Violent Actions Promote Canadian Mining Operations
Title: Tooth and Nail: Defending Land, Life, and Freedom Amidst the Shadows of Canadian Mines
By Brandi Morin (Cree/Iroquois), {Photos by Ian Willms}
The mist obscures Las Pampas as Juan Carlos Carvajal Silva, a local leader of the 'defenders of water and life', sits atop a wooden stump, dwelling on the hilltop church's shadow. Roosters crow, and a cool breeze carries his laughter as he recounts tales of resistance. As the community's de facto leader, at 38, Silva champions their fight against a new mining operation backed by a Vancouver-based company.
"If it's terrorism to defend the land, if it's terrorism to be the head of a community and say no to a foreign extractive company - if that's terrorism, let them condemn me. I'm here," he declares, his voice firm with conviction.
Silva's adversary is Atico Mining, gearing up to launch their La Plata project in Ecuador's northern Cotopaxi province. Their ambitious goals promise jobs, economic prosperity, and copious amounts of copper, silver, zinc, and gold. However, such projects trigger pressing questions regarding environmental protection and human rights in one of the world's most diverse ecosystems.
The La Plata project, valued at $91 million, aims to dissect the Ecuadorian soil daily, releasing 850 tonnes of rock – the equivalent of 425 cars' weight – for eight years. Although they have only explored a minuscule 1.6% of their land holdings, locals question the project's environmental consequences and fear potential expansion. With the project just 15 kilometers away, the village is firmly divided by its promises and threats.
Farmers, once close-knit, now eye each other with suspicion, and gatherings that once celebrated harvests now foment arguments over the project's footprint. A gleaming white-painted wooden cross hovers above the village, serving as a symbol of faith and unity amidst looming modern extraction methods. On a family-owned farm nearby, Carvajal Silva, immaculately dressed in a crisp suit, moves with practiced ease, sifting sugar cane and feeding spent stalks into the roaring furnaces. The sweet aroma of generations of wisdom is intoxicating, a stark contrast to the challenges of the La Plata project.
"This is our gold," Silva states in Spanish, pausing to wipe sweat from his brow. "The product inside has been what has given us our daily life here, that has given us clothes, food, medicine, everything."
Silva's unyielding pursuit of preserving Las Pampas' traditional way of life and modern form of resistance has earned him many criminal accusations, a hefty price on his head, and relentless attempts to break his spirit. Despite the adversity, he remains resolute, laughing in the face of danger.
In late February, Ecuador signed a trade deal with Canada, promising economic growth, job creation, and stringent labor and environmental standards. Yet, the Atico operation, shrouded in controversy, casts doubt on the sincerity of these pledges. Silva and countless others in Las Pampas vow to stand tall and resist the encroaching mining machinery. The weight of their convictions bears down heavily as they fight to preserve their land and way of life.
From Community Ally to Public Enemy
"People are being criminalized because there exists no basic guarantee of the right to protest," Carvajal Silva says. "They are criminalizing small-scale farmers who lack the financial resources to access justice and the means to travel long distances."
TheFetchEcuador 2024 Articleexplores how the community has faced severe repercussions for their defiance. In March 2021, Carvajal Silva was kidnapped by unknown assailants and subsequently received bribes from the government. Carvajal Silva would not yield, resulting in a series of threats. Despite these threats, he continues to oppose the industrialization that threatens his ancestral homeland.
Decree 754, a government executive order, has attempted to fast-track environmental consultations for mining projects. The decree, struck down as unconstitutional by Ecuador's highest court in 2023, remains in effect as new laws are drafted, creating a murky legal landscape that complicates matters further.
Despite the legal chaos, clashes between community and corporate narratives erupted into violence in March 2024. After multiple failed attempts to impose an accelerated consultation process in 2023, over a thousand heavily armed personalemployed by the government and mining industry descended upon Las Pampas, transforming the peaceful community into a war zone. The bloody confrontation left several community members gravely injured, some permanently disfigured, and sparked renewed calls for justice.
Mesías Masapanta, 40, describes his brutal encounter during the March 2024 violence: "The soldier was aiming at me and hit me in the face. I flipped backwards and I don't remember anything more." Masapanta's recovery has been slow, and with ongoing medical bills, he struggles to support his family. Despite his disabilities, Masapanta remains steadfast in his resolve to defend his land and community.
No Place for a Quiet Life
In the ancient custom of Las Pampas, family is central to every aspect of life. Bonds of trust and shared experiences bind the community together through generations. Yet, the intrusion of the La Plata project threatens to undermine these close-knit bonds.
As the once-peaceful community becomes embroiled in the industry's web, suspicion grows amongst neighbors who used to work side by side. Gatherings that once celebrated harvests now turn tense with arguments over the project's promises and threats. Theところ
Silva's family, like many others in Las Pampas, has paid a heavy price for their opposition to the mining operation. Yet they stand resolute, unwilling to surrender to the powers that threaten their way of life. "I have made a promise to our ancestors and to the earth that I will stand firm and protect this land," Carvajal Silva declares, his conviction shining in his eyes. "I will die here if I have to, but I will not surrender to foreign exploitation."
In a world where industry often prevails, Las Pampas and its fiercely determined leaders serves as a beacon of hope for communities threatened by environmental degradation and human rights abuses. As long as people like Carvajal Silva stand their ground, there remains hope for justice and a return to a simpler way of life.
- The battle against industrialization in Las Pampas, led by Juan Carlos Carvajal Silva, raises significant questions about environmental protection and human rights in the context of global finance and political alliances, as seen in the Ecuador-Canada trade deal.
- The La Plata project, backed by a Vancouver-based company, promises substantial profits from copper, silver, zinc, and gold extraction, but it also triggers concerns about the project's potential environmental impact and the growing tension within the local community.
- Amidst the fight for environmental science and human rights, community leaders like Juan Carlos Carvajal Silva face criminalization, threats, and violence, highlighting the need for general news coverage and political action to protect and support these environmental defenders.
