Earth Day 2006

April 22nd is Earth Day. In honor of Earth Day, we bring you articles with both an environmental and a social focus as these two areas are very interconnected. These two articles touch on the very contemporary themes of immigration and mining in El Salvador.

On Capitol Hill, senators are debating the faults and merits of proposed solutions to the immigration reform issue. Some of these proposals are quite alarming and unrealistic. One major point in the debate is increased surveillance and border security. Already, current border surveillance has forced immigrants to cross harsh terrain in some of the hottest climates of the nation. Due to these harsh conditions, many immigrants have died crossing the border due to exposure, traffic accidents and drowning. The number of deaths has more than doubled between 2002-2006. In 2002, there were 69 deaths due to border crossings. Already as of April 10^th, there are 143 deaths. Eleven of these deaths happened in the first 10 days of April- and we have not yet come to the summer months. The summer months of course present the most difficult conditions on the border.

In addition to serious concerns about the impact of increased security on people, the impact of the fragile desert environment is another critical issue. Currently, beefed up security in California, Arizona and other sections of the border are severely damaging natural wildlife habitats for many threatened species such as the Sonoran Pronghorn. This species needs long tracts of land to run. The Pronghorn cannot cross paved roads or six foot fences, thus their habitat is severely fragmented and limited by the increased roads and fence along the border. A proposed wall along the entire Mexican-US border will severely limit the migration patterns and habitat of species living in the borderlands. A wall is also not likely to stop human immigration, and probably will further push immigrants into sensitive ecological habitats and into harsher climates that may further increase death rates and heat related illnesses.

Proposed efforts to criminalize all 12 million undocumented immigrants are also unlikely and unwise. The US does not have the space or the resources to account for and hold immigrants as felons when tax dollars are already spread thin. Likewise, it would also be difficult to identify and deport all of the people who have lived in the US for less than two years. If all of these people were exported, it would most likely create a crisis for border towns due to increased traffic, congestion and population booms. Most importantly, these policies would also break up families and the established lives of many immigrants.

(SHARE staff, Mid-Atlantic promoters and friends at DC rally on April 10th. Photo courtesy of Yamileth Coreas)

Furthermore, proposals to criminalize agencies, churches and good neighbors for lending a hand to undocumented immigrants as the "Good Samaritan" are against the ethical and moral values of Christianity and other faiths. In fact, it is the influence and presence of other cultures that enriches the daily lives of Americans. We are, after all, a country of immigrants and native peoples who were there long before the political borderlines were drawn.

For all of these reasons, we ask you to urge your Senators to promote comprehensive immigration reform that includes high moral and ethical standards protects the environment, and promotes human rights. Please read our latest action alert and talk with your Senators TODAY!

(crowd photo at DC rally on April 10th. Photo courtesy of Yamileth Coreas).

On April 10th, people from all over the United States gathered locally in support of the immigrants in our country. In the Bay Area, there were seven different immigrant marches, including a march of 6,000 in San Francisco. Our staff member, Teresa Cruz marched there after doing a hunger strike in San Francisco a few weeks before for this cause. In Washington DC, SHARE staff, including Executive Director Jose Artiga, as well as members of the Maryland Presbyterian Sister Parish, attended one of the largest pro-immigration rallies in the nation. Some numbers estimate that as many as a half a million came out in DC in support of immigrants and comprehensive immigration reform. After calling your senator, consider joining immigrants on May 1^st (International Worker's Day) in a national strike for the Day with No Immigrants. Say yes to comprehensive immigration reform that puts the dignity and needs of immigrant communities before fear!

References

"On the Line: The Impacts of Immigration Policy on Wildlife Habitat in the Arizona Borderlands." Defenders of Wildlife. 2006.

Mining's environmental and social impacts in El Salvador

As Earth Day approaches, we want to update you on the proposed gold mining projects in the provinces of Chalatenango and Cabañas. SHARE is very concerned for the communities in El Salvador working to protect their land, their homes, and their families' welfare. These are human rights that we all deserve. There is also grave concern for the ecological future in El Salvador as mining threatens to contaminate the air and the water, and to destroy the natural habitat that many species depend on for survival. In early March, the Central American Water Tribunal in Mexico issued a ruling exhorting the Salvadoran government not to issue further exploring or exploiting licenses to metallic mining companies in the country because of the great risk such activities pose to the environment and overall population. In light of Earth Day, we want to take time to tell you more about the negative impacts that mining will have for both the ecological and human communities in proposed mining regions.

