http://upsidedownworld.org/main/ecuador-archives-49/2495–decision-delayed-over-ecuadors-new-water-law

Latests going ons (May and June)- see below-

JULY UPDATE:  There’s rumbling of a new mining company  near to the El Paraiso Community west of Junin and north of the Corazón gold mine, close to Los Cedros Reserve.  They are supposedly looking for copper and gold. Last week a representative from a local women’s group making tagua handicrafts and promoting tourism contacted DECOIN for support.   The trouble in the Barcelona area (Selva Alegre Parroquia) is still worrisome (it’s a marble mine closed for 3 months by the Barcelona community).  The two lawsuits (see below) are still pending.  In all, nine community residents are being investigated for illegal invasion of private property- one of the lawsuit was generated by the government.  The governor of Imbabura province recently renounced his post because he refused to carry out an eviction order issued by the Ministry of Government against community members blocking access to the mine.   A June inspection by provincial delegates of Min of Environment found many illegal exploration techniques.  UNFORTUNATELY, the same mining company involved in the above case (Cecal), is also trying to open up a new marble mine nearby to the El Rosal Community (a group there makes hand-made soap, shampoos and are into tourism).  We met with members of the community the other day, and they too  solicited help from DECOIN DECOIN recently hired two lawyers for now to help us with some of the lawsuits and possible legal measures to help the communities, but we need more help (a lot more).   Meanwhile, the Minister of the Environment was called to the National Assembly to respond to some of the funny business going on with this mine, and today, 21-o7, she is set to respond to questions by Assembly members.  One of the questions will be how was it possible for the mine to operate for decades without its environmental license.

PLEASE DONATE TO HELP PAY FOR LEGAL FEES FOR THE COMMUNITIES

JUNE-JULY

Intag-Wide Assembly rejects mining. Again.

May 21st was the date that around 1500 folks from Intag and Cotacachi got together to work on Intag’s most pressing problems.  The Asamblea Zonal was organized by the Consorcio Toisan, and was attended by representatives from just about all of Intag’s communities and organizations, as well as three local governments (Peñaherrera, García Moreno and Selva Alegre).  Alberto Acosta, the country’s ex president of the Constitutient Assembly and ex- Minister of Energy was the keynote speaker (his speech was titled:  El buen vivir y la maldición de la abundancia; The Good Life and the Abundance Curse)

Sixteen round tables were set up to analyze and propose solutions to Intag’s most important issues, including Environmental Justice, Road Infrastructure, and Education.  The principal resolution from the Environmental Justice Round Table was a yet another NO to mining in Intag- whether proposed by private or state industry (echoed in the other work groups).  The resolution was soundly supported in the plenary at the end of the day, with a nearly 90% approval rate.  The resolution also rejected the  new proposed marble mining project in the area, as well as others already underway.  It specifically rejected the government’s recent plan to start up the Junin mining project this year.  This makes it about the 12th time mining has been rejected in Junin by community  and local government assemblies (I’ll try to get and post some photos of the event next week)

World Environment Day.

DECOIN joined forces with the Ministry of the Enviroment and Consorcio Toisan to carry out several activities during the week leading to World Environment Day, on June 5th.  Ministry of Environment officials and DECOIN representatives met with school kids from Intag’s Parish townships  to talk about environmental issues, including proper treatment of garbage. Small posters and other materials were handed out and students helped clean up garbage at several sites, plus took part of a pro-environment march in Apuela. The week of events was capped by a Assembly held at the Piscinas Nangulví attended by 560 students from Intag’s high schools, as well as community and organizational representatives. (photos next week)

DECOIN is also coordinating environmental education work  the equivalent 46 high-school students from Intag’s three main high schools.  The students meet every Saturday and participate in different environmental activities and presentations on environmental issues.

MINING

Lawsuit.  On May 7th, the Toronto court hearing our case against the Toronto Stock Exchange and Copper Mesa ruled against the admissibility of the lawsuit.  Basically, the judges said neither the Stock Exchange nor the company were responsible for what happened on the ground in Junin.  The lawyers representing the plaintiffs (Marcia Ramirez, Polibio Pérez and Israel Pérez) appealed the decision.  Needless to say, we all feel they are accountable, since without their actions or omissions the human rights violations would have never taken place (for more details please see: http://www.ramirezversuscoppermesa.com/

As probably most of you know, the government recently announced plans to reactivate the Junin mining project.  Correa’s government has allotted $180,000.00 to fund what they are calling a “social-environmental” study in Junin with the aim of establishing the viability of the copper mining project.  As it stands now, only a state-owned mining company could legally develop the mine, so we expect that the newly created state mining company will initiate the studies (for more details see: http://upsidedownworld.org/main/ecuador-archives-49/2500–correa-looks-to-reopen-unpopular-mining-project-in-junin

Marble mining. We recently received word that 10 activist from the Selva Alegre area, in addition to Polibio Pérez, have been named as defendants in a lawsuit presented by the Ministry of Mines for obstruction of an the Cecal marble mine (in operation since the 1970s).  The residents of several communities surrounding the mine have complained about contamination issues and other problems caused by the mine.  The new mining law forces the government to step in and defend the rights of the mining companies whenever their operation is affected by work-stoppages or blockades, such as the one that was carried out for several weeks in April and May.

In addition to the above, a new company wants to open up another marble mine in the García Moreno Parish.  The local government and several communities have asked DECOIN for legal and other support to stop the mine, which is going ahead without legal support from the local governments, and communities.

