For years, villagers have been courageously resisting the environmentally harmful, socially divisive, open-pit, cyanide-leeching gold mine of the U.S./ Canada-based Aura Minerals (and MINOSA, its Honduran subsidiary) that are backed by the coercive power of the Honduran regime’s police and military.
As Covid19 further devastates the lives of the poor majority in Honduras, Azacualpa villagers see even more need to do whatever they can to peacefully stop this mine.
Azacualpa community members peacefully blocking mining company access, June 14, 2020
On top of years of environmental and health harms, social divisions, etc., Aura Minerals/ MINOSA have been trying to illegally dig up all the bodies from the 200-year old Azacualpa cemetery, to mine the gold underneath.
If Aura succeeds in destroying the cemetery, their mining operation will continue along the mountain ridge and lead to the destruction and forced relocation of the village itself of Azacualpa.
Added to this decade long community defense struggle is the fight to stop the spread of Covid19. Mining operations around the world are directly helping spread Covid19 amongst mine company employees and surrounding communities.
Azacualpa Environmental Committee denounces Aura Minerals/MINOSA increased risk of spreading Covid19.
Lisbeth Jiménez: “The regime’s military-imposed quarantine applies only to the poor. This company does what it wants, destroying, dispossessing, digging up and re-burying the dead. Aura Minerals/MINOSA lies.”
Mining industry/ rich country impunity, corruption and violence
“Getting on with normal”
As Azacualpa villages put their bodies on the line to prevent further destruction, dispossession and spread of Covid19, it remains the fundamental challenge of Canadian and U.S. citizens to start to hold our companies and governments accountable in Canada and the U.S. when they engage in destructive, divisive and violent economic activities.
“Where even the Dead can’t rest”
Shot film (2019) by Trocaire, about Canadian/U.S. mining company Aura Minerals illegally digging up bodies for gold in Honduras, despite objections of family and community members.
Rights Action’s Covid19 response fund
Supporting indigenous & campesino communities, Honduras & Guatemala
Updated: June 12, 2020
