WE NEED TO CHANGE THE MINING-ENERGY POLICY
Social movements, academia, trade
unions, indigenous peoples, student movements, and the general public gathered
at the University of La Guajira on May 9 and 10, 2013, for the Forum towards a
New National Mineral Policy and the Compensation for the Socio-Environmental
Impacts the Guajiro people. Throughout this event, we expressed our deep
concern regarding the uncontrolled advance of the "Mining-Energy
Locomotive", promoted by the current Colombian Government.
The event was also attended by academic experts on mining
and energy, including: Guillermo Rudas, Alvaro Pardo, Julio Fierro, Fernando
Vargas, Aurelio Suárez and Mario Valencia as well as other leaders from social
organizations fighting against transnational mining sector who expressed their
positions against the current policy.
The negative effects on the population, biodiversity,
agriculture, the permanence in the territory, and the overall development of La
Guajira are obvious and are continually deepening. Today, La Guajira is one of
the poorest regions of the country, resulting in the breakdown of the social
fabric and the delay for any development of society.
We declare that
we recognize that the country cannot give up in an extreme form mining;
however, we must find a way to do it without destroying communities and the
environment in the process. The problem we find is that the Colombian
government lacks the necessary institutions to monitor, supervise, direct, and
demand compensation, which results on large foreign mining companies operating
in the country and begin to manage non-renewable natural resources, keeping
their own economic needs as a priority.
A new mining and energy policy must consider, at its heart,
the defense of national sovereignty. The State must regain control and
stewardship in the management of non-renewable natural resources. This requires
a strong institutional framework, which has as first defense and priority the
national interest. That is, that the state –and not the multinational companies – define where, how, how much and
what can be mined. The point is not to satisfy the greedy interests of the
monopolies of large mining and financial capital, but to develop the country in
a way that overcomes the scientific and technological backwardness that has been
produced through this neoliberal economic model.
Such mining and energy policy, unlike the present, must
respect the cultural, economic, social and environmental rights of the
Colombian population. This includes indigenous culture and worldview, as well
as those of the Afro-Colombians and peasants. The criteria should take into
account the environmental, and social and labor protection. Also, it should benefit
economically the state and its citizens, the true owners of non-renewable
natural resources. For this reason, it is necessary that this new policy
eliminate the huge tax benefits that now enjoy these transnational and
multinational companies.
Aware that the current national government, as well as whichever
replaces it with a logic of neoliberalism in mind, is not willing to change
this policy for one that benefits first the Colombian people and not foreign
capital, we expressed the need to create a Front of Unity, with which we will
struggle through democratic mobilization to stop the “mining-energy locomotive.”
To meet this end, we reaffirm our commitment to strengthen
the Civic Committee of La Guajira, uniting all those social and political organizations
who want to work in the general interest of the people of La Guajira.
During the Forum, we defined the following assignments:
1. To participate and promote the active participation of
the people of La Guajira during the First National Mining and Energy Meeting of
RECLAME, which will be held in Bogotá on the 16 and 17 of May 2013, in the
Plaza de los Artesanos.
2. To carry out a follow-up meeting with the Wayuu wise
elders during June 2013 in Barrancas, La Guajira.
3. To conduct a Regional Meeting in Cienaga, Magdalena, in
August 2013.
4. To conduct a Regional Meeting in Valledupar, Cesar, in
September 2013.
5. To develop a list of demands to request the National
Government's with the support to develop a “table for negotiation” where we can
agree and explore the mechanisms for these duties just mentioned.
And we express:
1. Our support to the recent book published by the
Comptroller General of the Republic of Colombia, "Mining in Colombia,
Fundamentals to Overcome the Extractive Model", which we consider a
valuable tool in the defense of the national interest.
2. Our rejection and concern for the threats against union
leaders, as well as social and human right leaders. In particular, we condemn
the threats against Algemiro Avila Salinas, a social leader who has accompanied
the struggles of the Civic Committee of La Guajira and is the chairman of the Polo Democratico political party in La
Guajira
3. Our special thanks to the University of La Guajira for
the courage and civic commitment to accompany and engage with the Guajiro
people and the social movements, in all these fundamental discussions for the
development of responsible mining in the departmento
and in the country.
Written in Riohacha on May 10, 2013.
Signing,
COMITÉ CIVICO POR LA GUAJIRA, SINRACARBON,
AACIWASUG RECLAME GUAJIRA, FUERZA DE MUJERES WAYUU, SINDESENA, COOTRACERREJON, UNIVERSIDAD
DE LA GUAJIRA, ORALOTECA, PROGRAMA DE ANTROPOLOGIA DE LA UNIVERSIDAD DEL
MAGDALENA, GRUPO DE INVESTIGACION SOBRE LAS ORALIDADES DE LA UNIVERSIDAD DEL
MAGDALENA, FECODEMIGUA, MANE GUAJIRA, COLOMBIA PUNTO MEDIO, CEDETRABAJO, ANUC
GUAJIRA, POLO DEMOCRATICO ALTERNATIVO, CUT GUAJIRA, ASODEGUA, ORGANIZACIÓN
PAINWAA, CENTRO DE ESTUDIOS DEL CARBON, RESGUARDOS INDIGENAS WAYUU EL ZAHINO, EL
CERRO, MAYABANGLOMA, PROVINCIAL, LOMAMATOS, FRANSCISCO, RESGUARDO INDIGENA ZENU, RECLAME CESAR, COMITÉ CIVICO POR CIENAGA,
RECLAME MAGADALENA, TRUPIO GACHO, ASENTAMIENTO INDIGENA CARACOLI, ASENTAMIENTO
INDIGENA MADRE BERNADA, RESGUARDO INDIGENA 4 NOVIEMBRE.
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