Another Smear campaign. As if dealing with one mining company wasn’t enough, in March of this year, a documentary paid for by Ecuacorrientes, a subsidiary of Canadian Corriente Resources, was presented in the country.  The film’s objective is neutralizing the anti-mining documentary produced by CEDHU, Ecuador’s premier human-rights organization titled:  In the open Sky: Undermining Rights.  The  documentary funded by Ecuacorrientes spends around half of its time  damming me and a manual I helped write to help communities defend themselves against extractive projects (the manual is titled:  Protecting Your Communities Against Mining Companies and Other Extractive Industries. You can download it at:  http://www.culturalsurvival.org/news/united-states/protecting-your-community-0).  Ecuacorriente’s copper mining project is way in the south of Ecuador and I’ve never been involved in the anti-mining struggle down there (they are doing just fine on their own).

UNFORTUNATELY, mining interests are not the only ones smearing me lately with outrageous distortion of facts and the truth;  some of it is originating from supposed allies.  This other kind of smearing can, needless to say, can be much more damaging to Intag’s anti-mining struggle. And, while this kind of maliciousness comes with the territory, and I could opt to take it as a form of compliment, I’d much rather do without it thank you.  Putting up with nearly fifteen of being smeared is plenty.

Presently, I am in the process of filing a lawsuit against the producers of the film for libel.

Earth Economics.

In May, Washington-based Earth Economics representatives came to Intag to develop further their plan of carrying out an alternative economic study of Intag (see:  http://www.eartheconomics.org/Page77.aspx   In summary, we can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that socially, environmentally and culturally, mining makes absolutely no sense in places like Intag.  We cannot prove anything economically unless we have hard data to back up the obvious: that Intag’s environmental services and sustainable economic alternatives are worth a hell of a lot more than mining can every produce- in the long run.  This study seeks to prove just that.  The study, if EE can find the funding, will help influence Ecuador’s decision makers that can only see the traditional economic benefits of mining development.  The study should also be helpful to communities fighting mining development in other parts of Ecuador- and the world- sharing similar environmental conditions.

Please get in touch if you would like to donate.  We have just created a special Legal Defense Fund to legally help the activists charged by the Ministry of Mines, to use legal mechanisms to defend the community’s constitutional right to a life without mining, and to help me sue the producers of the film mentioned above.

carlos

During the past 15 years DECOIN has been forced to concentrate most of its energies, time and funding on helping to stop two large-scale mining projects that threaten our forest and biodiversity, our rivers and streams as well as our communities.  More importantly, the mining project also threatens a community-based sustainable development model that has emerged out of Intag’s successful resistance to mining.  Because the lack of time, and the importance of stopping the mines, I could seldom concentrate on writing about all the other great work we do.   Now that the mining issue has quieted down, I’m going to try to catch up (BOY WAS I OPTIMISTIC WHEN I WROTE THIS!!!)

MINING ISSUES.

I might as well get this out of the way.  The Junin mining project is, at present, completely stopped.  Copper Mesa lost their concessions a while back, was kicked out of the Toronto Stock Exchange in February 2010, and is facing a multi-million dollar lawsuit in Canada.  Presently, their shares are trading at 10,000 to the dollar in the Over The Counter markets (but no one is buying).  I don’t know of any community struggle that has been as successful in, not only stopping a major mining project, but also in setting so many precedents. Believe me, it’s not every day that communities in developing countries sue a major stock exchange or that manage to get a transnational corporation delisted from it.

The Lawsuit.

I recently returned from a trip to Canada with the three Intag defendants who are suing, not only the mining company and two of its directors, but also the Toronto Stock Exchange (see www.ramirezversuscoppermesa.com) .  We went to Canada to be at the hearing to determine whether the court thinks there’s sufficient legal grounds for the lawsuit to go ahead (the decision is due this month).  No doubt, if any of the parties lose, the decision will be appealed. We are in it for the long-haul. The lawsuit would not have been possible without the support of the lawyers (Klippensteins), who took on the case pro-bono . Never before has a Stock Exchange been sued for human rights abuses (based on allowing a company like Copper Mesa capitalize in the exchange then use the money to violate our rights, after being warned not to list the company).  But do check out the site and donate.

For right now, and until the governments  get it and keep it in their head that most people here are against mining, and that we are developing a more rational and sustainable model of development in Intag, and that, in fact, mining makes absolutely no economic, social, or environmental sense in Intag, all these victories will not be final.     So, we know we cannot fully relax. And one of the reasons we can’t is that the present government has bought into the ludicrous myth of sustainable mining and is openly in favor of large-scale mining projects to replace the rents from the dwindling petroleum resources (in spite of the recent greenwashing publicity).  For us, that translates into a real concern that the government will want to develop the Junin project in a partnership with a multinational like Codelco (Chile’s state-owned mining company).  So, there’s lots of work yet to do.

SUSTAINABLE INTAG:  BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION, WATERSHED RESERVES, REFORESTATION, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION, AND MORE…

Synthesis.

We still continue to establish community protected forests and watershed reserves whenever we have enough money (last count was 41 or 42 reserves protecting close to four thousand hectares)

During the past 12 months, DECOIN has purchased around 750 hectares of native forests for several communities and a local governments; helped communities and small-farmers plant 20,500 fruit and lumber trees;  gave materials to over 120 families and seven groups in 10 communities to help them implement sustainable farming techniques; produced two manuals: one on the impacts of pesticide use, and the other on sustainable farming; helped community members take the Toronto Stock Exchange and Copper Mesa to court in Canada; reproduced and distributed around 2,000  documentary videos on the mining struggle here in Intag, and nation-wide; produced radio shows on conservation issues; and opened a fair-trade store in Otavalo marketing Intag’s handicrafts and other goods produced by our organizations (we  also serve Intag coffee). We also supported four groups of high-school students get to school by helping pay part of their transportation (we are doing the same this year but now it’s 7 groups!!). Currently we are also helping a group of sixty young adults build their classroom in Chalguyacu Bajo so they can continue with their distance high-school education program.  We’ve been busy.

