ARGENTINA

ARGENTINA

Press release - YOU WILL NOT TOUCH EL FAMATINA!

Famatina, La Rioja, Argentina

16th May 2007

In Famatina, La Rioja province, in the republic of Argentina, we hereby communicate:

Through telephone communication carried out between representatives of the Transnational Corporation Barrick Gold and the Chilecito departmental Judge Alfredo Ramos, we have been informed that as of Monday May 14, 2007, Barrick Gold was definitively withdrawing their "Famatina project." They have asked for twelve days beginning Monday May 21, to dismantle the mining camp which was under construction in the site "Cueva de Perez." An official document will be signed between the company, the sub-secretary of human rights, the federal justice and representatives of our assemblies.

It is fitting that our assemblies in the area have carried out a permanent blockade at Peñas Negras on El Famatina mountain for the past two months and eight days, preventing Barrick the route to the mines of La Mejicana. Tourists and local people have enjoyed free passage, but not personnel of Barrick Gold, as since the beginning of the blockade there have only remained two guards to care for the encampment.

We inform this corporation and all similar companies (plunderers and criminals), that on our Riojan territory, come what may, whatever governors, officials, judges whomever may come... They will never have social support. Now that society is conscious of the consequences that this type of exploitation generates, we will never permit more plunder of our common resources and contamination of our earth, air and water.

We ask too, from our earth to our sister provinces equally affected by mega-mining: Don't give up the fight, let us all keep fighting to expel these bloodsuckers from our territories. In these mountains are the sources of our life -- in this fight we all fight together or we don't fight at all. We are obligated to leave our lands healthy and beautiful for our future generations to inherit.

BARRICK GOLD: OUT OF FAMATINA!
BARRICK GOLD: OUT OF LA RIOJA, SAN JUAN, MENDOZA, CHILE, PERÚ, EL SALVADOR!
CRIMINAL MINING FIRMS OUT OF OUR LAND!
OUT WITH SELL-OUT POLITICIANS WHO SELL AND GIVE AWAY OUR LAND!
THE PEOPLE ARE AND WILL ALWAYS BE SOVEREIGN!
YOU WILL NOT TOUCH EL FAMATINA!