National Mining Company expelled from Junín. (Imbabura)
Junín. Residents question ENAMI EP officials
Reproduction requested by residents of Intag. (Imbabura). As anticipated by representatives of local organizations and governments in Intag, the presence of the National Mining Company (ENAMI EP) was rejected in its attempt to start exploration in the mining concession called Llurimagua, known worldwide by the name of the nearby community: Junín, in the Intag area.
In this community, a few days ago (August 20), and by unanimous vote of its inhabitants, the ENAMI EP (Empresa Nacional Minera) was expelled. Men, women and children categorically rejected the presence of the state-owned company, and firmly and decisively demanded that they leave the community, warning that they will not be welcomed on another occasion.
This was after ENAMI EP held a series of meetings in various communities in Intag. Its objectives were to socialize the Llurimagua project, the mining law, “21st century mining,” the process of obtaining an environmental license, the results of the perception surveys carried out, among others.
In June of this year, ENAMI EP carried out, through the services of the advertising company MARURI COMUNICACIONES, a “perception survey” on mining in Intag. This survey was applied to a sample smaller than 1% of the population. However, it was enough for the state company to organize the talks without the knowledge of local governments or councils. The survey also sought information on unmet basic needs of the population, data that have already been widely identified and socialized in the parish and canton development and territorial planning plans, therefore the very intention of the survey is not understood. Even the deficient methodology used is questioned. This motivated in the first instance the rejection of the local authorities, who expressed their displeasure at the arbitrariness and lack of transparency demonstrated by the public company, and raised this directly with the company officials these days.
The meetings held revealed the lack of interest of the people in allowing mining to advance. The main tone was the complaint about the lack of transparency and the distorted and incomplete information presented by ENAMI EP and, above all, the distrust that exists in the process of socialization and consultation itself.
In the last year, public companies and state institutions have deceived the population and proceeded in an irregular manner to obtain environmental licenses. This is the case of the Manduriaco hydroelectric project of the public company Hidroequinoccio, CELEC and the construction company Odebrecht. This is also the case of obtaining the environmental license for advanced mining exploration in the Mandariyacu concession with the intervention of the Chilean state company CODELCO. In both cases, the population participated in consultation processes that did not serve to ensure that their concerns were addressed by the authorities, much less that the inconsistencies and gaps in the environmental studies were corrected. On the contrary, after the “show” of the public hearing, in record time and violating the constitution and the laws, both environmental licenses were granted. The participation of the people, in their opinion, was to fulfill a mere formality, take a photo and offer a sandwich and a cola.
The ENAMI EP process does not seem to be different, since its officials, more than 25, did not give satisfactory answers on fundamental issues such as the participation of CODELCO in this project, despite the existence of official documents that indicate the delivery of these areas to the Chilean company. They were also not clear about the prior consultation process that they must carry out. Likewise, they did not respond about the measures that the State should take in response to the irregularities committed by the mining companies that currently exploit Intag, such as Cementos Selva Alegre of the transnational La Farge, the CECAL marble company or the gold mine of Agroindustrial El Corazón. The population questioned that if they cannot provide solutions to these problems, how can they talk about responsible mining and open a new front of conflict.
It was evident that ENAMI EP officials never imagined the level of awareness and up-to-date information that the people of Intag had. The impacts of mining on environmental, social and economic levels are not a mystery to the population and the script that ENAMI officials repeat is quickly distorted by real examples and irrefutable concepts that the people handle after 15 years of resisting and confronting the State and mining corporations.
Garcia Moreno. Community leader expresses its opposition to mining in Intag
A word to the wise is enough. Will ENAMI EP and the Government be able to understand that in Intag the possibilities of obtaining a social license are practically zero? It is probable that the pressures of the central Government to obtain resources and the international commitments acquired will force it to continue in this attempt, and we hope that this does not mean an attempt to militarize the region, with unforeseeable consequences for the Government, society and the country.
Residents of Junín confront representatives of ENAMI in Ecuador.
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