Don’t be shy; if you see a project that you’d like to support, let us know.  Most of the activities above  (and below) are under-funded, or currently have no funding.

Reforestation.

DECOIN is currently finishing another year of reforestation work in the El Paraiso and Cristal-Peñaherrera communities.  By the end of April or start of May, 13,500 trees (15 native and two non-native species) will have been planted in the community-owned reserves this year.  I’ve frankly lost track of how many trees have been planted in total, but I believe it’s close to 40,000 (though I think it’s more like 50,000). We’ve worked with 37 species of trees, about 85% of which are native species. In the process, we are generating very useful information about reforestation with native species in cloud forests habitat.  Our partners for this reforestation work are Geo schutzl den Regenwald and Rainforest Concern. We couldn’t have done it without their faith in us and the communities (project ends next year)

Sustainable Intag.

During the past two years, and thanks to a project financed by Rainforest Concern, we’ve worked with over 120 families and several groups that are next to, or within the mining concessions to help them get back on their feet after years of having to sacrifice their time to stop the mining companies (the people in the photo at the top are part of the project team and community  advisors that participated in the project) . The work included training a team of agricultural extensionists on sustainable farming, delivering tens of thousands of dollars worth of materials and farm animals, including layers and broiler chicks, thousands of Tilapia and trout fingerlings, pigs, sheep, guinea pigs, thousand of meters of plastic hose for fish ponds and family gardens, eight grain mills, a sisal spinning machine, industrial blender, pounds and pounds of vegetable seeds and thousands of meters of wire mesh for dozens of home gardens, in addition to carrying out several workshops on sustainable farming, and the impacts of pesticide use, etc,.  The project also entailed several very important crop trials with disease-resistant plant stock, and trials with new seeds.  And, thanks to this project we were able to open the Casa de Intag fair trade store in Otavalo (check it out www.lacasadeintag.org).  This is most, but by all means not all, of the project’s activities. Yes, this one project kept us busy!

Community protected areas.

Last count, we had helped establish 41 community and local government reserves.  Most of these are community watershed reserves (totaling close to a thousand hectares), but includes the largish Cuellaje Township government reserve (about 1600 hectares), the Junin reserve (about 1,500 hectares) and a few reserves for local groups, such as Flor de Mayo, in Santa Rosa.  Our partners for this cool work are Geo schutzl den Regenwald and Rainforest Concern. This is one successful project.  The communities come to us asking help to protect their drinking water sources, and in the process thousands of hectares of native cloud forests and their endangered wildlife (much more endangered than the Amazon), are being protected. When the areas are deforested, we train community people to plant trees and help them reforest.  None of the reserves has been invaded, logged, or in any way negatively affected. Why? Because they are actively being protected by the communities who have a strong desire to protected it, and not by multinational foundations or by remote control from Quito. Part of the reason for the success is that every last hectare of land belongs to the communities, local government, or the groups protecting them.  Besides actively conserving Intag’s threatened forest and biodiversity, this cool work is also safeguarding the drinking water for thousands of residents, many of which were previously driking water from pastures and sprayed agricultural areas, and saving local governments and community money  In my opinion,  this conservation strategy is, far and away, the most effective way to assure long-term conservation of natural resources in countries like Ecuador.

Socio Bosque and the Intag Forest Network.

Another interesting conservation initiative popped up about a month ago when we were asked to help create a Network of Community Forest Reserves in Intag.  It sounds like a great idea, but there’s no funding that came with the idea.  Then there’s the project to help property owners sign up for the Plan Socio Bosque, a government conservation initiative to help private property owners protect the forest they still have on  their land through an annual stipend (from $10 to $ 30 a hectare).  There is also no funding for this very important initiative, part of which entail helping the property owners and communities through the beaurocratic maze to comply with requisites (including measuring the land, and producing management plans).

Environmental Education/Capacity Building.

We recently contracted the local- and very effective- Intag radio station to broadcast talks and messages about the environment and organizational capacity building.  In April, we also kicked off a leadership course, most of which will be broadcast in via Radio Intag so a lot more people can participate (it is aimed at board members from local organizations).   Then, during the past 12 or so months, we copied and  distributed thousands of videos documentaries on the mining issue, including Under Rich Earth, and more recently, Rights Undermined (A Cielo Abierto: derechos minados).  Under Rich Earth is the latest documentary on the struggle here in Intag, and Rights Undermined is more about the anti-mining struggle in the country (though it features a good section on Intag). We’ve also given away the documentary HOME, and Leonardo Dicaprio’s The Eleventh Hour away to community leaders.  Videos are one of the most effective educational tools at our disposal.

This year, and with Geo’s support, we’ll be distributing 500 The Great Kapok Tree picture books to a bunch of young kids in grade schools (classes just started, so we don’t know how many we schools we can cover).  We will also be working with about 100 high-school kids here in Intag on environmental education.

High-School Transport.

A couple of years ago, somehow we got talked into helping to pay for part of the transportation costs of about 150 high-school age kids to get to three different high schools (Apuela, Peñaherrera and Garcia Moreno). This should obviously be the responsibility of the national or provincial government, but they assume no responsibility at all for school transport.  There are currently seven groups asking for our support, from kids from about 10-15 different communities.  The kids mostly travel in the back of trucks, as there is no bus school transport, and DECOIN pays not more than 50% of the transportation costs; and more commonly, no more than 25%.  Without this support, most of these kids would never get a high-school education since they live so far from high-school. Threshold Foundation, as well as Geo, are helping to cover some of the associated costs. If you are interested we could use more support .

