MPs press Honduras over mining law

The San Martin mine: vast heaps of crushed rock are sprayed with cyanide solution to extract the gold. [Annie Bungeroth]

UK and Canadian MPs are urging their Honduran counterparts to pass a new law to make mining companies respect communities and the environment

Nine UK MPs and 11 Canadian parliamentarians have written to members of the Honduran National Congress, pressing them to approve a law that will balance the rights of local communities against those of mining companies.

The Mining Reform Bill proposes to reform the existing mining law by:

• increasing the amount of taxes that mining companies pay
• improving environmental monitoring
• giving communities a greater say over whether a company is granted the right to mine

Support for reform

The British and Canadian MPs note that the reform bill has gained widespread support within Honduras, including from municipal governments, community groups, human rights organisations and even the mining sector itself.

Yet, despite this remarkable achievement, the bill is still waiting to be passed.

"We have been informed that, inspite of the consensus reached between all the stakeholders ... the Honduran Congress has still not had an opportunity to approve the reform project, and that this delay is causing widespread concern in Honduras," the MPs' letter says.

"We believe that it is important that the National Congress will take a decision very soon about the way in which the natural resources of your beautiful country are managed."

Damaging practices

CAFOD and its partner organisation in Honduras, Caritas Tegucigalpa, are campaigning for the reform bill to be passed.

CAFOD is also lobbying mining firm Entremares - and its Canadian-US parent company Glamis Gold - to ensure that the people of Honduras benefit from their mineral wealth.

The giant San Martin mine run by Entremares uses the 'cyanide heap leaching' method of mining, a cheap way of extracting gold that is banned in some countries.

Cyanide and arsenic have been found in water close to the San Martin mine, and wells have dried up.

In Siria Valley in Honduras cyanide and arsenic have been found in water. This is believed to be caused by the process used to extract gold from the ground around this area.

The San Martin mine uses up to 220 gallons of water a minute, while local people have to buy water for themselves and their animals.

Fatal flaws

The current mining law allows companies unlimited free use of water and forced dispossession of land and housing. It also allows for exploration and subsequent exploitation of mineral resources across Honduras, without exception.

The British and Canadian MPs describe these as "flaws which undermine the rights of affected communities and leave them vulnerable to environmental destruction and the loss of their agricultural livelihoods".

CAFOD's Unearth Justice campaign is pressing for higher standards in the gold mining industry worldwide.

The MPs note that what happens to the Honduran mining reform bill is being closely watched elsewhere, and that "other countries rich in minerals are interested in the approach that Honduran legislators will take".

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