THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE’S BATTLE BEGAN IN APRIL 2004, when the River Viejo in the Llano de la Hacienda community dried up due to over-exploitation by the mining company, Pacific Rim. The latest results of this struggle are as follows: Pacific Rim has notreceived
operating permits for metal mining, and the construction of both the rubbish dump in San Isidro and the El Tigre dam have been suspended. The consequences of this struggle are as follows: On the 7th of August 2007, Ramiro Rivera was shot eight times; Domingo Miranda was shot with an M16 rifle; there was an attempt to poison Francisco Pineda; Reverend Neftalí Ruiz and Francisco Pineda received death threats by email and telephone; Pacific Rim filed a lawsuit against Francisco Pineda for inciting social unrest. The threats became reality on the 20th of December 2009 when Ramiro Rivera was murdered on his way home; on the 26th of December 2009, Dora Sorta was also murdered on her way home. The Environmental Committee has reported the past disappearances and murders of anti-mining activists to the relevant authorities (such as the Attorney General of the Republic and the National Civil Police) and is demanding that mayors José Ignacio Bautista, Edgar Bonilla, Eliseo Castellano and the company Pacific Rim be fully investigated.
We cannot dismiss the fact that the murder of Juan Francisco is linked, just like the others, to his anti-metal mining activism: his murder came two days after he participated in the Environmental Committee´s activities, in which he hung banners and posters in the city of Llobasco requesting a law against mining, and calling for Pacific Rim to leave El Salvador. For this reason, as the Environmental Committee of Cabañas, we are urging the relevant authorities, the National Civil Police and the Attorney General of the Republic to carry out in-depth investigations into this situation and to determine the whereabouts of those responsible for the crimes. We do not want the perpetrators to go unpunished, as has occurred with our colleagues Ramiro, Dora and Marcelo.
As citizens we cannot allow these crimes to continue in our country; we must join forces to ensure the punishment of those involved in the murder of our colleagues and to also demand that the deputies of the Legislative Assembly pass a law prohibiting metal mining in our country. We are appealing to international and be-friending organisations to be aware of what could arise from this situation and if possible to speak out so that the authorities take these cases more seriously to prevent mourning yet another death.
The threats became reality on the 20th of December 2009 when Ramiro Rivera was murdered on his way home; on the 26th of December 2009, Dora Sorta was also murdered on her way home.
