Indigenous Communities Demand Cancellation of 33 Mining Projects in Oaxaca Pedro Matias - Proceso
go to original January 30, 2013

OAXACA, Oaxaca - Indigenous communities and organizations have demanded the cancellation of the 33 mining projects that had been authorized in the state without prior consultation, primarily the San José mines in San José del Progreso and Natividad, in Capulálpam de Méndez.

Close to 480 representatives of 50 communities, 13 Mexican states, 80 organizations and 13 nations gathered from the 17th to the 20th of January in the Capulálpam de Méndez community, where they analyzed the economic and political model that is based on the plundering and accelerated extraction of the common property of indigenous peoples.

In a press conference, they warned that, faced with the great threat posed by the mining industry to this region, the cancellation of all mining projects that have met with opposition from the communities is urgent.

In the same way, they demanded justice for all defenders who have been criminalized, threatened, attacked or assassinated in the region. Principally, they demanded that those responsible for the crimes committed against the Coordinating Committee of the United Peoples of the Ocotlán Valley since 2006 be penalized.

They also called for the authorities to fine those responsible for the illegal detainment of 70 activists from the Tivat Tlali council, and provide protection to the indigenous community of Ignacio Zaragoza-Puebla.

In addition, they condemned the death threats against Carlos Beas, Bettina Cruz Velásquez, Rodrigo Flores Peñaloza and Saúl Celaya, putting an end to the harassment of those communities that reject the wind power megaproject on the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, driven forward by the state government and the Spanish company Mareña Renovables.

Furthermore, they announced their support for the Worldwide Action Campaign (Idle No More) promoted by the original peoples of Canada in their rejection of the mining industry, in order to protect their territories.

See Spanish original

Translated by Helena Redman

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