Amerindian group raises mining concerns with UN expert

Tomado de stabroeknews.com de 06 de agosto de 2008, Georgetown
The Amerindian Peoples’ Association (APA) recently submitted a short report to UN Independent Expert on Minority Issues, Gay McDougall detailing its concerns about the impact of mining on Amerindian communities, education in hinterland communities and the shortcomings of the Amerindian Act.

During her five-day visit McDougall met with President Bharrat Jagdeo, government ministers, a delegation from the PNCR as well as a number of other organizations. She met with the APA Programme Administrator Jean La Rose and legal adviser, David James on Wednesday.

In an interview with Stabroek News on Monday, La Rose said that the negative impact of mining on Amerindian communities was one of its main concerns. She said it was particularly concerned about incidents in Micobie, Region Eight, (Potaro-Siparuni); Arau, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni); Aishalton and Marudi in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo). The extent of pollution caused by mining in Arau she noted, was vividly depicted in the Sunday Stabroek’s ‘Adventures in Arau’ series. As regard education, La Rose said many hinterland communities had the physical infrastructure for education that was not necessarily staffed with a reasonable number of personnel.
Meanwhile, APA legal adviser David James said a short report of the issues raised was submitted to McDougall. He said he dealt primarily with the association’s stand on the inadequacy of the current Amerindian Act which he said does not protect all the rights of Amerindians.

With reference to mining he said McDougall was informed of the association’s belief that there was no protection under the law for Amerindian traditional lands and their rights to it.

He said this poses a direct threat to the way of life of the peoples and their survival. James said the lack of enforcement by state agencies and a seeming lack of effort to ensure that Amerindian rights are protected is also worrying. He recalled an incident in Micobie in 2006 where a miner with a claim in titled land carried out operations there. Though the miner had been submitting his fees to the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) he had not been given permission to conduct operations by the village council who protested. After much lobbying, the GGMC eventually issued a cease order for the miner to immediately vacate the land.

Although both James and La Rose said they believe that the APA’s concerns were well-received, La Rose said she feels that McDougall and her team did not realise the extent to which Amerindians were being affected. However, she said the Arau feature done by this newspaper was timely as it aided their explanations and reflected the degree of destruction from mining.

She said at least the UN team “can zoom in and see what’s happening here and press the government to take the necessary corrective action.” Meanwhile, James said he felt the team was prepared and had done much of their own research which allowed free-flowing deliberations

Nota del Editor del blog: Al referenciarse a Guyana se debe de tener en cuenta los 159.500 Km2 al oeste del río Esequibo conocidos con el nombre de Guayana Esequiba o Zona en Reclamación sujetos al Acuerdo de Ginebra del 17 de febrero de 1966.