Search: 12/2006

Ecumenical Human Rights Commission (CEDHU)
Quito

Through this urgent action, and in response to the events that occurred at the beginning of December 2006, we seek the collaboration of all persons interested in stopping human rights abuses against the civilian population of Zamora Chinchipe and Morona Santiago, Ecuador.

There are no clean diamonds. Exploring for them, digging them out of the ground and selling them requires sacrifices from the natural environment, from the wildlife and fish that live on it, and from the Aboriginal people who depend on it.

We want to ensure that the public understand that Canada’s Aboriginal communities are engaged in a daily power struggle to ensure that the mines benefit their people, and to ensure that these mines do not irreversibly damage the intricate web of life on which we all depend.

The situation in Morona Santiago and Zamora Chinchipe, in the south of Ecuador, has grown very serious.

On November 12, a Presidential Order was issued to immediately suspend all mining activity in the area, after massive popular demonstrations against multinational mining companies in the territory.

However, the Canadian-based mining firm Corriente Resources Inc. has continued its operations.