Water tribunal finds Goldcorp guilty

Opencast mining at San Martin: vast heaps of crushed rock are sprayed with cyanide solution to extract the gold.[Annie Bungeroth/CAFOD]

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

Legal panel rules that a subsidiary of Canadian mining company Goldcorp is accountable for damage to the environment and unreasonable use of water in Siria Valley, Honduras

The pollution caused by Goldcorp’s mine, run by its subsidiary Entre Mares Minerals, is so severe that the panel warns of serious risks to the health of people living near the mine.

People’s tribunal

The Latin American Water Tribunal is an international and autonomous entity, which hears cases of environmental damage to water resources throughout Latin America.

Panellists are selected for their expertise in law, environment and indigenous issues.

Although its resolutions are not legally binding, they carry strong moral and scientific authority.

The Latin American Water Tribunal recommended a thorough investigation to be carried out into the health of local communities, especially children, and that the mine’s environmental and social impacts are reviewed.

In addition, the company should suspend all mining activity in the valley and compensate the communities for the damage they have suffered.

The mine has been part of CAFOD’s Unearth Justice campaign and campaigners in the UK and Honduras have called on the mine’s owners to respect local communities and the environment.

Riding roughshod

Communities in the Siria Valley have been fighting for recognition of the devastating impacts of the mine ever since it opened in 2000.

The company has consistently disputed and suppressed results of tests confirming that water sources are contaminated with arsenic, mercury and cyanide.

Frustrated with the slow progress towards getting their complaints addressed by the Government, local campaigners took their case to the tribunal hearings which took place in Mexico in October 2007.

CAFOD partner Caritas helped the campaigners to prepare their case. Entre Mares failed to respond to a summons and did not appear at the hearing.

Time to quit

Goldcorp has announced it is winding down operations at the mine. Caritas is working with local people to ensure that the closure plan includes cleaning up of the pollution as far as possible, and making amends to those that have had their health or property damaged by the mining operations.

The tribunal ruling is adding much needed extra weight to Caritas’ calls for Entre Mares to clean up their act before they go.

The tribunal also censured the government authorities for failing to fulfil their duties and for their contradictory actions detrimental to life, health and nature.

One of the reasons the Honduran government is not able to do enough to protect its people and the environment from damage caused by mining is the lack of proper legislation.

CAFOD partner Caritas continues to campaign for the introduction of a new mining law.

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(Left to right) Richard Cockle, John Corney, Lizzie Cranfield, and Gavin Baxter celebrate together after finishing the Great North Run 2005 [CAFOD]