Ecuador: group working to stop development of planned copper mine

salvalaselva.org …… reported that…With this purpose, the environmental organization founded DECOIN already twice stopped the intentions of government and transnational extractive mining as Japan’s Mitsubishi in 1997 and the Canadian Copper Mesa / Ascendant Copper in 2009.

For many years, Rainforest Rescue accompanies Intag residents. With donations helped purchase and protect 3,000 hectares of mountain forests threatened amid the area found the copper deposit. The Junin community now protects its own community forest.

But the government’s mining plans have resurfaced. President Rafael Correa has created the state mining company Enami. Along with the state-owned Codelco, the largest copper producer in the world, want to exploit the project Llurimagua, official name that has received the award in the Toisán Range.

With an advertising campaign called “socially and environmentally responsible mining” the government is trying to confuse the public. The people who are committed to the conservation of forests and way of life, and defending their rights are persecuted with smear campaigns and criminalization of protest.

The mining project will begin this year as planned. The defenders of nature and Intag need right now all the support. Read Article