A week of blockades against the International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC) continued yesterday (Tuesday) at the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre, where more than 500 anti-mining protestors attempted to shut down the conference. Boon Wurrung Elder Carolyn Briggs welcomed protestors onto her country, and encouraged all to be respectful of the land they walked … Read More
Author: MRAG
SolGold AGM 20 September
Members of the Rainforest Action Group attempted to raise their concerns about investing in Ecuador at the SolGold AGM in September 2019 as we believe SolGold has not been transparent with shareholders as to the nature of their concessions. Below are our questions and concerns. We are concerned that correct consultation processes have not taken … Read More
Australian solidarity blockade at BHP
200 protestors at the head office at BHP today blocked entries to doors this morning amid demands for BHP to take greater accountability of its mining operations globally. The protest comes as Ecuador goes into a state of emergency with hundreds injured and at least 5 killed in one of the most serious uprisings Ecuador … Read More
Australian mining companies complicit in unrest
The Rainforest Action Group is deeply concerned about the implications of the State of Emergency declared by Ecuadorian president Lenin Moreno on October 3rd. The action gives police and military the power to use extreme force to repress the widespread mobilisation of the populace occurring throughout Ecuador after the implementation of austerity measures known as … Read More
Latin American Church takes a Stand
‘Our Mother Earth is Dying’: Latin American Church takes a Stand for the Amazon September 20, 2019 On Sept 14th this year, as the disastrous fires in the Amazon Rainforest continued to hit international headlines, Ecuador’s new Holistic Ecology and Panamazon Synod released a bulletin entitled ‘Our Mother Earth is Dying.’ This came as a … Read More
Environmental concerns at Cascabel
The Cascabel concession is part of the Mira River basin, and is surrounded by mature primary and secondary forests that house endangered species, and protect pristine microbasins. Our primary concerns with mining in Cascabel hinge on the ecosystem impacts of the mine itself and related infrastructure, as well as the toxic waste generated by mining … Read More
SolGold joins Rinehart with trouble in Ecuador
SolGold joins Rinehart with trouble in Ecuador August 6, 2019 SolGold joins Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting as the latest Aussie company to face challenges on their Ecuadorian mining concessions. Illegal miners who were evicted from Rinehart’s concession at Buenos Aires in July, have been active on SolGold concessions in the Imbabura and Carchi provinces, while … Read More
Cornerstone and ENAMI violating court ruling?
This blatant violation of the law is in keeping with statements by Cornerstone Capital Resources CEO Brooke Macdonald when he stated at the recent shareholder meeting in Toronto, Canada on June 25th: “We will follow the law, but this decision of this lower court in Imbabura is subject to appeal, and we believe that the … Read More
Legal problems cast doubt on BHP’s future in Ecuador
A series of legal cases based on constitutional law have created doubts over BHP’s operations in Ecuador. These court cases highlight the risks for international mining companies who fail to familiarise themselves with their legal obligations under Ecuador’s constitution. Martin Daley, Rainforest Action Group (Melbourne) stated, “It is the fifth time in just over one … Read More
Los Cedros court win
The judges in the provincial court of Imbabura ruled that there had been a violation of mining-impacted communities’ right to be consulted, and revoked the previous sentence of November 2018 in which the Action of Protection was discarded. They also forced the Ministry of Environment and Water to publicise the ruling and formally apologise to … Read More