Activists and community members demand accountability and justice
The Dominican Republic is home to the sixth largest gold mine in the world, the Pueblo Viejo mine, a joint venture between Canadian mining-giant Barrick Gold and U.S.-based Newmont. Communities living downstream from the mine, and particularly its tailings dam, have been calling to be relocated for years as they suffer the impacts of mining operations and waste storage, like contaminated water and health problems. Rather than address these concerns, the companies are pushing to expand the mine. Next week, impacted residents will gather in front of the Presidential Palace to demand a halt to the expansion and relocation for the 450 downstream families to a community where they can live with dignity in a healthy environment.
WHO: Impacted community members and activists from Comité Nuevo Renacer (CNR) and Espacio Nacional por la Transparencia de la Industria Extractivas (ENTRE)
WHAT: Protest and delivery of 40+k signature petition to the President of the Dominican Republic
WHERE: The Presidential Palace, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
WHEN: 9 am, November 15, 2023
More information:
Barrick has proposed an expansion project which would triple the amount of land the company leases for its mining operations and create a second tailings dam. The second dam, called the Naranjo tailings storage facility, would be another huge mine waste dump. Plans estimate that the dam will store 344.7 million tons of tailings and waste rock, held back by a wall that is 157 meters tall and 4 kilometers long, one of the largest dams of this type in the world. To build this new tailings dam, six communities will have to be relocated: Arroyo Vuelta, Las Lajas, Tres Bocas, Dos Palmas, La Placeta y La Jagua Mocha. An independent review of the expansion plans found that it failed to consider the safest options for waste management and the environmental review was incomplete.
Please contact us for Interviews with community members, protest organizers and elected officials, including the President of the Commission on Human Rights at the Legislative Assembly.
Media contacts:
Jan Morrill, Earthworks, [email protected]
Diana Martin, MiningWatch Canada, [email protected]
Lacey Kohlmoos, Ekō, [email protected]