Alternative Economic Study.

Eartheconomics will be coming in May of this year to start a series of workshops on evaluating Intag’s ecosystem services, as part of a project whose objective is to try to put a economic value on what our ecosystems and actual productive systems are producing- and could produce in the future- and comparing this to the economic value produced by large-scale mining in Intag.  Depressingly, sometimes this is the only kind of information that the “decision makers” are able to see.  The work will be supported by a team from Barcelona University who will be doing a very important multi-criteria evaluation, which goes beyond ecosystem services.  We’ll be helping Eartheconomics to make sure the workshops are a success.

Miscellaneous.

This can be a huge list because some communities depend on us to help them find solutions to their problems- especially environmental problems.  What follow is a partial list. For example, not that long ago, a couple of township governments asked us to help the buy land to treat their solid waste (we agreed to look for funding).  We’ve been asked by several communities to help them set up school gardens (we’ve helped two so far).  There’s a community that wants us to help them conserve hundreds of hectares of unclaimed land harboring primary cloud forests (no funds for this at present)… A young woman president of a community recently asked for legal support to defend herself from a lawsuit by a big logger (we agreed)….  There’s another community that asked for our help in stopping a new (small) marble mine (yes of course). Then there’s the gold mine in the Corazón area (lower Intag) that is said to be contaminating the Rio Verde river who also asked also for our help.  Others want trees to give away to their community members.  Not that long ago, we donated a couple of thousand meters of one inch plastic hose and helped out a local government bring water to a community that didn’t have a water system.  Then there’s the small and medium Hidroelectric Project to benefit communities and local government  that is looking for support (Hidrointag) And so on and so forth.  You get the idea.  It is very frustrating for us to have to turn away some of these requests, and while we try not to, it’s worrisome at times how much it strains our financing.

Dragons in Eden.   In spite of some major victories lately, the nightmare doesn’t end, because the copper is still there. But it sure is a lot more bearable these days!

Your support makes it possible for us to keep working on transforming Intag into a model of sustainable, community-based alternative development.

We sincerely thank you all for your support.  If you feel inspired, get in touch (and don’t forget to visit our store if you visit Otavalo)

Carlos Zorrilla

toisan06@gmail.com

Interestingly, the company did not appeal the TSX’s decision, and is now trading on what is known as the Pink Sheets (Over the Counter Bulletin Board). This is the least prestigious place for companies to trade their shares, since it is a completely unregulated marketplace (much, much less so than even the barely regulated TSX). Most companies here either are pirate companies, or are very close to bankruptcy (and/or were unable to comply with regulations in other stock exchanges). In other words, unsavory, high-risk enterprises.

In real terms, what this means that it’s all over for Copper Mesa. They will not be able to raise capital, and will likely soon file for bankruptcy. For us it means they will not be able to keep funding the social havoc in our communities, nor violate our rights anymore. On a more general note, it sends a powerful message to other communities fighting mining projects that a delisting like this is indeed possible.

In spite of such fantastic outcome, we are concerned by the presence of a pseudo agricultural company using a couple of the company’s properties within the mining concession. The company, Schwarz and Drouet, offers services to the oil industry, and has hired a few of Copper Mesa’s old employees, plus has been given away some small gifts to the locals. Their presence is probably meant to keep a low-profile presence in case the mining project is reactivated. In such scenario, they’ll be able to sell their land to the new company. The use of the land by this company also makes it harder for the communities to invade it, or the local government expropriate it.

Thank you again for the role you played in helping us achieve this amazing, and transcendental victory.

Carlos Zorrilla
DECOIN

FIN DE COPPER MESA (Ascendant Copper)
El día viernes 19 de febrero fue el último día que la empresa minera Copper Mesa Mining Corporation cotizó sus acciones en la Bolsa de Valores de Toronto. La bolsa tomó la decisión el 19 de enero del año en curso de prohibir la cotización de las acciones de la empresa canadiense, supuestamente por incumplimir con requisitos de la bolsa. Una de las consecuencias de este singular triunfo es que se la hará imposible para la empresa captar más dinero en dicha bolsa. En la actualidad, las acciones están siendo negociadas en lo que se denomina los “Pink Sheets” (o: over the counter), un tipo de mercado donde cualquier empresa puede negociar sus acciones sin el más mínimo control de parte de entidades gubernamentales. Estos espacios son la última opción para empresas que están en vía de bancarrota, o que fueron expulsadas de otras bolsas de valores. Por ende, ningún inversionista serio va a invertir en una de estas empresas. Es más que probable que en pocos días se declare en bancarrota. En la práctica, este hecho marca el final de Copper Mesa Mining Corporation.

Para las comunidades de Intag, lo que esta decisión significa es que sin dinero Copper Mesa no podrá seguir violentando nuestros derechos, ni financiando el caos social en nuestra zona, tal como lo ha venido haciendo desde mayo del 2004 cuando conocimos la existencia de la empresa en Intag. Ésto a pesar que la empresa sub-contrató a una empresa supuestamente agrícola (Schwarz y Drouet) para no perder su presencia en la zona (contrata a ex-funcionarios de la empresa minera). Dicha empresa está calificada para brindar servicios a la industria petrolera.

Hasta lo que sabemos, la decisión de la Bolsa de Valores de Toronto es única en la historia de luchas comunitarias en contra de empresas transnacionales mineras.

