CALL FOR SIGN ONS: In Solidarity with El Salvador, Calling on OceanaGold to Drop its Suit As final hearings start Monday September 15th on OceanaGolds (formerly Pacific Rim Minings) $301 million suit against El Salvador, consider signing the following open letter. Add your organizations name by emailing [email protected] Open letter to OceanaGold Jim Askew, Chairman of the Board of Directors Michael Wilkes, Managing Director and CEO We are writing in solidarity with the people of El Salvador demanding that OceanaGold and its subsidiary, Pac Rim Cayman, immediately withdraw their $301 million claim at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) against El Salvador. The people of El Salvador have resoundingly rejected your plans to mine gold in their small, densely-populated country given the substantial risks that industrial gold mining poses to local communities? environment and to the country?s most important water source. Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2014 Jen Moore Since 2005, mining-affected communities; broad segments of Salvadoran civil society including the National Roundtable against Metallic Mining and the Catholic Church; the Human Rights Ombudsperson?s Office; political parties; government institutions; and public opinion have categorically opposed industrial mining in El Salvador given the negative impacts of proposed projects on an environmentally stressed country largely dependent on a single watershed. In a rare instance of a national, non-partisan, widely concerted consensus, in 2008, the Government of El Salvador introduced a de facto moratorium on large-scale mining that the current administration of President Salvador S?nchez Cer?n has steadfastly committed to maintain. Despite this widespread opposition to mining in El Salvador, in October 2013, your company ? OceanaGold -acquired Pacific Rim Mining, whose only active mining project had been rejected by the Government of El Salvador. Rather than complying with El Salvador?s environmental permitting protocols and accepting the country?s clear democratic will, Pacific Rim launched a multi-million dollar legal attack through its subsidiary, the hastily Nevada-registered Pac Rim Cayman, under the US-Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA). While that approach was rightfully rejected by the ICSID for lack of jurisdiction, Pacific Rim was still allowed to continue its now $301 million claim based on obsolete Salvadoran investment legislation that has since been amended. What?s more, your company acquired a mining project tainted by deadly conflict. Four community members in Caba?as opposed to Pacific Rim?s project near their homes have been assassinated since 2009, and the full circumstances of their murders have yet to be investigated. Many other community members still live under continuous death threats. Given all this, we are astonished that OceanaGold has vowed to continue pursuing its claim against the people of El Salvador and use the ICSID to subvert democratic decision-making over mining and environmental health in El Salvador. These matters should not be decided by the World Banks? investor state arbitration tribunal or any other foreign tribunal. When it comes to such issues, local democratic institutions should prevail, not bullying by foreign corporations such as yours seeking to exploit natural resources. The stakes for Salvadorans are high. The legal costs and a potentially negative outcome of the suit could deteriorate the government?s already taxed capacity to prevent further migrations, curb the chronic insecurity in the country, and implement policies for sustainable economic growth. A democratically elected government should not be punished for standing up for its people?s best interests. Your claim is a direct assault on democracy and justice. We demand that OceanaGold respect El Salvador?s national sovereignty and immediately withdraw its $301 million claim against the people of El Salvador. SIGNATORIES SO FAR... Alta Amazonia Celendin Blue Planet Project Common Frontiers EYATH International Allies Against Metal Mining in El Salvador Focus on the Global South Food and Water Europe Food and Water Watch Foro del Agua El Salvador, Fundaci?n Abril, Bolivia Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) Jubilee South Grassroots Africa Ingenier?a Sin Fronteras ? Catalu?a Latin American Solidarity Network Mining Injustice Solidarity Network Mining Watch Canada National Alliance of Peoples? Movements Penca de S?bila Colombia Plataforma de Acuerdos P?blicos Comunitarios Polaris Institute Public Services International PSI Subregional Secretary M?xico, Central America and Dominican Republic Rede Guarani/Serra Geral Red Vida SalvAide Sisters of Mercy, Mercy International Association at the UN SOSte to Nero Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina __ Jennifer Moore Latin America Program Coordinator MiningWatch Canada tel: 613.569.3439 / fax: 613.569.5138 miningwatch.ca https://facebook/MiningWatch twitter: @MiningWatch
Posted on: Sat, 13 Sep 2014 18:54:40 +0000
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