Xinka land defenders are risking their lives to fight Pan American
Silver’s massive silver mine in Guatemala.

Sign the petition to stop destructive silver mining projects now.

[ [link removed] ] Sign the petition 

   
John,

For nearly a decade, the Indigenous Xinka people, living near the Escobal
silver mine in Guatemala, have peacefully opposed the mine -- protecting
their lands and waters from destruction. For their resistance, Xinka
community members have been killed and jailed.

The silver lining was that they stopped one of the most contentious silver
mines in Latin America mid operation.

Meanwhile, the same mining company that is operating in Guatemala, Pan
American Silver, is also trying to build a mine in Argentina. It is
claiming that the proposed site is on ‘no man’s land’, completely
dismissing the presence of Mapuche Tehuelche Indigenous people that live
on the land, and steamrolling a massive 20 year resistance against mining.

Pan American Silver’s biggest meeting of the year takes place in early May
and we want to deliver a massive petition with tens of thousands of
SumOfUs members' signatures to show solidarity with local Guatemalan and
Argentine affected communities.

[ [link removed] ]Will you sign the petition calling on Pan American Silver to listen to
the local community for its annual meeting?

The Xinka people have demanded the right to free, prior and informed
consent and self determination over mining in their territory for over a
decade.

Their demand for respect for Xinka people's rights has been fierce but
peaceful and it has come at a cost: there has been a loss of lives and
dozens have been jailed arbitrarily.

Yet they came together in a show of strength and won an important victory
-- in 2017, the Xinka initiated two resistance camps to stop all traffic
to the mine, which continue today. Shortly after, Guatemalan courts
recognized that the Guatemalan government discriminated against the Xinka
and failed to consult them, and the mine was suspended.

[ [link removed] ]Sign the petition calling on Pan American Silver and the Governments of
Argentina and Guatemala to respect the rights of indigenous communities.

We know if we come together, we can stop these destructive mining
operations in Latin America. A few months ago, the governor of Argentina’s
Chubut province was forced to repeal a law allowing mining that would have
directly benefited Pan American Silver after six consecutive days of
massive protests and roadblocks.

And if we act now, we can demand Pan American Silver and the Guatemalan
government respect the consent of the Xinka people.



[ [link removed] ] Sign the petition 



Thanks for all that you do,
Angus and the team at SumOfUs


More information:

[ [link removed] ]Pan American Silver Pressured to Shut Down Community Interference in
Guatemala
Inequality.org. 6 May 2021.
 
[ [link removed] ]Argentine Province Repeals Mining Law and Calls a Plebiscite
Telesur. 21 December 2021.

 

 

 

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