(Human Rights Ombudswoman, Beatrice de Carillo and CCR General Secretary Isabel Membreno at a public hearing in Guarjila)

Since October 2005, the affected communities have organized and educated each other in Chalatenango around mining through workshops, marches and hunger strikes coordinated by the Chalatenango Diocese and the CCR (a regional CRIPDES office in Chalatenango). On March 16^th, they published a paid ad in the Diario de Hoy expressing their opposition to the mining companies (Au Martinique Silver and Intrepid Minerals) and clearly stated some of the impacts they affirm will accompany the mining exploitation such as air and water contamination, prostitution, community divisions, and sexually transmitted diseases such as AIDS. (Photo: Crowd in attendance at the event to educate and support the community of Guarjila).

Au Martinique Silver and Intrepid Minerals published a response in the Diario de Hoy on April 6, 2006. Since they are an exploration company, they claim that they do none of the things the CCR's statement fears will happen. Via this attitude, they deny that their exploratory efforts will make way for contamination related to mineral exploitation or that their hired workers could potentially engage in any inappropriate activities while among the communities. Au Martinique has routinely shown up unannounced to conduct tests on community land. In some communities, the company has already made efforts to cause divisions. It is the organizing strength over the years which have kept communities strong thus far and kept the company from acting carte blanche.

Au Martinique's behavior also contradicts the company's "Good Neighbor Policy." In their "Good Neighbor Policy" Au Martinique states that "We recognize that it is in the best interests of all stakeholders that mineral development projects proceed from the onset within the framework of mutual trust and cooperation with local communities... Our management must ensure that our successes are developed within a framework of environmental compliance and community alliance." By denying their environmental and social impacts and not honestly addressing the concerns of the communities, Au Martinique is clearly not working in compliance with its own "Good Neighbor Policy."

Another company, Pacific Rim Mining (currently working in Cabañas) is also just now beginning to explore an area near El Paisnal. If this mine goes forward in El Paisnal, it will affect a number of communities SHARE's US committees support via our local regional partner on the ground, UCRES (a local CRIPDES office). In reviewing the company's behavior in the late exploration phase at the El Dorado mine in Cabañas, there is great concern about the environmental and social practices of the company.

In a review of the company's environmental impact analysis (EIA) by Dr. Robert Moran, he found overall that this EIA would not be acceptable in the United States or Canada. Related to social issues, Moran found a complete lack of transparency in communicating the impacts that the mine would have on the communities because of the disorganized, vague, and poorly written report. Furthermore, only one copy of the report was available for review and comments in the country for a period of ten days. This report could only be reviewed at the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources. When Moran presented the impacts that mining would have on the communities and the environment at a forum in Cabañas, it was the first time that many people had heard anything about these impacts.

The Moran study also illuminates irresponsible behavior by Pacific Rim towards the environment. While the Pacific Rim website suggests that the company will build wells of ground water for the communities to utilize in the future, Moran states that the EIA did not test for long term impacts the project will have on ground water levels or quality. This is one of many examples Dr. Moran points out that demonstrate that the company did inadequate, or little to no real tests to state that their mining projects will have no environmental or social impacts.

Pacific Rim claims to be an "environmentally and socially responsible company" although their EIA is not so responsible. This would lead one to be very concerned about the environmental and social impacts this will have in the Paisnal area where SHARE sistering partners are working and the area where the assassinated Rutilio Grande also worked for justice in the 1970s.

In both cases (in the CCR and in UCRES), the mining companies do not have the long term interests of the communities at heart. In El Salvador, only 1% of the profits go to the local government and 1% goes to the federal government. All other profits go to the company shareholders. Any jobs the company will provide, will be the lowest paying jobs and likely to end within 6-10 years when the mining operation is completed. The communities will be left with respiratory and skin diseases as well as contaminated land, air and water. Mining is an industry that does impact communities in the short, medium, and long term. SHARE is committed to walking with the communities in regions where we partner, and on a national level through the Working Table on Mining and CRIPDES as our partners grapple with this new challenge of protecting their communities and the environments surrounding them, in the context of increased corporate globalization.

References

"Technical Review of the El Dorado Mine Project Environmental Impact Assessment, El Salvador." Moran, R. and Moran, M. October 2005. http://www.miningwatch.ca/updir/Technical_Review_El_Dorado_EIA.pdf

"CCR Communities Statement on Mining" CCR, CORDES, ADESCO mayors. 3/16/06.

Intrepid Minerals and Au Martinique paid ad. El Diario de Hoy. April 6, 2006.

"Au Martinique Silver Inc. Expands El Salvador Gold-Silver Land Holdings As A Result of 2005 Exploration Results." http://www.aumartiniquesilver.com/. Wednesday March 15.