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| Photo: Federico Lepe |
Manuscript in English by Darcy Tetreault
Every year Wixarika Native (Huichol) in western central Mexico, walk 500 km to the sacred land of Wirikuta, where according to legend, the sun was born. Here is collected Jikuri (peyote), carried out rituals of purification in order to enter into communion with their gods, looking for you to provide blessings and guidance. In this way, they preserve their culture, maintain harmony with nature, and support a tradition of thousand years.
Located in the state of San Luis Potosi, Wirikuta deserts is one of the most biologically rich and diverse in the world. In 1994 he was declared "Cultural Heritage Site and Historic and Low Ecological Conservation Area" in 2000 the protected area was expanded to 140 hectares, and in 2001 was declared the Sacred Natural Site by UNESCO. In Wirikuta there is also a bird sanctuary. Despite this, currently at risk from First Majestic Silver, a mining company based in Vancouver paid $ 3 million for the 22 mining concessions in the area.
First Majestic Silver Company is not the first mining company in coveting the mineral resources the region. In fact, mining activities in that region the English began in 1770. The town of Real de Catorce was founded at the time, but did not reach its best until the late nineteenth century, during the dictatorship of Porfirio Diaz. The decline came when mining became sporadic. The latest mining in Real de Catorce happened to almost 20 years, leaving a ghost town, the hills as if they were chopped smallpox scars of old mine tunnels, and water and contaminated land, also left unemployment and poverty. But the beauty of the landscape remains intact and Real de Catorce has become a tourist destination secondary. He has also served as an ideal site for the filming of two Hollywood films: The Mexican, starring Brad Pitt and Julie Roberts, and Bandidas with Salma Hayek and Penelope Cruz.
These are now serving as a backdrop for a social-environmental conflict unfolding around the First Majestic Silver susactividades to restart mining in the area. Wixarika where people see the sacred beauty and the fountain of life, Keith Neumeyer - President and CEO of First Majestic Silver - sees an opportunity to further enrich himself and his company's shareholders. With the latest technology, expected to reopen old mines, to exploit mineral veins that were previously not detected, and squeeze out the remaining lower than previous miners left there. There are traces promises of job creation and corporate social responsibility, but the work is hazardous and ephemeral. In addition, it is not entirely clear as it could be contained cyanide and other harmful substances. Previous experience in Real de Catorce, have shown that mining companies do not stay long time and when they leave, they leave various forms of environmental degradation. On this issue, in 2010 a team of researchers from the University of Guadalajara detected arsenic in samples of fauna and flora collected in the desierto de Wirikuta.
Según la Convención 169 de la Organización Internacional de la Trabajo, los pueblos indígenas y nativos deben ser consultados acerca de cualquier proyecto que afecte sus territorios. Tales consultas no han ocurrido y muy poca información les ha sido proporcionada. Además, en 2008 el presidente Felipe Calderon firmó el Acuerdo de Hauxa Manaka, diseñado para respetar y proteger los áreas sagradas del pueblo Huichol. Las 22 concesiones mineras otorgadas a First Majestic Silver por la Secretaría de Economía, claramente violan estos acuerdos. Estas concesiones cubren un área de 6.326 hectáreas, el 70 por ciento del Area Protegida Natural de Wirikuta, cuyo plan de administración explicitly forbids any kind of mining.
There is nothing extraordinary about it. In Mexico, protected areas and environmental laws are often circumvented to facilitate the activities of national and transnational corporations. The problem is not only an inadequate environmental legislation and corruption in Mexico, the Canadian government is also responsible for refusing to regulate the mining companies-to-use operating outside the country. This neglect was perpetuated by the narrow defeat of the proposed Bill C-300 in the House of Commons in October 2010. Which was designed to be able to lodge complaints and provide a mechanism research for communities adversely affected by Canadian mining companies, the proposal was rejected by Stephen Harper and especially two of his deputies Conservatives, while 20 members of the Liberal Party and NDP committee, abstained from voting, including the leader Liberal Michael Ignatieff.
Most Canadians probably be surprised to hear that, in academic circles and civil society, Canadian mining companies have personified the greed of capitalism and imperialism. Canadian companies dominate the mining sector in Latin America, with interests in more than 12,000 properties. Only in 2010, so least five social activists were killed for protesting against the activities of Canadian mining, including Roblero Abarca, who opposed Blackfire operations in the Mexican state of Chiapas.
The First Majestic Silver contributes to this notorious reputation. Currently seeking support and how to convince local officials of the state to grant them permission for mineral extraction in Wirikuta. As part of this effort, company representatives have opened a museum in Real de Catorce employing 15 local people to clear the entrance to the old mine of Santa Ana The pay is between 70 and 240 dollars per week, pittance compared to what the company is worth (1.58 million dollars), but for people living in poverty find it difficult to refuse. This strategy is not new: the mining companies can divide and conquer the local population by providing jobs just a few. Another common strategy is to invent names in English subsidiaries in an effort to promote Mexico's public image - this is the case of Minera Real de Mina -.
In the September 23, 2010, traditional leaders of farming communities that form the nation of Wixarika signed a formal statement to express "profound rejection of the mining project of First Majestic Silver at the Real de Catorce desert." Demanded "the cancellation immediate end to all mining concessions "in their sacred lands and made it clear that they," will make use of all that is within [his] power to stop this devastation that the mining project would generate. "Several civil society organizations are have come together to support this resistance. Together with representatives of the nation Wixarika, have formed the Frente Tamatzima Huahe. A representative of this organization Wixarika explained it this way: "These sites are alive, have a heart, and we concerned that your veins are destroyed. "According to this view, indigenous protests have recently established a camp on the outskirts of the municipality Real de Catorce, where they fasted and chanted prayers. Darcy
Victor Tetreault is a Research Professor at the Academic Unit for Studies in Development of the Autonomous University of Zacatecas. Email: darcytetreault@yahoo.com .
Original text in English by Darcy Tetreault, April 1, 2011
http://upsidedownworld.org/main/mexico-archives-79 / 2981-sacred-Indigenous-site-in-mexico-Threatened-by-canadian-mining-company
http://upsidedownworld.org/main/mexico-archives-79 / 2981-sacred-Indigenous-site-in-mexico-Threatened-by-canadian-mining-company
Translated by Jeremiah Medina April 28, 2011
http://upsidedownworld.org/main/en-espatopmenu-81/3017-sitio-indigena-sagrado-en-mexico -is-threatened-by-the-company-mining-Canadian
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