Press and Public Release from the "Forum towards a New National Mineral Policy and the Compensation for the Socio-Environmental Impacts the Guajiro people

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.

MEETING ON MINING AND ENERGY ON THE COLOMBIAN CARIBBEAN TOWARD A NEW NATIONAL MINING POLICY

MEETING ON MINING AND ENERGY ON THE COLOMBIAN CARIBBEAN

TOWARD A NEW NATIONAL MINING POLICY AND THE COMPENSATION FOR THE SOCIO-ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS FROM MINING TO THE GUAJIRO PEOPLE

Riohacha, University of La Guajira, 9 and May 10, 2013

1.       Justification

Open pit mining has been practiced in Colombia as a result of its inclusion into the neoliberal international division of labor. This involves the use of financial capital from large multinational companies that have brought deep economic, social, cultural and environmental impacts, while undermining our national sovereignty.

Mining in Colombia by Alvaro Pardo

This is what Alvaro Pardo, an economist investigator from Punto Medio and former President of Carbocol and other institutions from the Colombian Ministry of Mines and Energy, says during the Forums in La Guajira regarding some of the economic and political facts of mining in Colombia. It does not look too good for the local communities living under these economic policies

Cerrejon: Labor and Health Conditions

Cerrejon: Coal for the World Powers = Misery for Colombia

Conclusions from Maicao Forum

During the months of June and July of 2012 several forums discussing the effects of large-scale mining in La Guajira and Colombia took place in different municipalities of La Guajira. This document includes some brief conclusions of the forum that took place in the city of Maicao.