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The Day of Interculturality, celebrated yesterday mainly by the Government, was a good opportunity to arm the anti-mining resistance against large-scale activity.


Since 09:00, under 27 degrees of temperature, the Shuar, Huaorani representatives of the communities of Morona Santiago began to congregate in Bomboiza.

Almost at the same time, people from Timbara, Paquisha, Alto Nangaritza, Nambija and other communities gathered in Zamora, with one slogan: no to large-scale mining.

In Azuay, hundreds of peasant and indigenous leaders met with the same objective. After midday, the decision was made. The three provinces with the largest reserves of gold, silver and copper in the Panantza-San Carlos, Mirador, Fruta del Norte, Río Blanco and Quimsacocha projects decided to form the Anti-Mining Front.

"We demand that prior consultation be carried out, which the Government is declaring invalid because it is an interested party," said Humberto Cholango, president of CONAIE.

He warned that when large-scale mining begins, there will be great social conflict. "And that will be the responsibility of the Government because it has not socialized or carried out the prior consultation as mandated by the Constitution," added Ángel Awák, leader of Alto Nangaritza.

In Zamora Chinchipe, people are upset, not because of the 30 degree temperatures, but because the Kinross and Ecsa companies have begun their activities by opening roads and camps in the middle of the jungle, without respecting the environment, according to Manuel Jumbo, a leader in the area.

In Zamora they decided to demand the withdrawal of foreign mining companies from the Cordillera del Cóndor. «That is why we are holding meetings in Morona Santiago, Zamora and Azuay to form the Anti-Mining Front,» said Cholango. The Austro front is on the same line, because the Quimsacocha project, granted to Iam Gold, «will contaminate the water sources for Cuenca, Loja, El Oro and Guayas.» The National Anti-Mining Front will meet in Macas next week. At that meeting, the actions of struggle and the dates of the marches will be defined, to prevent the regime from signing large-scale mining contracts.

CONAIE COMMUNICATION - Diario Expreso

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