Background info on Valle de Siria, Honduras, and the situation with mining mega projects there. Statement read by local resident Carlos Amador on occasion of Goldcorp’s last AGM. Host of articles posted by Miningwatch Canada.

Notes on mining from the BC throne speech last week:

The government will unleash our Pacific promise as a budding powerhouse of clean, renewable energy; profitable, sustainable forestry; world-leading technology; high-quality manufacturing; value-added agricultural products; award-winning wines; world-class mineral deposits; and superb tourism destinations.

Investment in mineral exploration in B.C. soared to a record-high $265 million in 2006 — an 800 per cent increase from 2001.

In that one sector alone, our province has incredible potential for new investment, jobs, opportunities, and partnerships with our Asia-Pacific customers.

Several amendments will be introduced this session to enhance mineral exploration and to also afford private property owners new rights of notice before any person can enter their land for mineral exploration.”

–

If you have a look at the whole speech, you really can note the separation between talking about reconciliation with First Nations and mineral exploration…

Skye Resources sold $22,608,000 (approx) worth of shares (1,907,900 shares) and 375,700 warrants to a hedge fund called Amber Master Fund, based in the Cayman Islands, on February 8, 2007.

Amber Master Fund now controls 6,817,300 shares, equalling 18.3% of Skye.

According to a 2005 corporate summary, “The [Amber Fund Ltd.] seeks to invest in value situations where corporate events such as takeovers, spin-offs or mergers act as a catalyst to release value.”

Amber Master Fund (Cayman) SPC (the “Investor”)
c/o Amber Capital LP
600 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10022
Tel: (212) 340-7316
Fax: (212) 340-7350

First, what looks like the good news: in Concepcíon Tutuapa, people voted no to mining in yesterday’s consulta.
But at the tail end of the article, find a small note explaining that the national police entered into San Miguel (and Salem, which is actually in Sipacapa) yesterday and arrested two leaders who led the January 2007 road blockades against the Marlin project.

Francisco Pérez, who was arrested, claimed yesterday that Montana (Goldcorp) didn’t keep their side of the deal, because in the negotiation meetings they promised that nobody would be arrested for the blockades…

Business as usual. Story below.

Allanan casas de quienes vendieron tierras

Unos 150 miembros de la Policía Nacional Civil ayer efectuaron allanamientos en los caseríos Salitre y Salem, de San Miguel Ixtahuacán, para capturar a diez líderes campesinos que bloquearon la entrada a la minera Montana, la segunda semana del recién pasado enero.

Fernando Basilio Pérez Bámaca, de 38 años, y Antonio Felipe Bámaca Hernández, 59, fueron apresados en sus viviendas luego que el Juzgado de Paz de San Miguel Ixtahuacán giró las órdenes respectivas.

Para evitar enfrentamientos, el comando policial trasladó de inmediato a los aprehendidos a la cárcel de San Marcos.

Al ser entrevistado Pérez, explicó que Montana no cumplió con lo pactado, porque en las reuniones sostenidas mencionaron que no solicitarían aprehensión alguna.”

Time is running out for Vancouverites to check out GERMAINE KOH’s Overflow at CENTER A, 2 West Hastings st.

In other news… Tomorrow is the 16th annual women’s memorial march, gathering at 12:00 at the Carnegie and marching from Main and Hastings at 1:00. Be there, or be square.

Merci aux Projet Accompagnement Québec-Guatemala pour avoir traduit « Voici ce à quoi le développement ressemble. Skye Resources et la réoccupation des terres au Guatemala » vers le francais.

Ojalá que pronto tendria los articulos en español tambien…

I wonder if youtube accepted payment from the mining lobby to post the propaganda film “mine your own business” in the “related” section of the El Estor eviction video.

The La Comisión Pastoral Paz y Ecología (COPAE), based in San Marcos, Guatemala, have an informative new website!

COPAE is a grassroots group doing some of the best organizing around the Marlin project and open pit gold mining in Guatemala.

Very informative interview with Aviva Chomsky about the Cerrejon Exxon-BHP-Anglo American coal mine in Northern Colombia.

Full text (with photos by James Rodriguez) of a letter I sent yesterday to Ian Austin, CEO of Skye Resources. This letter was also published by Seven Oaks Magazine.
Ian Austin, President and CEO
Skye Resources
Suite 1203-700 West Pender Street
Vancouver, BC
Canada, V6C 1G8

February 6, 2007

Dear Mr. Austin,

One month ago today, I was present along with other members of the international media during a series of evictions that took place in lands allegedly belonging to CGN/Skye resources in Izabal and Alta Verapaz, Guatemala. Since that time, a series of even more violent evictions has taken place, this time away from the eyes of the international community.

Having witnessed two days of evictions, on January 8th and 9th, 2007, I would here like to clarify two important points that I can only assume have not been properly communicated to you by your colleagues in Guatemala. The first point arises in your response to the email campaign about the evictions, dated January 17th, 2007, where you state that “the police were unarmed.”

With all due respect, Mr. Austin, that is not true. Many members of the police were armed with guns or/and automatic weapons, all of them appeared to be carrying batons and tear gas, and some were carrying riot shields. More troubling still, and in direct contradiction of the 1996 Peace Accords in Guatemala, heavily armed members of the Guatemalan army participated in the evictions that took place on the 9th of January.

Please see attached photos shot by photographer James Rodriguez at the evictions on January 9th, 2007.

The second point requiring clarification is your January 17th contention that with regards to the houses burned on the 9th of January “we don’t know who started the fires, we do know it was not anyone who works for CGN or contracted by CGN.” Again, Mr. Austin, that is simply not true.

CGN/Skye Resources employees were instructed by CGN/Skye Resources lawyers to burn the structures in Barrio Revolución on the 9th of January. The District Attorney responsible for reading the eviction notice, Mr. Rafael Andrade Escobar, denounced these acts of arson very clearly as acts carried out by employees of CGN/Skye Resources.

Should you wish to see further evidence that the police and army were heavily armed, or hear audio recordings confirming that CGN-Skye Resources employees burned the houses, please do not hesitate to contact me.

It is extremely worrying that you do not seem to have reliable information about the situation on the ground in El Estor, not only because it betrays the horrific reality of these evictions, but also because it most certainly affects your ability to give accurate disclosure of the activities of CGN/Skye Resources to your shareholders.

Sincerely,

Dawn Paley
Independent Journalist