Mining company sues ecologist

Mining company sues ecologist

by Fecon

27th December 2005

Costa Rica Federation for the Conservation of the Environment (FECON)

The Costa Rica Federation for the Conservation of the Environment has announced that the mining company which owns the project Las Crucitas, has filed a lawsuit against ecologist Marco Tulio Araya, member of the North Union for Life, and the Front Opposed to Mining in the Northern Region.

For FECON, we are once again witnesses to the response which the companies give in the face of our lawful and just actions against the possible destruction of the environment which they cause. The company Industrias Infinito, a subsidiary of Vanessa Ventures Ltd. of Vancouver, owner of the mining project Las Crucitas, located in the northern zone of our country, has filed a million-colon claim against Marco Tulio Araya, member of the organization North Union for Life and the Front Opposed to Mining in the Northern Region, for declarations which the company claims has damaged their honour.

"After analyzing the declarations for which the company is suing Marco Tulio, we can conclude that in no way did he insult nor depreciate the integrity of the said company," stated Isaac Rojas, president of FECON.

For FECON, it is imperative to show how this company is filing this million colon lawsuit in order to achieve their goal: first, a few days after filing a lawsuit against the State of Costa Rica for not having approved their Environmental Impact Report, the SETENA approved the initial phase of the report; and now, they are filing a lawsuit against one of the persons who has worked tirelessly to educate and organize the communities facing the threats of the gold mines.

For information and to support,

feconcr@racsa.co.cr
marcoab@ice.co.cr
evinicio@ice.co.cr