(OPI Santa Cruz 07/31/2006) One of the lies told by the multinational mining companies is that this activity creates work. In the setup of these lies, mass commercial channels and government employees collaborated regularly. They disseminate statistical reports and projections to convince the population that "in a short time we are going see San Juan inundated with work" (Report from Gioja, governor of San Juan, June 2003).

We have heard this before in the case of the pulp mills in Fray Bentos, promoted by the Broad Front government; according to Tabaré Vázquez, "they would produce more than 2,000 direct jobs". However, the studies presented by the University of Monteverde and the University of Entre Ríos, prove that the real work for Uruguayan workers and technicians would be reduced to less than one hundred.

Cerro Vanguardia Mining (Santa Cruz)

Another objective is to stop the populations that are resisting the installation of the exploitation mining. Mining has the necessity to invade, occupy territory, and displace populations. Other types of multinational companies don't have the ability to perform these infrastructural prerequisites.

In many cases, they are able to get the residents to think: "Doesn't matter that they contaminate if they bring jobs", as said by the main character in the documentary "Asecho a la Ilusión", which recounts the case of Bajo La Alumbrera, in Catamarca.

The Truth is Something Different

Brazil, Peru and Chile are among the traditional mining countries of South America. The mining industry uses about 91,000 people in Brazil, which hardly represents about .1% of the economically active population (PEA) respectively, 75,000 in Peru, equivalent to .9% of the PEA, and 78,000 people in Chile, 1.4% of the PEA. (1)

The work conditions that the mining companies offer are extremely unhealthy and precarious. These conditions create an increasing work accident index on a day by day basis. They create circumstances like the death of 14 workers in the carbon deposits in Río Turbio on June 14,2004, and the death of Ramiro Marín, on December 23, 2005, in the water-treatment plant where carbon is processed and washed.

"The National State seems to tell Barrick Gold, Meridian Gold, Alumbrera Limited, and others: ‘Gentlemen, we are at your disposal. Tell us what you want and we will do it", accuses the Parliamentary Report presented by Deputy Carlos Alberto Tinnirello on July 1, 2006.

"In reality," continues the report, "President Kirchner has already taken care of completing this embarrassing task. In the presentation of the National Mining Plan on January 23,2004, speaking to the ‘representatives of the mining sector' textually: "...all that I can help the sector, and you as businessmen see as a clear prospect to stimulate investment, and believe that this investment can stimulate with determined measurements that we can discuss, we are absolutely available to listen..." (2).

"Why does the President demonstrate that he is only ready to listen to businessmen and not to the population that continually demonstrates in defense of their environment and their natural resources? Why doesn't he take notice of the population at Esquel, where 81% of the population demonstrates against the open-cast mining industry? Why is he deaf to the 20% of the residents of Santa María, Belén, and Andalgalá, in Catamarca, who have mobilized against the Agua Rica and Filo Colorado projects, demanding a plebiscite before any undertaking that can affect the environment? What is causing him to ignore the firm decision of the residents of Valle de Uco, in Mendoza, to oppose the open-case mining industry in the area of Papagayos?" (Report July 1, 2006, National Congress, Argentina)

The report discuses that "a lot more must be done to make sure that the Canadian companies lead their socially and environmentally responsible activities, and in conformity with the international standards of human rights".

Among other things, the report encourages the Canadian government to:

a) Direct Canadian support "to companies with a clearly defined corporate social responsibility and human rights standards".

b) Establish in Canada clear legal norms to make sure that the Canadian companies and residents will be held responsible when there is evidence of environmental violations and/or violations to human rights associated with the activities of Canadian exploitation mining companies.

Among the projects questioned by the Canadian Parliament that are worth mentioning:

-Ascendant Copper Corporation, with social headquarters in Vancouver, is trying to raise financing to develop a copper mine in one of the most diverse and threatened ecosystems in the world, in spite of vigorous opposition from leaders and local residents chosen by Cotacachi county, in the northwest of Ecuador. The company is trying to raise millions of dollars in Toronto's Stock Exchange to go ahead with their project in Junín, and the Canadian government has failed to ask Ascendant to suspend its activities until the matters at stake can be resolved.

-Communities in San Marcos, Guatemala, are involved in a fight against Glamis Gold Corporation of Canada. At Glamis' Marlin mine, they have been accused of violating indigenous rights and threatening the limited supply of water. In spite of these concerns, the Canadian government has been aggressively promoting the interests of the Canadian exploitation mining companies in Guatemala. The local communities recently voted to reject mining in the area, but the company has not accepted nor respected the wishes of the community.

-TVI PACIFIC is involved in a brutal fight with communities in Siocon, Mindanao in the Philippines. The aforementioned parliamentary report observes that the ‘subcommittee is profoundly worried about the possible impact of the activities of TVI Pacific Inc., a Canadian exploitation mining company, on indigenous rights and the human rights of the people of the area' and call for an investigation into the activities of TVI from the government."

As seen, what the transnational corporations execute with impunity in Argentina awakes a certain resentment in the world centers of power. This information isn't minor: it's convincing proof that our leaders are completing the plans of the U.S. State Department word by word.

In a document from December 10,1974, declassified March 7,1989, Henry Kissinger, the harmful ex-Secretary of State during the presidency of Richard Nixon, says (page 37), that for the world to continue like this (the way things were in 1974) ‘it is going to create a greater dependency on raw materials from lesser developed countries in the industrialized nations.

On page 43, Kissinger highlights that the U.S. economy "will require a large and growing quantity of materials from foreign countries, especially from less developed countries." Sixty pages later, it indicates that "it must be made sure that the pressure on the developing countries isn't seen as a form of imperialism."

On page 114, the document shamelessly says the same that was mentioned earlier: "It is vital that the strength to develop and to strengthen the commitment of leaders of lesser developed countries isn't seen by them as a policy of an industrialized nation to keep their energy limited as to preserve resources that will be used by rich nations".

Consequently, I cannot in any manner express approval because our country continues to be submitted to the most heinous plundering that can be remembered.

By Darío Shapostkik

Notes:
1) "Impacto de la Minería ." Noticias Aliadas. Vol. 42 Nº 2. January 26, 2005. 2.
2) http://www.mineria.gov.ar/discurso.asp
3) www.parl.gc.ca/committee/CommitteePublication.