Trascendencia.
Sesenta por ciento de las empresas mineras del mundo están inscritas y cotizan sus acciones en las bolsas de valores canadienses, siendo la Bolsa de Valores de Toronto la que más aglutina (1410 empresas mineras). Una de las razones por esta anomalía es la casi total falta de regulación por parte del gobierno, juntamente con la facilidad para inscribir empresas en las bolsas canadienses. La industria minera es excepcionalmente poderosa en Canadá, y pocas veces la Bolsa se ha atrevido a tomar una medida como esta..

Aunque sabemos que la decisión se basó en una o más violaciones de los reglamentos de la bolsa, pesamos que las verdaderas razones son otras (las empresas mineras canadienses constantemente violan dichos reglamentos). Una fue la presión creada por el juicio planteado en Canadá por tres compañero/as inteños en contra de la empresa y la bolsa de Toronto, que creo que fue clave. Las constantes denuncias realizadas por la DECOIN a la Comisión de Valores de Columbia Británica desde 2005, las cuales señalaban manipulaciones fradulenta de la información por parte de la empresa sobre sus proyectos mineros en Intag seguramente fueron claves. Pensamos también que los artículos últimamente publicados en diarios canadienses (en primera plana) sobre el juicio y el asalto de los paramilitares jugaron un papel importante. Y, por último, los documentales sobre la lucha en favor de la vida en Intag que se han presentado en Canadá y varios otros países del mundo, seguramente también ayudaron.

Ahora esperemos que este gobierno de turno no se le ocurra meterse donde dos empresas transnacionales han fracasado.

Juan Ibarra, one of many who publicly thanked DECOIN for our work

DECOIN’s gathering this past Friday (22nd Jan) at the Piscinas de Nangulví. For the report, see below. (versión en español le sigue al inglés)

On Friday, January 22, at the Pisicinas de Nangulví, DECOIN held an assembly to celebrate 15 years of work and to elect a new board.

The Assembly was an extraordinary event. In all 65 friends from about 22 communities (maybe 25) and several organizations came (we had invited 60 each with a letter). It was a time to see the main people who have been working so hard to defeat the mining project. A time to remember fifteen years! of hard work, hardship, joy, defeats, and triumphs.

People got up, about a dozen or more, and publicly thanked DECOIN, and each and everyone in the room for the work done. It was very moving, even surprising (pleasantly so). Robin’s testimony brought tears to many eyes. One of the things he pointed out was that it was because of DECOIN that other organizations were able to live and grow. Others pointed out that very few organizations live to be 15. Juan Ibarra: “if it hadn’t been from DECOIN we would have been forced off our homes and communities”. Others recalled how they became involved in the struggle. Mareano: “What we have learned is that anyone who fights to defends the environment is DECOIN”. The young (and very brave) woman president from Rio Verde stood up and told us of her admiration for what we had accomplished and the level of environmental awareness in this part of Intag, and begged us to go to her area and work in environmental education so her people could be as aware. She also asked for help in conserving the forests in her area which are being rapidly decimated, and to help her create watershed and community forests reserves.

Marcia scolded us for not inviting everyone involved in the struggle (I pointed out that it would have been not less than 400 friends!, completely beyond our budget) However, we hope to, with everyone’s help, to hold a large party celebrating 13 years of the Mitsubishi bonfire and an Intag free of mining within the next few months. You are cordially invited!!

For me, and as I told everyone, I felt joy at seeing so many familiar faces I’ve seen throughout the years all in one place. What a high! I told them that when people ask me how I can stand the day-to-day and year-after-year stress related to this work, I said, “easy, each and every one of you inspires me”. They really are inspiration.

Padre Geovanny Paz speaking at DECOIN's Assembly

Geovanni Paz gave a wonderful talk. He recalled the first DECOIN days, remembering the hardships, the disbelief in people about our mission, the threats, the commitment of the first members. He expressed genuine awe at the transformation manifested in the people in the room (he was in Cuba for many years starting in 1997); in their ability to publicly speak, their commitment to protecting the environment and defend their rights; their environmental awareness; their eloquence! It really blew him away. He was very motivated. One of the things we committed to right then and there was to undertake a series of leadership workshops with him, starting in March (by radio at first).

Silvia went more a little bit more into detail of our work during the past 15 years with a powerpoint presentation. We also had a time line up on the wall for even more details. But even as she was enumerating all the stuff and mischief we’ve been up to, I, jose cueva and Im sure others, remembered things that we had forgotten about. Really, it was impressive the number of things we’ve accomplished as DECOIN (i hope to soon have an summary up on our site).

Next: a couple of musical breaks- one by Ceneida, Mareano’s and Piedad’s teenage daughter from Barcelona who dedicated a special song for DECOIN. What a voice!!! Then, Alirio with his fantastic anti-mining songs (big hit, several encores), and Willy Coronel with a hearth-wrenching Atahualpa Yupanqui song.

Alirio Ramirez

After the music, people shared ideas of where DECOIN should go in the next couple of years: The most mentioned: more community reserves (and expand current ones)., followed by more reforestation, much more environmental education with kids but also adults (more work to prevent forest fires); more work to avoid deforestation; promote tourism more; keep supporting the transportation of high-school students; importance of supporting the solidarity store in Otavalo to sell cabuya and other products (Casa de Intag); reduction of, and training in pesticide use; leadership training; more productive alternative projects; work more in solid waste management (prevention of contamination); special request for Decoin to get more involved in the Manduriacos area; need to work more with the local media; more work on the political sphere(!). There were a few more that I can’t recall right now, but you get the idea. All of these ideas came from the community representatives. Most things we do anyway, others we’ve been wanting to do for a long time. About time then!

