WORLD WORLDWIDE EUROPE ITALY ARGENTINA News Journal Update - (en) Italy, Galatea AG: Mega-mining has shown failure throughout Argentina by Dario Aranda (ca, de, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]

 Original: "The mega-mining has shown the destruction throughout

Argentina." Translated by Fabio for the Galatea Anarchist Group ----
Andalgalá is the witness case of mega-mining in Argentina. There, in
full Menemism, Minera Alumbrera was installed. They were more than 25
years of exploitation without fulfilling the promises of work, local
development, or care for the environment. Andalgalá is also an epicenter
of resistance: for more than twenty years they have been mobilizing in
rejection of extractivism. They take 696 walks (every Saturday) in
defense of water and life. And they are on alert for the arrival of the
multinational Pan American Silver (PAS), which is trying to exploit the
disputed MARA project (Minera Agua Rica-Alumbrera), just 17 kilometers
from the city and where the rivers that provide water to the region are
born. .
The sign is huge, white with black letters and located in a strategic
place, on the corner of Plaza 9 de Julio, in the heart of Andalgalá: "In
defense of water and life. Andalgalá free of mega-mining". And under an
Argentine flag, he provides another concept: "More lethal than Covid-19
is the corruption of governments and mining companies." Sums up the
climate that is palpable in this city, the second in number of
population (after the provincial capital). The message reflects a good
part of the feelings of the population, which -since the arrival of the
activity- suffered a dozen repressions, prosecutions and the radical
modification of their traditional way of life.

In this context, it was learned that the Canadian multinational Pan
American Silver (the largest silver company in the world) acquired the
Yamana Gold mining company, the main shareholder of the MARA project.
The corporate statement reports: "The acquisition of Yamana Gold has
been completed. A significant increase in silver and gold production and
better operating margins are expected." The MARA project (previously
called just Agua Rica) was in the hands of the consortium of Yamana
Gold, Glencore and Newmon. The incorporation of PAS would try to give it
impetus.

Sergio Martínez, from the El Algarrobo Assembly -historic space in the
fight for the defense of water- recalls that the MARA mining project is
"illegal" because it is in an area protected by the National Glacier Law
(26,639) and specifies the validity of the ordinance 029 that protects
the rivers of Andalgalá. "We always tell these companies, whether PAS or
Yamana, that we will not allow the exploitation of these projects,
because they violate human rights, because our water and the life of the
people are at stake," he affirms.

The Canadian organization Mining Watch closely monitors the company's
actions and issued a statement on the sidelines of the company's annual
meeting of shareholders: "Pan American Silver acquires more toxic assets
with the merger with Yamana. The company has declared a commitment to
human rights, but this discourse runs counter to its pattern of
acquiring assets with a history of indigenous rights violations,
violence, and strong local opposition."

The unrest against mega-mining in Andalgalá reached a high point in
April 2021, when the Yamana Gold headquarters burned down. More
repression ensued: a dozen men and women neighbors (most of them members
of the El Algarrobo Assembly) were imprisoned for two weeks, without any
proof of having been guilty of the fire. In May 2022 there were also two
repressions in the neighboring town of Choya, where they blocked the
passage to the mining company. The Judiciary again criminalized the
residents: there were dozens of prosecuted. It is no coincidence that in
Andalgalá it is affirmed, due to the breach of rights, the validity of a
"mining dictatorship".

Rosa Farías, grandmother and part of the El Algarrobo Assembly, remarks
that she will continue the fight against mega-mining because they know
that the MARA project puts the entire population of Andalgalá at risk.
"It is not pleasant to find out about the arrival of PAS, we know that
it is a powerful company and that it has the endorsement of the
Government, both pretend that we do not exist, they do not listen to us,
but we will respect our rights, those of our children and
grandchildren," he warns. .

"Get out, get out, get out the mining companies", is the cry that
resounds every Saturday at sunset in Andalgalá. For more than 10 years
it has been a ritual to walk around the Plaza 9 de Julio with dozens of
banners and flags that depict the rejection of extractivism. Sergio
Martínez summarizes the past and present: "The mega-mining has shown
failure throughout Argentina, not only with Alumbrera in Andalgalá. They
cannot prove that they do not destroy, that they do not contaminate and
that they do not plunder us. It is a system of destruction,
contamination and looting that is not viable as a development model for
Andalgalá or for any part of the country".

Martínez himself provides one more piece of information about the "lies"
of companies and governments, based on the official budget itself:
royalties for mega-mining represent only 1.68 of the provincial budget.
He recalls that on July 1, 700 walks were completed in Andalgalá, where
two historic flags flew again: "Water is worth more than gold" and
"Andalgalá is not for sale. The Aconquija is not touched".

Pan American Silver is a well-known company in Argentina and Latin
America. For 15 years, the silver and lead project called Navidad has
been trying to exploit in Chubut. It had the support of all the
governments (provincial and national), but could not advance due to the
broad rejection of the population. A historic event occurred in December
2021, with a popular mobilization known as "el chubutazo", when after
seven days of mobilization in the streets (and even a partial fire at
Government House), Governor Mariano Arcioni had to march back and
restore the restrictions on mega-mining.

https://avispa.org/la-megamineria-ha-demostrado-el-fracaso-en-toda-la-argentina/

https://gruppoanarchicogalatea.noblogs.org/post/2023/07/29/la-megaminiera-ha-dimostrato-il-fallimento-in-tutta-largentina/
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