A major mining company is suing El Salvador for millions -- just for saying no to a dirty mine that would have destroyed its remaining water supply.
A mining corporation shouldn't get to decide what laws a country can and can't pass. With just one week remaining before the hearing begins, we need to get OceanaGold to back down now.
Sign the petition asking Oceana Gold to drop the lawsuit and respect El Salvador’s decision.
90% of El Salvador’s water is already polluted, putting families and communities in danger of waterborne illness, food shortages and the added expense of buying bottled water. If OceanaGold gets its way, it could destroy the last remaining river with drinkable water in this Central American country.
Already, the mining industry has devastated El Salvador. The community of San Sebastian is being forced to buy bottled water after a mining company contaminated its water supply. Community activists have risked their lives opposing mining companies, including Dora Alicia Recinos Soto, who was shot dead in front of her house while 8 months pregnant and carrying her 2-year-old baby.
The hearing for the case is in less than a week away, so we have to act now to make sure OceanaGold drops this frivolous lawsuit.
The government of El Salvador has already denied OceanaGold a mining license for its El Dorado mine, because it failed to comply with national regulations protecting human rights and the environment. But instead of conceding to this democratic decision, OceanaGold is now relying on dangerous “Investor State Arbitration" -- rules created under international trade treaties that allow foreign corporations to sue national governments for billions just to get their way.
OceanaGold has repeatedly proven it cares only about profits -- not the people of El Salvador. Now, it's time the company listened.
Add your voice to ask Oceana to drop the lawsuit against El Salvador for trying to save its water?
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For more information:
Gold Mining Company Wages $301 Million Lawsuit Against El Salvador, Global Research, March 17 2014.
El Salvador groups accuse Pacific Rim of 'assault on democratic governance', The Guardian, April 10th 2014.