The multinationals of the gold

For ten years the price of gold rises, attracting private investors and banks, now that they see it as a safe harbor in front of the instability of the global economy. And so it is that in Colombia broke a veritable gold rush promoted by the mining companies. It has grown in parallel with the popular opposition in defense of life, water, the environment and local cultures.
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, insists on promoting large-scale open pit mining as a way to ensure the development of the country. The exploitation of nonrenewable natural resources of the country, is seen as the "engine" of its economy. In fact, the Colombian Ministry of Mines argues that there is a mineral potential in every region of the country, and has granted about 10,000 mining rights for a total area of 43,000 square kilometers, of which 4,000 are already in the process of exploitation.
But the current Mining Code, as amended in 2009, does not respect the integrity of the soil (mining projects can be declared 'public utility', and automatically the local authorities no longer have the right to oppose mining activities), nor the rights of ethnic groups (there are seven indigenous reserves which have been granted mining rights throughout the entire territory) or the environment (Colombia suffers from the highest level of mercury contamination in the world). According to the Colombian Association of Miners (ASOMINEROS), the country's total gold production in 2008 was 34,300 kilograms.
Gold mines in the Andes
AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) is the leading mining company operating in Colombia. Its exploitation activities in Colosa gold mine in Cajamarca, in the central-western department of Tolima, is a threat to one of the most important hydrological systems of the country, which provides water to more than four million people. The project is located on the last remaining fragments of the páramo, forest ecosystems altitude of the Andes. These regulate the water supply for the town of Coello, who risks his cyanide contamination.
It is an area rich in biodiversity and considered the "food basket" of Colombia, now threatened by mining activities. The lack of water has already led to a decline in rice production. Soon you will see new impacts on the integrity and fertility of the soil.
AngloGold Ashanti has violated Colombian law (Act 2 of 1959), exploiting mines in an area of ​​forest reserve without permission. According to the report of the people of the area, the company has obtained information on the potential reserves of gold in the region by fraudulent means.
Unfortunately, the activities of AngloGold Ashanti have created deep divisions within the community itself and the institutions that govern the catchment area, as well as the divisions between communities in the upper basin and lower basin of the community who are the users of the water. The social conflict created by this polarization led to the isolation of the associations that attempt to demonstrate the negative effects of large-scale mining operations in this part of the Andes.
AngloGold Ashanti is abusing its economic power to obtain consent and divide communities. For example, with the "pre-investment", ie the assiunzione of a large number of staff (with salaries higher than the regional average) well before the start of mining operations. Added to this is the economic and technical support given to social organizations, the money invested in upgrading the infrastructure of the roads that potentially lead to mining activities, donations to local councils, such as the municipality of Cajamarca city hall and the local hospital, sponsorship of Tolima football team, support the hypothesis of the University of Tolima, the purchase of land at higher prices than the market value, and now a proposed Environmental Action Fund.
The immense economic power of AngloGold Ashanti, has enabled it to acquire land in strategic areas, especially in terms of potential water supply. E 'was also able to formalize the requests of mining in the region and in much of the rest of the country aware of the fact that the local peasant communities do not have the same ability to take concessions of water.
The shares of the company in the region have nothing to do with the promotion of development, or the generation of employment, or with sostefno to the sport, or the ability of local government, or improving roads, or the promotion of cooperative transport .
Social movements in the area are working to develop mechanisms to ensure that the gold mining operations ever happen in this region of the country, much less large-scale operations. They warn that "this could open the door to change the environmental heritage of the country as a whole, and the company will have no involvement in this whatsoever." Another goal for the gold mines is right in the heart of the rainforest along the Pacific coast of Colombia, especially in the municipality of Buenaventura, in the department of Cauca. This area is part of the Chocó biogeographic region, and is covered with dense rainforest and crossed by major rivers such as the Dagua, considered the source of life, which in turn fed by smaller tributaries, such as the St. Cyprian, for which it is name of a tropical rainforest reserve.
Zaragoza is a settlement consisting of Afro-Colombian communities. Mining activity has provided few advantages but it has taken away the environment and the river has become a dumping ground for chemical waste. After the discovery of gold reserves since 2009 are arrrivati ​​entrepreneurs from all corners of the country, from Medellin, Cali and Bogota, to extract the precious metal. The population has risen quickly from about 100 families to over 10,000 adventurers.
Gold mining activities covering a stretch between km 23 and km 38 of the Cali-Buenaventura road, along which the countries have now turned into townships without law. "Mining is spreading like a cancer to the other coast rivers dPacifica" say the activists of Buenaventura.
The destruction of the environment is obvious. Aerial photographs show scenes of utter devastation. The poor and the illegality of mining operations increase the risk of landslides, mudslides and accidents, which are added to the flooding of the river.
The water is no longer drinkable and spread epidemics of malaria and dengue fever. The changes undergone by the river now make it impossible to distinguish his original flow, while the banks are lined with plastic and cardboard used to create makeshift tents, in addition to restaurants, shops and bars and their waste. A scientific study published in the local press in November 2010 revealed that the level of mercury in the river in the Pacific Ocean at the mouth Dagua are three times higher than the maximum expected. Recreational areas of the local population have been destroyed. The gold rush has brought very little to the local communities, rubble, poverty, river pollution, destruction of homes and gardens.
Local traditions and daily life in the area were severely affected. Violence and armed conflict has intensified, resulting in forced displacement and community life. The control of land and mining activities by paramilitary troops did the rest. Families can no longer move freely in the area. The work of the Councils of the local community has been hampered, and tens of reported human rights violations, and more than a hundred murders. A local woman who complained to the owner of a mine that danneggiva his home was killed by a shot to the back, in front of the whole community.
This April, a number of local associations in the municipality of Buenaventura and have teamed up to firmto the Declaration of Buenaventura, calling and Afro-Colombian and indigenous communities to protect the environment as a contribution to the defense of the planet, and the declaration of a state of emergency society in the region of the Pacific coast.
City of Marmato sentenced to death by gold
The town of Marmato is literally going to disappear, since the Canadian company Medoro you obtained the concession for a open pit mine. The company did not disclose the details of his community project, leading to a large uncertainty, although it is well known that gold reserves will be exhausted in 20-35 years.
Located in the department of Caldas in the mountain range west of the country, Marmato is one of the municipalities with the highest levels of poverty in Colombia. Local residents feel exploited their resources, and presented a number of complaints, but the Colombian government has given its support to the mining project. According to the Colombian in the area is only permitted mining activities on small and medium scale, and not for large-scale operations. But Medoro the approved project involves the conversion of 143 mining concessions in one mining town in the open.
For its part, the government department of Caldas has issued warnings about the possibility of landslides on the mountain and suggested that the population of Marmato moves away from the city.
It is highly doubtful that the small-scale mining operations, which have supported many families can survive in the project. Now even the guacheros, the illegal miners seeking gold in the mountains, they begin to worry about, for fear of being expelled from Medoro. When the company that operated in Marmato, the Goldfields, went bankrupt in late 2008, its workers, the unemployed, they started work on their own, and become guacheros up.
Despite the threats, more than 50 Colombian associations have joined forces to create the network against Colombian mines on a large scale (RECLAME), founded in February 2010. Their resistance struggle has already led to a series of successes, as in the case of the draft gold mining in the páramo Santurbán in the department of Santander, given to the Canadian multinational Greystar, which has decided to withdraw its request for exploitation.
Source: Observatory of Primary Forests, http://www.salvaleforeste.it