20 Canadian organizations stand in solidarity with Ecuadorian Indigeous, Labour and Civil Society Organizations.
(Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto) 20 Canadian Labour unions, not-for-profit, and civil-society organizations signed an open statement to express their solidarity and support to Indigenous, labour, campesino and civil-society organizations currently engaged in nationwide protests against the IMF-imposed economic austerity package.
The letter called on the Canadian government to end its silence with respect to the state-ordered repression, and questioned the lack of Canadian media coverage of the massive protests in Ecuador, comparing the vigor in which the media covers the protests in countries such as Hong Kong or Venezuela.
The letter denounced any attempts by Canadian mining companies to use the economic and political crisis to further their investments, noting that Canadian mining will not solve the foreign debt crisis.
“Canada is the origin of the majority of mining companies currently working in Ecuador. Their projects which total more than 40, are being actively and broadly opposed. We are seeing evidence that the companies are using the debt crisis to promote their projects and we are worried this will only add fuel to the fire for state-ordered repression against Indigenous, campesino and rural peoples who are rightfully protesting the expansion of the extractive frontier. Ecuadorians should be able to decide how they choose to live, especially if they chose livelihoods alternative to mining. We don’t need anymore mining disasters in the world.” said Kirsten Francescone, Latin America Coordinator at MiningWatch Canada.
On October 14th, as a result of the unrelenting protests in the country’s capital, Quito, and increased international support for the protests, Decree 883 was repealed by the Moreno government following over 10 days of protest.
“The Ecuadorian people, notably Indigenous peoples, sent a clear message to the world: that big capital and anti-sovereign governments have to stop with their extractive offensive on bodies and territories. Although Decree 883 has been abrogated, the international community must continue to condemn the repression perpetrated by Lenin Moreno’s government and demand justice for those who have been criminalized, injured or killed during legitimate popular uprising.” said Rosa Peralta from the Committee for Human Rights in Latin America (CDHAL)
A link to the full statement is here:
Contacts:
Kirsten Francescone, MiningWatch Canada, kirsten@miningwatch.ca (english and spanish)
Raul Burbano, Common Frontiers, burbano@rogers.com (english and spanish)
Rosa Peralta, CDHAL, cdhalactionsurgentes@gmail.com (french, spanish)