We finished by electing DECOIN’s new board members: Neither Silvia or I could get out of being reelected (by unanimous vote), but we added Sonja Dillmann as Secretary/Treasurer, and Armando Almeida as Vice President. Then we all elected two people from each Parroquia (4 from Garcia Moreno) to make up the expanded Board (called support groups). Including Geovanni Paz, who was chosen as Permanent Consultant, the expanded board is now composed of 21 members. I’m guessing that most of the time the central board will meet, but hope the expanded board can meet not less than 4-5 times per year. I’m also hoping that in the future the support groups will play an active role in Decoin’s work.

Willy and Ceneida

Then, lunch served with trout from the San Antonio community (one of the projects we supported)and Naranjilla Chicha.

A very, very special event.

Oh, one more thing. It could hardly be clearer that THERE WILL BE NO MINING IN INTAG. Not with the kind of folks that accompanied us at the Assembly. Their energy will be needed if the government goes ahead with the plans of exploring in Junin via the newly created state-owned mining company. For now it will be difficult because the company has not money, but that can quickly change. MORE ON THIS IN MY NEXT BLOG

ASAMBLEA DE DECOIN AFIANZA COMPROMISOS DE INTEGRANTES CON LA CONSERVACION DE LOS RECURSOS NATURALES DE INTAG

LA DECOIN MÁS FORTALECIDA QUE NUNCA

En el complejo turístico de Nangulví, y con la participación de 65 personas de aproximadamente 23 comunidades y varias organizaciones, este viernes, 22 de enero la DECOIN llevó a cabo su asamblea para, no solo renovar la directiva, sino para celebrar 15 años de vida de la organización ambientalista.

Silvia Quilumbango, presidenta de la DECOIN, se encargó de dar la bienvenida a los y las participantes de las comunidades, algunos de los cuales iniciaron su viaje temprano en la madrugada. Christian Paz moderó el evento, el cual continuó con un recuento por Silvia Quilumbango de algunas de las actividades y logros realizados por la DECOIN. Pero el tiempo fue demasiado corto para enumerar las cientos de acciones que la organización ha realizado a favor de la conservación de los recursos naturales de la zona (ver a continuación).

La asamblea estuvo contagiada de emoción y alegría. Muchos de los asistentes agradecieron el trabajo de DECOIN a través de esta última década y media. Una buena parte de las intervenciones dieron fe de la importancia del trabajo de concienciación, educación, y apoyo a la creación de otras organizaciones. Otros le reclamaron a la organización por no haber invitado a los cientos de otros “amigos de la DECOIN” quienes formaron parte integral de la lucha contra la minería. Carlos Zorrilla, directivo de la DECOIN, respondió a este justo reclamo diciendo que hubiera sido imposible invitar a 400 o 500 amigos para esta asamblea, pero que con la ayuda de las comunidades y organizaciones, próximamente se realizará una gran fiesta para celebrar la definitiva salida de las empresas de Intag.

Posteriormente los y las asambleístas eligieron a la nueva directiva. Carlos y Silvia fueron eligieron de nuevo como Director Ejecutivo y Presidenta por unanimidad. Sonja Dillman fue electa Secretaria/Tesorera, y Armando Almeida es el nuevo Vicepresidente de la DECOIN. Además, se procedió a elegir a dos representantes de cada Parroquia para conformar grupos de apoyo (ver más abajo)

El Padre Geovanni Paz, quien viajó expresamente desde Otavalo para apoyar la asamblea, fue electo como Asesor Vitalicio.

Después de la elección se pidió a los asambleístas que orienten el trabajo de la DECOIN para los dos próximos años. Todos estuvieron de acuerdo que era indispensable trabajar en las escuelas y colegios en educación ambiental. Muchos expresaron gran preocupación por los incendios agrícolas que azotan la zona y solicitaron que la DECOIN destine más recursos para frenar este flagelo. Otra área de trabajo apoyado por todos fue la expansión y creación de nuevas reservas hídricas comunitarias. En este tema, las presidentas de las comunidades de Río Verde y Cielo Verde expresamente solicitaron a la DECOIN que trabaje más en la zona de los Manduriacos para frenar la terrible deforestación que esta decimando los bosques que protegen sus ríos, a la vez solicitando una mano para crear bosques comunitarios en sus recintos. Los asambleístas también pidieron apoyo para frenar la contaminación, y mayor involucramiento en el manejo de desechos sólidos.

El Padre Geonvanni Paz uno de los fundadores de la DECOIN expresó su admiración por la transformación de los inteños y por la calidad humana de las personas presentes. Recontó su experiencia de los primeros días de la DECOIN, y motivó a los asambleístas a que sigan en la lucha por defender sus derechos, y señaló la importancia de seguir fortaleciendo a las organizaciones. Leyó parte de la carta ecológica del Papa, en la cual llama a tomar conciencia del desastre ambiental creado por el hombre, y la obligación de cuidar la creación. Al final, anunció que en el mes de marzo iniciará un programa de capacitación de líderes que él mismo liderará a través de la Radio Intag (inscripciones en la DECOIN, el Consorcio Toisán o la Radio Intag).

Durante el evento hubo varios números musicales a cargo de la Srta Guachagmira, quien cantó una canción para la DECOIN, acompañada en la guitarra de Luis Burbano, de la comunidad de Cerro Pelado. Después los participantes se motivados con las canciones ecológicas de Alirio Ramírez, quien contó un poco del origen de algunas de sus canciones. Willy Coronel, de Radio Intag, llamó a tomar más conciencia de la importancia de a lucha contra la minería con una hermosa canción de Atahualpa Yupanqui.
El evento cerró con un buen almuerzo acompañado por chicha y truchas provenientes de San Antonio de Cuellaje, unos de los proyectos apoyado por DECOIN.

