Iamgold Target of Protesters in Ecuador!

(Photo: Norman Jennings, ILO)  - In the providence of Azuay, residents of the local province were protesting the large scale mining operation.  Their claim?  Their local water supply was being contaminated by Iamgold - a Canadian company.  The Shuar Arutam People have a point, mining, on a large industrial scale does cause a lot of environmental harm, to include any nearby water supplies if precautions are not taken.  All too often large scale mining operations come in to areas that are inhabited by indigenous people who have lived in the region for hundreds of years, and yet governments /and private owners can sell these land rights to the highest bidder without consulting the people that occupy the space in question.

While this demonstration was peaceful in nature, there were still 17 arrests made.  Tear gas was used and blasted into the crowd of demonstrators.  Somehow the vision of farmers, and students being tear gased just doesn't sit right.  I mean here is a large company - mining the second largest gold deposit found in Ecuador and yet they can't take the time to assure the farmers that their drinking water is Mercury and cyanide free.  Interesting....oh and the protesters that were arrested?  Yeah, they could be charged with terrorism.  Yes, terrorism.   

A good read to check out is From Money to metals.pdf