Thugs Destroy Landowners' Camp Outside Excellon Resources' Mexican Operations CNW
go to original October 26, 2012

The blockade outside Excellon Resources' mine in Mexico is part of a broader pattern of local conflicts involving Canadian mining companies in the developing world. (proDESC)

Mexican and Canadian civil society groups are denouncing this week's violent attack on protesters at a mine owned by Canada's Excellon Resources.

The peaceful demonstration by Mexican landowners against Excellon was wiped out Wednesday when scores of thugs arrived aboard buses and proceeded to destroy and burn the camp's installations.

Photos and witness accounts of the destruction have emerged in extensive coverage of the incident by Mexican media, with estimates on the size of the group of thugs ranging from 180 to 300 men.

"This is another disgraceful chapter in the story of community conflict and injustice to local landowners that has characterized Excellon's presence in Mexico," said Ken Neumann, Canadian National Director of the United Steelworkers (USW).

"And it is another black eye for Canadian mining companies operating abroad," Neumann added.

Men, women and children from a communal landowners group known as Ejido La Sierrita have been peacefully and legally demonstrating outside Excellon's La Platosa silver mine for three months. The landowners accuse Excellon of breaking commitments to their community and refusing to negotiate a resolution to the festering conflict.

Mexican media coverage of Wednesday's incident includes witness accounts alleging the thugs who attacked the camp are members of a union viewed by critics as an Excellon-friendly "protection union." A leader of the so-called protection union was quoted in media coverage condoning the protest camp's destruction.

"The United Steelworkers denounces this violence and aggression against peaceful demonstrators whose goal is to protect their environment and lift their communities out of poverty," Neumann said.

"The ongoing conflict surrounding the Excellon Resources mining operations in Mexico should have been settled long ago. This deplorable situation could be resolved quickly and easily if Excellon would treat the landowners and workers with respect and dignity, and negotiate a reasonable settlement."

Neumann also denounced Canada's federal government for rejecting real accountability measures for Canadian mining companies operating abroad, particularly in jurisdictions where workers and communities have little recourse with their own governments and institutions.

"The travesty we are witnessing in Mexico is a further condemnation of the refusal by the Harper Conservatives to hold Canadian mining companies accountable for their actions abroad," he said.

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