« Mayan Mam Activists Speak Out Against Canada's Goldcorp Inc. In Defence of their Communities »

On Wed. Dec 9th hear first hand testimonials of the devastating  impacts of a Canadian operated mine in Guatemala, GoldCorp's Marlin  Mine.
 
Two Indigenous Mayan Mam women, Carmen Francisca Mejía Aguilar and  Maudilia López Cardona from San Miguel Ixtahuacán, San Marcos,  Guatemala have come to Ottawa to speak out  against the human rights  violations perpetrated by Canadian gold mining company,  Goldcorp, and  about their struggles for dignity, respect and the defence of land  upon  which their lives depend.
 
Where: University of Ottawa, Desmarais Bldg Room 1110
When: Wed. Dec 9th 2009 @ 6:30pm
 
Background Information:
The municipalities of San Miguel Ixtahuacán and Sipakapa in western  Guatemala are home to approximately fifty thousand people, most of  whom are Mayan Mam and Mayan Sipakakan peasant farmers. For  generations, they have depended upon subsistence farming to survive.  However, ever since a Canadian company began construction of an open 
pit silver-gold mine  in 2006, this area has become plagued by a  pervasive atmosphere of fear, intimidation,  and simmering  hostilities, as well as by chronic illnesses, despair, and urgent  concerns  over clean water supplies. Local people testify that:
* their water wells and small rivers were not dry before Goldcorp's  mine arrived;
* their homes did not crack and crumble before the mine began using  massive amounts of  explosives (above ground and in the labyrinth of  tunnels below);
* their animals now die of unknown causes after drinking from the  local streams and rivers;
* people's hair did not fall out before the mine;
* people did not get rashes all over the bodies before the mine was built
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www.rightsaction.org/mining.htm
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On December 9th, women from communities affected by Goldcorp's mine are speaking out publicly about the situation they face. They hope to  build a strong base of solidarity here on Turtle Island. Join us!

Event supporters include: OPIRG-GRIPO, Miningwatch Canada, Amnesty  International (Canada), Breaking the Silence Network, Rights Action,  the Center for International Environmental Law, Public Service Alliance Canada and Territorio Libre.
 
For more information, contact:
 
Tanya Roberts-Davis
Email: tanya_rd@riseup.net Ph: (613) 293-8712
 
Or Daniel Cayley-Daoust
E-mail: daniel.cayleydaoust@gmail.com