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“¡Sipakapa no se vende!” / “Sipakapa is not for sale!”

Guatemalan indigenous rights activist Juan Tema will hold a Q&A session after the film.

Tuesday, May 2, 6:30 pm

Ryerson University

Engineering Building, Room 103

245 Church St @ Gould

(free event, donations welcomed)

Rights Action presents the 55 minute documentary "SIPAKAPA IS NOT FOR SALE,” (with English sub-titles) which analyses the debate on mining exploitation and demonstrates the dignity of the Sipakapan people as they defend their autonomy in the face of encroaching neo-liberal mega projects. The film profiles Sipakapan resistance to the mining operations of Glamis Gold – a Canadian/US mining company.

After the viewing, Rights Action's Grahame Russell and Sandra Cuffe, plus invited speaker Juan Tema of Sipakapa, will make comments and answer questions.

Glamis Gold has made significant profits from its open pit, cyanide-leaching mining operations in Guatemala and Honduras, at the expense of the local and indigenous populations. The company is holding its annual shareholders’ meeting in Toronto on May 3.

Come find out how to get involved. Let’s strengthen North/South solidarity to address this global issue of exploitation and injustice!

CO-SPONSORS: Ryerson’s CAW-Sam Gindin Chair in Social Justice and Democracy, Ryerson’s Department of Politics and Public Administration, Development and Peace – Toronto Council.

A CANADIAN ISSUE: "The environmental and development damage and the human rights violations in the highlands of San Marcos are a Canadian issue as much as a Guatemalan one, because it is a Canadian gold mining company - with full backing from the Canadian government, the Canada Pension Plan, and the World Bank - that is contributing directly to the harm and violations," says Fredericton NB’s Tracy Glynn, a local tour organizer. "As Canadians, we have a responsibility to ensure that Canadian companies act ethically in other countries."

BACKGROUND:

In 2005, Montana Exploradora, subsidiary of the Canadian/US transnational company Glamis Gold, received 45 million US dollars in financing from the World Bank to exploit an open-pit gold mine in Guatemala. Sipakapa, San Marcos is the most affected municipality.

The Sipakapa Declaration released in March 2006 details some of the impacts of the Glamis Gold mining in the area such as environmental destruction, water shortages, cyanide and heavy metal contamination, diseases, corruption, militarization and the damaging of the social and spiritual fabric of the communities. According to the Declaration, the mine's security force have killed two people with impunity in 2005, including a young father of four children, Alvaro Benigno Sánchez.

In accordance with ILO Convention 169, the Constitution of Guatemala and the Municipal Code, thirteen townships of Sipakapa carried out referendums on whether to allow mining to proceed in their communities on June 18, 2005. The result was a rejection of this mining project: 11 townships voted against the mine, one voted in favor, and one abstained.

The Guatemalan Constitutional Court upheld the Sipakapa popular referendum. But the mining company continues to make overtures to mine the area, including filing a restraining motion.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Grahame Russell, 416-654-2074, info@rightsaction.org.