Canadian Mining Firm Accused Of Employing Members Of The National Armed Forces As Private Security

EL SALVADOR

Canadian mining firm accused of employing members of the national Armed Forces as private security agents

By Daniel Trujillo, Diario Co Latino

15th May 2007

The National Roundtable Against Metals Mining has accused Canadian mining firm Pacific Rim of employing members of the national Armed Forces as private company security agents. The complaint was made after the company carried out economic and social insertion activities in municipalities of the northern area of Cabañas department, "offering" donations of school and medical supplies, accompanied by security forces made up of soldiers.

One of the cases in particular which the organization has denounced took place in cantón Trinidad, in the municipality of Sensuntepeque, Cabañas, where the residents felt that their security was threatened. The residents did not like the looks of the operation, and being that they already had decided to not commit themselves to the company, urged the company to withdraw from their activities. The situation became tense, the soldiers began pointed their weapons at the people of the community. According to David Pereira, member of the organization, "this turned into a struggle, and blows were struck against people."

According the National Roundtable against Metals Mining, the Canadian company has been carrying out these activities with the objective of winning the sympathy of the communities where mining exploration and operation activities are under way. But these actions are not solely occurring in the area north of Cabañas, rather throughout the entire department of Chalatenango as well. Bernardo Belloso, from the Association of Rural Communities for the Development of El Salvador (CRIPDES), says that in various northern communities, "armed forces" are present. According to Belloso, the presence of these groups is intended to "generate fear" among the residents so that they will sell their lands and thus enable the mining operations. Pereira sustains that these types of activities should be investigated by the Attorney General of the Republic, so that the interests and commitments of mining firms, local government officials of the zone and the Armed Forces, are "brought to the light of day."