The Council of Canadians is issuing a statement of solidarity as hundreds of protestors gather in front of the Canadian embassy in Mexico City (1 p.m. EST) to express their outrage at the growing death toll of community activists opposing Canadian mining in Mexico.
Most recently, in the state of Chihuahua, a married couple who have led the struggle against the Cascabel mine owned by Canadian firm MAG Silver, Ismael Solorio Urrutia and Manuela Martha Solís Contreras, were shot to death on October 22, 2012. Ismael and his son had previously been beaten by a group of mining company employees.
Both Ismael and Manuela were members of the small farmers’ association called El Barzon, which had been campaigning to protect scarce water resources in the area. According to Amnesty International, just a week prior to the tragic death of the two community activists, El Barzon was denied a visit with officials of the State of Chihuahua to address complaints about recent death threats.
MAG Silver is currently operating without the consent of the community in violation of its legal obligations.
The Council of Canadians demands that the State of Chihuahua, the Mexican federal government, and the Canadian government take action immediately to protect members of El Barzon and other opponents of the MAG Silver mine in Chihuahua. Canadian and Mexican authorities must investigate the murders and bring those responsible to justice. We also demand that MAG Silver cease to operate illegally in the area.
Mexico-city based Blue Planet Project Organizer Claudia Campero Arena will be at the protest and will be available for comment (phone 52 1 55 30 15 63 66).
What can you do?
1. Send appeals to Chihuahua State Interior Minister:
Lic. Raymundo Romero Maldonado
Palacio de Gobierno 1er Piso
Calle Aldama No. 901
Colonia Centro C.P. 31000
Chihuahua, Chih. Mexico
Fax: +52 614 4299 341And the Mexican Minister of Interior:
Dr. Alejandro Poiré Romero
Secretaría de Gobernación
Bucareli 99, 1er. piso, Col. Juárez
Delegación Cuauhtémoc
México D.F., C.P.06600, México
Fax: +52 55 5093 3414
Email: secretario@segob.gob.mxWith copies to:
Local Organization Centro de Derechos Humanos de las Mujeres, CEDEHM
Email: comunicacion.cedehm@gmail.com
2. Contact the mining company to share your outrage and demand that it cease to operate without community consent and take responsibility for the safety of activists in Chihuahua:
The mining company’s investor relations manager can be reached at:
Investor Relations Manager
Drew Martel
Ph: 604-630-1399
Toll-free: 866-630-1399
Fax: 604-681-0894
Email: dmartel@magsilver.com
3. Contact Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, John Baird at:
Phone: 613-990-7720
Email: bairdj@parl.gc.ca