Puebla mining villagers block; given 24 hours to leave JDC Minerals La Lupe
| News - Mexico |
Tlamanca Zautla municipality, Puebla., November 21. The assembly of the 32 communities that make up this town today launched a 24-hour ultimatum to the Chinese company JDC Minerals to take their machines and leave the mine La Lupe, whose exploitation restart intended to extract gold, silver and copper.
The crowded meeting, attended by about 5000 people, men and women, old, young, girls, who started the day today at eight in the morning with a march of about three kilometers from Tlamanca up the hill La Lupe , affirmed the decision of the board of this population auxiliary block the dirt road leading to the mine, which city police executed installing two metal poles with a chain to prevent the passage of the Enterprise crew.
In addition, the assembly unanimously agreed, freehand, that the mayor, Victor Manuel Iglesias Parra, PRD extraction, the company refuses to permit it needs to operate, land use change, and their conformity to the National Defense Secretariat will permit to transport and use of explosives.
The munícipe expressed its willingness to carry out the decisions of the assembly, although it has been said, warning that something might happen to his family or him, as they have killed several mayors such companies: My answer was that we're all going to die, the difference will be that a younger and more oldies.
Previously, during the march, the quotas of each community in the municipality went up the hill to the entrance of the premises of the company, to shout their opposition to mining, because, say, pollution generated by their activities harm the health of the springs and affect people, land and crops of living. No to mining, yes to life, repeated.
In banners and placards, inhabitants of this mountain village; will also requiring the federal and state governments that have productive investment in agriculture, livestock and forestry. Even a group of youths carried a blanket written in Chinese and Spanish with the legend does not want pollution, not mine, when asked who taught Chinese replied: Google translator.
At the entrance to the mine went to speak to the media the company representative, Martin Gomez, who said that thousands of people were coming to their facilities-guarded by the local police to prevent an incident-are carried, handled, misinformed.
Gomez said that the company already has the signatures under 80 or 90 percent of the inhabitants of Tlamanca that will benefit from the activities of the mine and the rest of the marchers came from other communities in the municipality. He said the company already has all permits federal, state and city to operate and to prove it offered to deliver a document signed by the Churches munícipe Parra.
He said that since this is an indigenous community is required prior consultation, free and informed people, through their own authorities, to which he replied that the consultation was carried out with the mayor and auxiliary authorities. He said the ejido had a record of opposition to the mine, which said he was unaware. He said the company has purchased 78 acres of the 100 which has a concession to operate the mine, which was in operation for some time and now are in the exploration phase. Denied, however, that would be used explosives.
He denied that he had offered money to the mayor for his signature. Ofecimos support, no money for a clinic, do not work well: we work according to the law and the Constitution.
At about midday, when settling the general assembly of the municipality, was read the minutes of the Board meeting Tlamanca Assistant November 3 in which the removal of the president decided auxiliary justice of the peace and alternates for their lack of integrity and honesty, because they walk supporting the Chinese that represent the company when the population has declined to operate the mine. Subsequently heard testimony from people affected by the invasion of their land by mine employees. The assembly came the representative of the company with several of the same Chinese officials, who said they did not speak Spanish. Gomez presented a document from a meeting with the mayor, but no firm agreement with the company had said it had.
The Churches munícipe Parra said that the minutes of this meeting is irrevocable (to) that no mayor can knock back the decision taken today.
Finally, the association president Tetela ahead, Germán Gómez-resistance leader of that city against the mine company Espejeras Frisco, Carlos Slim, highlighted the munícipe calzonzotes to implement the decisions of the people and said that now it population to enforce those decisions.
