Tag: El Salvador

WERU News Report 9/23/14

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Reporting from El Salvador this week and next, as we accompany an international delegation observing anti-mining activities in the country. This week a World Bank tribunal is holding final hearings in a lawsuit a mining company filed against this impoverished country, because they prevented further mining in an attempt to protect the estimate 5% of their water that is not already contaminated.

Segment 1: In a historic vote yesterday, the town of San Jose Las Flores voted to take action to ban mining in that municipality. The traveling delegation received training and became part of a team of international elections observers. Today we bring you Mayor Felippe Tobar speaking about the vote, announcing the results, and receiving a symbolic gift of solidarity from Aurora Conley of the Bad River Tribe, Chippewa Nation.

Segment 2: The price of resistance to mining in El Salvador goes well beyond the hundreds of millions of dollars for which a now Australia*-based gold mining company is suing. Several anti-mining activists have been murdered. Marcelo Rivera, a young activist described by community organizations here as a charismatic leader, was found murdered in 2009 after receiving death threats. His murder was referenced, along with other acts of intimidation, when the delegation visited Radio Victoria last week. Radio Victoria is a community radio station, created after the El Salvador peace accords in 1993. Representatives from the station described the backlash against community members as well as the radio station:

Catie Johnson of Sister Cities & Pedro Cavezas of International Allies Against Mining in El Salvador provide translation.

(For full disclosure: Travel expenses for WERU staff member Amy Browne and volunteer Meredith DeFrancesco were paid through a grant from the Haney Foundation received by the Bangor based group PICA, which coordinates the city sister relationship with Carasque, El Salvador.)

*This is a correction – the News Report incorrectly stated that the corporation is based in New Zealand

FMI: http://www.stopesmining.org/j25/

WERU News Report 9/17/14

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Reporting from El Salvador this week and next, as we accompany an international delegation observing anti-mining activities in the country.

This week a World Bank tribunal is holding final hearings in a lawsuit a mining company filed against this impoverished country, because they prevented further mining in an attempt to protect the estimate 5% of their water that is not already contaminated. We’ll have more on that on future programs.

Yesterday we toured the now-closed San Sebastian gold mine in La Union. A village official told us about the impact mining has had there, on the water, land, and health of the community. Catie Johnson of Sister Cities translates:

We also met with some “artisanal” miners at their camp outside one of the dangerous mining shafts:

(For full disclosure: Travel expenses were paid through a grant from the Haney Foundation received by the Bangor based group PICA, which coordinates the city sister relationship with Carasque, El Salvador.)

RadioActive 3/13/14

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Issue: Environmental and Social Justice

Program Topic: FMLN Candidate Declared Winner in El Salvador; Creating Local Economies in Maine; Action in Solidarity with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers

Key Discussion Points:
a) Today, FMLN candidate Salvador Sanchez-Cerran was declared the winner in El Salvador’s presidential elections. We speak with a social movement leader about the elections unprecedented transparency and the issues the Salvadoran social movement hopes will be the focus of the Sanchez Cerran.
b) We preview a conference titled “Creating and Sustaining Vibrant Local Economies”. This includes looking at definitions of economy and alternative models, including cooperatives.
c) The Community Union of Ellsworth speaks on their upcoming demonstration in solidarity with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers. Demonstrators will call on Wendy’s to join the other top five fast food chains in signing onto the Fair Food Program, committing them to pay farmworkers a penny per pound more for Florida’s winter tomatoes and to buy from growers adhering to a fair labor code of conduct.

Guests:
A) Marcos Galvez, director of CRIPDES ( Association for the Development of El Salvador ) http://www.cripdes.com/
B) Cori Ring-Martinez, US El Salvador Sister Cities, election observer www.elsalvadorsolidarity.org
C)Larry Dansinger, Resources for Organizing and Social Change (ROSC) http://mainelocaleconomies.org/
D)Jane Livingston, Cooperative Maine, http://cooperativemaine.wordpress.com/
E) John Curtis, Community Union of Ellsworth, https://www.facebook.com/communityunionofellsworth?ref=stream

RadioActive 5/16/13

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Issue: Environmental and Social Justice

Program Topic: Two unsuccessful legislative attempts to block tar sands pipeline and metallic mining; developments in global retailers reaction to Bangladesh building collapse

