The Peoples’ International Health Tribunal held in San Miguel Ixtahuacan, Guatemala, last weekend exposed the impacts of the operation of Marlin mine in Guatemala, of San Martin mine in Honduras and of Los Filos mine in Guerrero state, Mexico.

Grace Garcia, a collaborator of Real World Radio and member of COECOCEIBA-Friends of the Earth Costa Rica, interviewed Aniceto Lopez of the Frente de Defensa Miguelense, one of the organizers of the Tribunal.

He said that besides “Marlin” mine in San Miguel Ixtahuacan municipality, there are seven more licenses in the country.

He mentioned that a study conducted by doctor Susana Caxaj on people’s health in San Miguel Ixtahuacan was decisive to organize the Tribunal. Since the information about the Tribunal became public many organizations of the region approached and spread the word.

Lopez is concerned that the general public understands the impacts of mining on the territories. The community of San Miguel Ixtahuacan has learned them the hard way, but they believe it is necessary to set the example for other municipalities. “Unless there is a clear position against mining, mines will continue to pressure and to come up with strategies to convince the people”, said Lopez. “As a result of this Tribunal we need people to appropriate its conclusions”.

Many times the information is misleading for the general public because when organizations and social movements expose its negative impacts, they contradict what Goldcorp is saying,

Even though the Health Tribunal was not legally binding, the judges are internationally renowned personalities in different areas. Some of them are health experts. The final ruling demanded Goldcorp to suspend all its operations in Central America and to guarantee that its impacts in Guatemala, Mexico and Honduras will not be repeated.

Lopez says it is important that the ruling will be useful for the Guatemalan government to address the mining issue as a problem. “Because the Guatemalan government is not including this issue in their agenda”.

Photo: Grace Garcia, COECOCEIBA – FoE Costa Rica.