajas de madera para transportar los minerales.
Publicacion original "Indigenas Ngobe Defienden Tierras"
ZELODETH CORTEZ periodistas@laestrella.com.pa
Unas 26 perforaciones pretende realizar la empresa Dominion Minerals Corp., en el sector indígena
Provincia COMARCA NGÖBE BUGLÉ. La gran cantidad de área boscosa destruida, derrumbes y poca presencia de fauna nativa en el área cercana al campamento minero que desea explotar la empresa Minerals Corp, fue el resultado de un informe presentado por grupos indígenas de la Comarca Ngöbe Buglé.
En la gira de tres días al campamento donde se localiza el Proyecto Minero de Chorcha, en Guariviara, Distrito de Kankintú, participaron 40 delegaciones de diversos puntos de la comarca, quienes estuvieron acompañados por el sacerdote José Fitzgerald, de la Iglesia Católica de Soloy y la estudiante de Medio Ambiente de la Universidad de Yale (EEUU), Mariana Thorpe.
En el campamento, los grupos indígenas encontraron sitios preparados para la nueva etapa, que incluyen las 26 perforaciones que pretende realizar la empresa Dominion Minerals Corp., pero quienes cuidar el campamento la maquinaria llegó hace 5 meses, y la empresa la sacó hace dos, pero todavía quedan dos bombas de agua para las perforaciones, tres rampla de madera, una rampla de hierro, y unas 500 cajas de madera para transportar los minerales.
Publicacion original "Indigenas Ngobe Defienden Tierras"
jueves, 18 de junio de 2009
Investors take note of Dominion Minerals' troubles
Dominion Minerals' illegal operations at Cerro Chorcha are a bad bet for investors, and people are starting to take notice. We found the following comment on the popular online investor website, Stockhouse.com.Inversionistas están empezando de darse cuenta de que las operaciones ilegales de Dominion Minerals en Cerro Chorcha son una mala inversión. Encontramos el siguiente comentario en el sitio web Stockhouse.com.
International spotlight on the Cerro Chorcha controversy
The Cerro Chorcha controversy has won attention from international news sources. Check out the recent coverage (in Spanish).La controversia Cerro Chorcha ha ganado la atención de unos medios de prensa internacionales. Revíse la coberatura reciente (en español).
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