By Erica Laster
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America
SAN MIGUEL IXTAHUACÁN, Guatemala – Guatemalan mine activists have been threatened, beaten, shot and kidnapped for protesting continued mining activities at the Marlin Mine in the San Miguel Ixtahuacán municipality. Samplings of water, blood and urine of local residents revealed the presence of toxic metals and many groups are concerned with the health effects on local indigenous communities. The Marlin Mine, used for gold mining, is owned by Montana Exploradora de Guatemala, a subsidiary of Goldcorp, a Vancouver based company.
Physicians for Human Rights and the University of Michigan conducted a study early in 2010, sampling the blood and urine of residents of local Indigenous communities near the mine. The study revealed the presence of elevated levels of copper, zinc, mercury, arsenic and lead in the sample of people living in close proximity to the Vancouver owned mine. Following the release of the studies results, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) ordered the Marlin Mine to cease operations on May 21, 2010.
The Guatemalan government announced its decision to suspend mine operations in 2010, but has failed to take action.
In mid 2010, Kristen Genovese, senior attorney for the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) expressed her approval of the government to suspend the mine’s operations. “We applaud the decision of the Government of Guatemala to honor its international human rights obligations and suspend operations at the Marlin mine.”
The government, has of yet, failed to enforce suspension of the mine’s activities.
On February 28, some 200 Indigenous people protesting the government’s failure to suspend mine operations set up a blockade around the mine in San Miguel Ixtahuacán, restricting the main routes frequently used by employees and owners of the company to gain access to the mine. The protests lasted approximately 12 hours. Led by the Front in Defense of San Miguel Ixtahuacán (FREDEMI), the protestors boarded the buses to return home when they were attacked, beaten, robbed and shot.
Two of the protests leaders granted protective measures by the Presidential Human Rights Commission, Miguel Bamaca and Aniseto Lopez, were singled out.
Lopez was reportedly taken to the office of the local mayor of Ixtahuacán, beaten, robbed of his documents and threatened. Bamaca was allegedly taken to a location known as Siete Platos and beaten by members of the Mejia family who have ties to illegal criminal activities and other neighbors who are employed by the Vancouver based company. While Bamaca and Lopez survived the assault with serious injuries, 50 other protestors were taken hostage and are being held by members of the San Jose Ixcaniche community.
Requests have been submitted to the Ministry of the Interior to protect the families of Bamaca and Lopez.
Photo courtesy of Vancouver Media Corp. For More Information Please Visit:
Amnesty International – Guatemalan Mine Activists Beaten And Threatened – 3 March 2011
Vancouver Media Co-Op – Indigenous Protesters Blockading Mine – 28 February 2011
Climate Connections (UN) – Indigenous Protesters Blockading Mine Owned by Vancouver-based Goldcorp Assaulted, Taken Hostage in Guatemala – 1 March 2011
Upside Down World – Guatemala To Suspend Goldcorp’s Marlin Mine – 29 June 2010
