By Judith Lavoie

Originally published at: http://www.miningweekly.com/article/guatemala-court-clarifies-consultation-area-denies-action-on-export-permit-2017-09-27

On the heels of two months of lobbying in Washington D.C. and Ottawa seeking government intervention on its behalf, Tahoe Resources announced on September 10th that the Guatemalan Supreme Court of Justice had reinstated the operating licence for its Escobal project in southeastern Guatemala. Questions remain over this court decision, which is now under appeal, and a final ruling from the Constitutional Court could be months away. However, regardless of the court’s verdict, the Escobal project clearly lacks a social licence to operate. 

As we wrote in our September 12, 2017 news release, we have received a series of worrying allegations regarding DNI Metals Inc.’s Vohitsara graphite project in Madagascar, which are backed up by solid documentation.

(Thunder Bay, ON) On September 9, 2014, First Nations representatives of the Robinson-Huron Treaty of 1850 brought a lawsuit against Canada and Ontario for their failure to implement the terms of the 1850 treaty, specifically the annuity augmentation.

The court action resulting from this historic lawsuit will begin September 25, 2017 with hearings in Thunder Bay. The Chiefs will be available to share information on the details of this lawsuit, which could have major impacts on Canada’s approach to honouring and implementing treaties.

By April Streeter

The response to Canada's worst mining disaster showed the extent to which the industry and governments have failed to take sufficient action to protect indigenous peoples’ rights, critics say

Canada needs a legislative framework to fulfill the promise of this vital human rights instrument

The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples provides a crucial framework to achieve reconciliation. Such a human rights-based approach is essential to address the racism and discrimination that has caused such profound harm to Indigenous peoples in Canada and around the world.

(Ottawa) Farmers from Vohitsara in eastern Madagascar are demanding that DNI Metals Inc. cease operations on their land and compensate them for damage to their lands, crops, trees, and fish ponds that the company has acknowledged destroying without their consent and fair compensation.

Canada’s bishops are joining in the call for an end to unethical mining practices in Latin America. CNS photo

On August 4, 2017, MiningWatch Canada received reports of another killing of a male villager, reportedly by gunshot by private security at Barrick Gold’s North Mara Gold Mine in Tanzania. This newly reported victim of alleged excess use of force by mine security furthers our concern that violence by mine security is ongoing at the North Mara mine in Tanzania. In a letter to Barrick we raise the problem of lack of access to remedy for victims of violence at the mine.