Recent killings linked to Canadian-owned nickel mine in Guatemala

dawn — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 07:45:56 +0000

Two Qeqchi leaders were shot and killed and over a dozen wounded this week near the site of a shuttered nickel mine in Guatemala.

The first shooting took place on Sunday, September 27 on land claimed by the community of Las Nubes, which Compañia Guatemalteca de Niquel (CGN), a subsidiary of Manitoba's HudBay Minerals, also claims to own.

Early reports indicated CGN's private security guards opened fire while attempting to remove families from their land. Adolfo Ichi Chamán, a teacher and community leader, was killed by gunshot, at least eight more wounded by bullets fired from an AK-47.

Prensa Libre, Guatemala's leading newspaper, reported that during Chamán's funeral service yesterday, thousands of people marched through the streets of El Estor, demanding that the company and the local police chief withdraw from the area within 24 hours.

HudBay released a lengthy statement yesterday claiming that there were no evictions, but instead that "protestors" went on a rampage, attacking government vehicles, a local police station (where they allegedly stole automatic weapons), destroying a hospital built by a coalition of US NGOs, and wounding five employees.

Hudbay goes on to make the absurd claim that the protesters proceeded to open fire on each other.

Violent Evictions at El Estor, Guatemala

Van Ferrier — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 18:27:18 +0000

In January 2007, hundreds of police and soldiers forcibly evicted the inhabitants of several communities situated on lands the Guatemalan military government granted Canadian mining interests in 1965. Backed by the army and the police, Canada’s Skye Resources paid workers to destroy people’s homes with chainsaws and torches.

The Dominion - El Estor

Recent killings linked to Canadian-owned nickel mine in Guatemala

Violent Evictions at El Estor, Guatemala