UPDATE 11 FEB 05
HI everyone, sorry for taking so long to update...
News: Town of Chalguayacu Bajo, site of Ascendant's mining camp now has a anti-mining president, after the recent changes there of the village board. Same for chontal Alto who had a pro-mining president; now he is on our side.
Big support from municipal authorities for communities against Ascendant last month- and specially, Auki Tituaña, our mayor, is expressing his support for the communities firmer than ever!
Contacts with a U.S. based legal firm to represent DECOIN AND JUNIN in north America,,
Big town meeting in Junin this past 5 Feb; over 300 people showing, with very strong supuport from Cotacachi Women's group and the Asamblea de Unidad Cantonal.
Ascendant is a bit worried, and has taken to talking to the Imbabura provincial government, since they are losing the support from community after community; we are to give our part of the mining story here pretty soon. That was one of the resolutions taken by the Provincial government.
MEANWHILE, Ascendant has yet to set foot on the reserve, and therefore cannot carry out their environmenbtal impact statement to explore. Threats they are going in in the next month or two.
Yesterday Polibio Perez was harassed by about 30 pro-miners when he went to see what a Ascendant hired tractor was doing to a mountain once forested- luckily nothing happened, and the Municipal goverment is trying to shut down the operation- which is meant for road construction (this is outside their mining area).
All for now.
Carlos