Key Discussion Points:
a) This week, the Maine legislature’s Natural Resources Committee watered down a bill that would have set a two year moratorium on pumping of tar sands oil through the Montreal Portland Pipeline, 76% owned by Exxon Mobil. Changes were made to the bill after the Maine Attorney General’s office claimed such a moratorium would interfere with federal interstate commerce laws.
b) A bill (LD 1059) that would have reversed last year’s legislation that opens Maine to open pit metallic mining did not pass out of committee this week. Instead, LD 1302 was voted out of committee, a bill that only seeks to mitigate environmental damages. Though 350 Maine and others did not support this compromise, other environmental groups, including the Natural Resources Council of Maine did.
c) Over 30, primarily European, clothing companies have signed onto a legally binding building and fire safety agreement for their Bangladesh factories. It requires independent safety inspections with public reports, mandatory factory building renovations, an obligation that brands and retailers underwrite the cost of repairs, and a genuine role for workers and unions. Us companies, such as Walmart and Gap have not signed on, making them the continued target of labor rights campaigns.

Guests:
A) Bob Klotz, organizer with 350 Maine Team, www.350maine.org
FMI:
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/05/02/1952171/exxon-spills-tar-sands-oil-again-in-missouri-cant-find-126000-gallons-spilled-in-arkansas/?mobile=nc
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2013/05/130510-earth-co2-milestone-400-ppm/

B) Liana Foxvog, organizer with International Labor Rights Forum, Sweatfree Communities campaign
FMI:
www.ilrf.org
http://corporateactionnetwork.org/campaigns/human-rights-for-all-walmart-workers-the-bangladesh-fire/petitions/demand-that-walmart-ensure-basic-safety-and-human-rights-of-its-workers-2
Laborrights.org/safety
Gapdeathtraps.com

C)Update on Coal is Stupid blockade in Somerset, MA
FMI: http://www.heraldnews.com/news/x438180711/Activists-declaring-Coal-Is-Stupid-attempt-blockade-of-coal-delivery-at-Somersets-Brayton-Point?zc_p=1

WERU News Report 4/30/13

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Contributor: Matt Murphy

In our first segment today, Matt Murphy talks with singer/songwriter Dean Stevens about his upcoming tour with David Dodson, which includes a fundraiser for sister cities in El Salvador.

2nd segment: In Augusta today several pieces of proposed legislation of interest to opponents of the proposed E/W Hwy/Corridor, drew an overflow crowd to the transportation committee. The bills were presented to the committee by the sponsors. (Audio from the public hearing)

RadioActive 3/28/13

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Issue: Environmental and Social Justice

Program Topic: Metallic Mining in Maine and El Salvador

Key Discussion Points:
a) Last legislative session, an effort spearheaded by Irving resulted in legislation directing Maine’s Department of Environmental Protection to over haul state mining laws to make it easier for the exploitation of gold, copper, silver and zinc. Though the impetus is a project at Bald Mountain in Arookstook County, the changes will open up mining at number of locations across the state with metallic metals.
b) The country of El Salvador, based on past experiences within their own borders and the experiences of communities in neighboring countries in Central America, has kept a resurgence of gold mining at bay, through government action, pushed by an unparallelled social movement. Around the globe the effects of mining include water over use, severe water pollution and it’s ensuing health impacts, and the human rights abuses and violence perpetrated against anti-mining activists by myriad factions in support of mining companies.
c) US El Salvador Sister Cities, and it’s local affiliate Power in Community Alliances (PICA), is hosting a speaking tour by Salvadoran anti mining activists. They will present along with Natural Resources Council of Maine staff scientist Nick Bennett, on the parallels between Maine and Salvadoran mining prospects and resistance.

Guest:
Jan Morrill, Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM), past US El Salvador Sister Cities staff, and organizer with El Salvador’s National Table on Metallic Mining. She is originally from Maine.