Sin duda alguna, después de la asamblea, la DECOIN queda más fortalecida que nunca.

Parte de la lista de los integrantes de los grupos de apoyo de la Decoin

García Moreno zona alta: Marcia Ramírez, Nelly Haro y Mariano Guachagmira

Zona baja: Carmen Proaño y Piedad Mora

Peñaherrera: Pedro Bolaños y Oswaldo Armendariz

Plaza Gutiérrez: Roberto Castro y María Vaca

Apuela: Enma Garzón y Jaime Torres

Vacas Galindo: Isabel Anangonó y Ramiro García

Cuellaje: Cristian Ayala

DECOIN’s gathering this past friday (22nd Jan) at the Piscinas de Nangulví. For the report, see below. (versión en español le sigue al inglés)

On friday, January 22, at the Pisicinas de Nangulví, DECOIN held an assembly to celebrate 15 years of work and to elect a new board.

The Assembly was an extraordinary event. In all 65 friends from about 22 communities (maybe 25) and several organizations came (we had invited 60 each with a letter). It was a time to see the main people who have been working so hard to defeat the mining project. A time to remember fifteen years! of hard work, hardship, joy, defeats, and triumphs.

People got up, about a dozen or more, and publicly thanked DECOIN, and each and everyone in the room for the work done. It was very moving, even surprising (pleasantly so). Robin’s testimony brought tears to many eyes. One of the things he pointed out was that it was because of DECOIN that other organizations were able to live and grow. Others pointed out that very few organizations live to be 15. Juan Ibarra: “if it hadn’t been from DECOIN we would have been forced off our homes and communities”. Others recalled how they became involved in the struggle. Mareano: “What we have learned is that anyone who fights to defends the environment is DECOIN”. The young (and very brave) woman president from Rio Verde stood up and told us of her admiration for what we had accomplished and the level of environmental awareness in this part of Intag, and begged us to go to her area and work in environmental education so her people could be as aware. She also asked for help in conserving the forests in her area which are being rapidly decimated, and to help her create watershed and community forests reserves.

Marcia scolded us for not inviting everyone involved in the struggle (I pointed out that it would have been not less than 400 friends!, completely beyond our budget) However, we hope to, with everyone’s help, to hold a large party celebrating 13 years of the Mitsubishi bonfire and an Intag free of mining within the next few months. You are cordially invited!!

For me, and as I told everyone, I felt joy at seeing so many familiar faces I’ve seen throughout the years all in one place. What a high! I told them that when people ask me how I can stand the day-to-day and year-after-year stress related to this work, I said, “easy, each and every one of you inspires me”. They really are inspiration.

Geovanni Paz gave a wonderful talk. He recalled the first DECOIN days, remembering the hardships, the disbelief in people about our mission, the threats, the commitment of the first members. He expressed genuine awe at the transformation manifested in the people in the room (he was in Cuba for many years starting in 1997); in their ability to publicly speak, their commitment to protecting the environment and defend their rights; their environmental awareness; their eloquence! It really blew him away. He was very motivated. One of the things we committed to right then and there was to undertake a series of leadership workshops with him, starting in March (by radio at first).

Silvia went more a little bit more into detail of our work during the past 15 years with a powerpoint presentation. We also had a time line up on the wall for even more details. But even as she was enumerating all the stuff and mischief we’ve been up to, I, jose cueva and Im sure others, remembered things that we had forgotten about. Really, it was impressive the number of things we’ve accomplished as DECOIN (i hope to soon have an summary up on our site).

Next: a couple of musical breaks- one by Ceneida, Mareano’s and Piedad’s teenage daughter from Barcelona who dedicated a special song for DECOIN. What a voice!!! Then, Alirio with his fantastic anti-mining songs (big hit, several encores), and Willy Coronel with a hearth-wrenching Atahualpa Yupanqui song.

After the music, people shared ideas of where DECOIN should go in the next couple of years: The most mentioned: more community reserves (and expand current ones)., followed by more reforestation, much more environmental education with kids but also adults (more work to prevent forest fires); more work to avoid deforestation; promote tourism more; keep supporting the transportation of high-school students; importance of supporting the solidarity store in Otavalo to sell cabuya and other products (Casa de Intag); reduction of, and training in pesticide use; leadership training; more productive alternative projects; work more in solid waste management (prevention of contamination); special request for Decoin to get more involved in the Manduriacos area; need to work more with the local media; more work on the political sphere(!). There were a few more that I can’t recall right now, but you get the idea. All of these ideas came from the community representatives. Most things we do anyway, others we’ve been wanting to do for a long time. About time then!

We finished by electing DECOIN’s new board members: Neither Silvia or I could get out of being reelected (by unanimous vote),,, but we added Sonja Dillmann as Secretary/Treasurer, and Armando Almeida as Vice President. Then we all elected two people from each Parroquia (4 from Garcia Moreno) to make up the expanded Board (called support groups). Including Geovanni Paz, who was chosen as Permanent Consultant, the expanded board is now composed of 21 members. I’m guessing that most of the time the central board will meet, but hope the expanded board can meet not less than 4-5 times per year. I’m also hoping that in the future the support groups will play an active role in Decoin’s work.

Then, lunch served with trout from the San Antonio community (one of the projects we supported)and Naranjilla Chicha.
,
A very, very special event.

