London, 15 May 2015 Lina Solano is the president of the Frente de Mujeres Defensoras de la Pachamama, and the coordinator of the all-women network Union Latino Americana de Mujeres (ULAM). Both groups are driving forces for women human rights defenders (WHRD) across Latin America who are being criminalized and persecuted for resisting predatory extractivism …
Later this week, María Francisca Zhagüi Chuchuca will travel with LAMMP to the US in order to present the situation in Ecuador to the Inter American Commission on Human Rights and other organisations in Washington. We have translated one of the documents she will be taking with her into English. Meanwhile the winners of the …
The president of the Frente de Mujeres Defensoras de la Pachamama has been interviewed by the news agency ADITAL about the competitions for young students from Cuenca and Gualaquiza (Ecuador) which are beng organised for Earth Day on April 22nd. Translation of extracts from the interview (by Diana Mills of LAMMP): ADITAL: ”Youth and the …
Defenders of the Pachamama, group in Ecuador which LAMMP supports, have publicly rejected the statement of President Correa and deception about the Quimsacocha project; they have also denounced a campaign to discredit them. More information is available on their blog.
Dr. Katy Jenkins, Senior Lecturer in sociology at Northumbria University, recently travelled to Peru and Ecuador in order to carry out research into the impact of mining on women. Dr. Jenkins is using a feminist, life history approach to collect women’s accounts of mining activism there. Issue 5 of the university’s ‘Showcasing Excellence’ publication, on …
For March 8th, two of LAMMP’s groups in Ecuador (Defenders of Mother Earth and Guardians of Amazonia) organised an event in the Calderón Park in Cuenca. With posters and photographs, the women showed the true impact of mining on their communities. They also showed how planned developments would affect the Molleturo-Mollepungo forest and the Cajas …
A huge march is taking place in Ecuador to protest at the risks to water sources and the environment arising from mining activity. The demonstration intends to reach Quito in a week’s time. Press coverage in El Comercio can be read here (in Spanish), with further coverage here. Reports in English can be found at …
A declaration signed by many inhabitants of the area affected by the Rio Blanco mining project in Ecuador, declaring that they had never been consulted on the impact of the mine, was delivered to the offices of the Defensoría del Pueblo in Azuay. More details are available here (in Spanish), and press coverage in El …
Two groups which LAMMP supports in Ecuador, the Frente de Defensoras de la Pachamama and the Frente de Mujeres Guardianas de la Amazonia met with officials from the Ombudsman in Quito. They discussed the situation with Corriente Resources, and progress on the Rio Blanco project. Further information is available in Spanish on their website.
Ecuador: Molleturo rejects attempt by International Minerals Corporation to gain social license. The repression and punishment of those who courageously reclaim their right to speak out and express their views in relation to forthcoming mining developments is a constant worry for the inhabitants of Molleturo. This coming Sunday, 29th of May, their courage may be …