U.S./El Salvador Report 2/25/12

Producer/Host: Kathleen March

Transcript:
This is Kathleen March with WERU’s US-El Salvador Report. Today’s topic concerns the March local elections. The report has been prepared by the University of Maine in collaboration with Radio Sumpul and US-El Salvador Sister Cities.
El Frente Farabundo Martí para la Liberación Nacional y la Alianza Republicana Nacionalista compiten para ganar las elecciones municipales y legislativas del 11 de marzo. Una encuesta reciente de la Universidad Centroamericana indicó que el FMLN tiene casi el 28% de la intención de voto para diputados, y que ARENA, que gobernó durante 20 años (1989-2009), alcanzaría menos del 27% de los votos, para los 84 diputados del Congreso. El mismo estudio revela que para los 262 consejos municipales, el FMLN obtendría el 28.6% de los votos y ARENA el 28.2%. La encuesta se hizo con aproximadamente 1,900 personas, en febrero.??
ARENA parece estar aumentando entre los jóvenes que votarán por primera vez y los de bajo nivel educativo. El FMLN parece haber dejado de crecer. Según una opinion: “Hay un segmento de ciudadanos que parecen haberle retirado su apoyo y que han pasado a engrosar el núcleo de los indecisos o de los que declaran que no van a votar”. Parece que un gran número de salvadoreños que todavía están indecisos en cuanto a cómo votar, sobre todo en cuanto a los diputados. Ninguno de los partidos lograría una mayoría absoluta en el Congreso, y para aprobar las leyes se necesitan los votos de 43 de los 84 diputados.
En las elecciones municipales y legislativas de marzo participarán nueve partidos, aunque el FMLN y ARENA son los favoritos para sacar el mayor número de diputados y repartirse la mayoría de los 262 consejos municipales. Actualmente, el primero tiene 35 diputados y el Segundo, 18.
La Organización de los Estados Americanos ha firmado un acuerdo con el Gobierno de El Salvador para enviar una misión de observación para las elecciones del próximo 11 de marzo. El secretario general de la OEA, José Miguel Insulza, recordó que “desde la firma de los Acuerdos de Paz, la OEA ha acompañado a los ciudadanos y autoridades de El Salvador en la tarea de perfeccionar el sistema electoral, enviando misiones de observación en cinco oportunidades”.
La OEA también observó que las misiones de observación electoral son “instrumentos clave” para apoyar la democracia en el continente. Posteriormente, la misión electoral de la OEA presentará un informe sobre las elecciones ante el Consejo Permanente.
Las elecciones legislativas del próximo 11 de marzo son para elegir a los 84 diputados, además de 262 alcaldes municipales para el período del 1 de mayo de 2012 al 30 de abril de 2015.
También la población salvadoreña comienza a indicar sus favoritos para la presidencia de la República en 2014. El alcalde de San Salvador, Norman Quijano, ha recibido la mayor cantidad de apoyos como el candidato para el partido ARENA, según un sondeo de febrero. Quijano recibió más del 24% de menciones espontáneas; el expresidente de la República Antonio Saca ha recibido el 9% de menciones y la ex vicepresidenta Ana Vilma de Escobar obtuvo el 4%. Para el FMLN, el alcalde de Santa Tecla, Óscar Ortiz, recibió el 14% de opiniones favorables como mejor candidato presidencial. A continuación figuran el candidato a alcalde de San Salvador por el FMLN, Jorge Schafik Hándal; el ministro de Educación y vicepresidente de la República, Salvador Sánchez Cerén,; y el presidente de la Asamblea Legislativa, Sigfrido Reyes.
Más del 16% considera que el expresidente de la República, Elías Antonio Saca, sería el mejor candidato del partido de GANA a la presidencia. En segundo lugar está el alcalde de San Miguel, Wilfredo Salgado, y en tercer lugar, el diputado Guillermo Gallegos. El ministro de Justicia y Seguridad Pública, David Munguía Payés, es mencionado como candidato a la presidencia en los tres partidos políticos. Unos consultados dicen que sería la mejor opción para el FMLN, otros lo nombran como la mejor opción para ARENA y un grupo pequeño lo indican como el mejor candidato para GANA.
This has been Kathleen March with WERU’s US-El Salvador Report. Today we discussed the local elections in March. The report was prepared by the University of Maine in collaboration with Radio Sumpul and US-El Salvador Sister Cities.

RadioActive 10/27/11

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Program Topic: Unprecedented rains in El Salvador; the Nov 6th action to surround the White House in opposition to the Keystone XL Tar Sands pipeline; Occupy Bangor

Key Discussion Points:
The effects of unprecedented rains in El Salvador and the connection to global climate change
The proposed Keystone XL tar Sands pipeline from Alberta, Canada to Texas, and it’s potential to exacerbate climate change
Occupy Bangor before it’s kick off

Guests:
Jan Morril, US El Salvador Sister Cities
Andy Burt, Maine Partners for Coll Communities
Sunny Hughs, Occupy Bangor