Oh, one more thing. It could hardly be clearer that THERE WILL BE NO MINING IN INTAG. Not with the kind of folks that accompanied us at the Assembly. Their energy will be needed if the government goes ahead with the plans of exploring in Junin via the newly created state-owned mining company. For now it will be difficult because the company has not money, but that can quickly change. MORE ON THIS IN MY NEXT BLOG

ASAMBLEA DE DECOIN AFIANZA COMPROMISOS DE INTEGRANTES CON LA CONSERVACION DE LOS RECURSOS NATURALES DE INTAG

LA DECOIN MÁS FORTALECIDA QUE NUNCA

En el complejo turístico de Nangulví, y con la participación de 65 personas de aproximadamente 23 comunidades y varias organizaciones, este viernes, 22 de enero la DECOIN llevó a cabo su asamblea para, no solo renovar la directiva, sino para celebrar 15 años de vida de la organización ambientalista.

Alirio Ramirez

Silvia Quilumbango, presidenta de la DECOIN, se encargó de dar la bienvenida a los y las participantes de las comunidades, algunos de los cuales iniciaron su viaje temprano en la madrugada. Christian Paz moderó el evento, el cual continuó con un recuento por Silvia Quilumbango de algunas de las actividades y logros realizados por la DECOIN. Pero el tiempo fue demasiado corto para enumerar las cientos de acciones que la organización ha realizado a favor de la conservación de los recursos naturales de la zona (ver a continuación).

La asamblea estuvo contagiada de emoción y alegría. Muchos de los asistentes agradecieron el trabajo de DECOIN a través de esta última década y media. Una buena parte de las intervenciones dieron fe de la importancia del trabajo de concienciación, educación, y apoyo a la creación de otras organizaciones. Otros le reclamaron a la organización por no haber invitado a los cientos de otros “amigos de la DECOIN” quienes formaron parte integral de la lucha contra la minería. Carlos Zorrilla, directivo de la DECOIN, respondió a este justo reclamo diciendo que hubiera sido imposible invitar a 400 o 500 amigos para esta asamblea, pero que con la ayuda de las comunidades y organizaciones, próximamente se realizará una gran fiesta para celebrar la definitiva salida de las empresas de Intag.

Posteriormente los y las asambleístas eligieron a la nueva directiva. Carlos y Silvia fueron eligieron de nuevo como Director Ejecutivo y Presidenta por unanimidad. Sonja Dillman fue electa Secretaria/Tesorera, y Armando Almeida es el nuevo Vicepresidente de la DECOIN. Además, se procedió a elegir a dos representantes de cada Parroquia para conformar grupos de apoyo (ver más abajo)

El Padre Geovanni Paz, quien viajó expresamente desde Otavalo para apoyar la asamblea, fue electo como Asesor Vitalicio.

Después de la elección se pidió a los asambleístas que orienten el trabajo de la DECOIN para los dos próximos años. Todos estuvieron de acuerdo que era indispensable trabajar en las escuelas y colegios en educación ambiental. Muchos expresaron gran preocupación por los incendios agrícolas que azotan la zona y solicitaron que la DECOIN destine más recursos para frenar este flagelo. Otra área de trabajo apoyado por todos fue la expansión y creación de nuevas reservas hídricas comunitarias. En este tema, las presidentas de las comunidades de Río Verde y Cielo Verde expresamente solicitaron a la DECOIN que trabaje más en la zona de los Manduriacos para frenar la terrible deforestación que esta decimando los bosques que protegen sus ríos, a la vez solicitando una mano para crear bosques comunitarios en sus recintos. Los asambleístas también pidieron apoyo para frenar la contaminación, y mayor involucramiento en el manejo de desechos sólidos.

El Padre Geonvanni Paz uno de los fundadores de la DECOIN expresó su admiración por la transformación de los inteños y por la calidad humana de las personas presentes. Recontó su experiencia de los primeros días de la DECOIN, y motivó a los asambleístas a que sigan en la lucha por defender sus derechos, y señaló la importancia de seguir fortaleciendo a las organizaciones. Leyó parte de la carta ecológica del Papa, en la cual llama a tomar conciencia del desastre ambiental creado por el hombre, y la obligación de cuidar la creación. Al final, anunció que en el mes de marzo iniciará un programa de capacitación de líderes que él mismo liderará a través de la Radio Intag (inscripciones en la DECOIN, el Consorcio Toisán o la Radio Intag).

Durante el evento hubo varios números musicales a cargo de la Srta Guachagmira, quien cantó una canción para la DECOIN, acompañada en la guitarra de Luis Burbano, de la comunidad de Cerro Pelado. Después los participantes se motivados con las canciones ecológicas de Alirio Ramírez, quien contó un poco del origen de algunas de sus canciones. Willy Coronel, de Radio Intag, llamó a tomar más conciencia de la importancia de a lucha contra la minería con una hermosa canción de Atahualpa Yupanqui.
El evento cerró con un buen almuerzo acompañado por chicha y truchas provenientes de San Antonio de Cuellaje, unos de los proyectos apoyado por DECOIN.

Sin duda alguna, después de la asamblea, la DECOIN queda más fortalecida que nunca.

Parte de la lista de los integrantes de los grupos de apoyo de la Decoin

García Moreno zona alta: Marcia Ramírez, Nelly Haro y Mariano Guachagmira

Zona baja: Carmen Proaño y Piedad Mora

Peñaherrera: Pedro Bolaños y Oswaldo Armendariz

Plaza Gutiérrez: Roberto Castro y María Vaca

Apuela: Enma Garzón y Jaime Torres

Vacas Galindo: Isabel Anangonó y Ramiro García

Cuellaje: Cristian Ayala

Posted by: czorrilla / 6:02 PM