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.)