No to mining, Yes to life

Appeal of solidarity with the Peaceful Resistance of Santa Rosa and Jalapa

This Tuesday, May 15, Protection International, Open Society Foundation y the Fund for Global Human Rights visited and expressed their solidarity with the Peaceful Resistance of Santa Rosa and Jalapa, which has been fighting for the defense of its territory, the environment, and water, for the last 5 years against the El Escobal mining project of the San Rafael mining company, belonging to the Canadian company Tahoe Resources.

In 2013, the Ministry of Energy and Mines authorized the El Escobal mining project without prior consultation with the community, even though it is a fundamental right of the indigenous peoples, and the company settled on the lands of the indigenous communities of the Xinka People, depriving them of their natural resources and aquifers, now depleted and contaminated, which are essential for their survival.

Faced with this situation of serious violations of rights, human rights defenders have decided to install a peaceful sit-in on the road to Casillas-Santa Rosa, to control the entry of materials for the exploitation of the mine, which to date has been suspended, because the Supreme Court of Justice ordered a provisional cessation of operations until the constitutional injunction is finally resolved. The defenders have also set up a sit-in front of the Constitutional Court, hoping for a favorable ruling that will guarantee their rights.

From PI, we recognize the legitimacy of the peaceful resistance of this indigenous community, which in addition to having its economic, territorial, and environmental rights affected, has been the victim of direct aggressions, threats, criminalization, and repression by the State.

Protection International calls on the international community to express its solidarity with the Peaceful Resistance of Santa Rosa and Jalapa and to appeal to the Guatemalan government, in particular the Constitutional Court, to immediately resolve the amparo filed by the community and to guarantee the right of the Xinka people to free, prior and informed consultation, to have their decision respected and to protect the rights to life, security, and integrity of human rights defenders.