Calchaquí Valley Assembly Rejects Metals Mining Activities And Demands Withdrawal Of Companies

ARGENTINA

Calchaquí Valley Assembly rejects metals mining activities and demands withdrawal of companies

www.noalamina.org

Cachi, Salta, Argentina

1st August 2007

Residents of the localities within the Calchaquí Valley of Salta, in the northwest of Argentina, met in the municipal hall in the town of Cachí, to inform themselves about uranium mining projects in their valley, in the departments of Cachí and San Carlos. The Autoconvocados of the Calchaquí Valley in Defense of Life pronounced themselves categorically against contaminative metals mining and mining of uranium, and declared themselves to be in permanent mobilization until the mining companies withdraw from the zone. Some four hundred persons participated in the assembly, among them residents of Cachí, Neighbors of Quipón, the Environmentalist Nature Foundation of Cachí, Autoconvocados of Cafayate, San Carlos, Angastaco, Molinos and Cachí, members of the ecologist group Pro-Eco from Tucumán, Calchaquí Gathering, United Communities of Molinos, representatives of Bodega Colomé, councilpersons from the departments of Cachi, congressperson Liliana Guitián and the mayor of Cachí, Fanny Flores. A neighbor of Quipón made available to the community the Environmental Impact Reports of the mining exploration project Mina Don Otto, in the department of San Carlos, and the prospecting operations in the Tin-Tin range. The assembly rejected these reports for being very unprofessional and for having many irregularities. The neighbors said that they have not been informed nor consulted in proper time or manner by the companies or government regarding the prospecting and exploration. The Municipal Council of Cachí presented a report of their work of study and research which will form the base for a resolution and municipal ordinance to prohibit all large-scale metals and uranium mining projects in territories of the department, as they consider these activities contaminative. The council declared as a priority the economic activities which already exist in the area, such as tourism, agriculture and artisan crafts. The members of the Assembly signed their support to these resolutions. By unanimous decision, the Calchaquí Valley decided to: Pronounce themselves in favor of Life and Regional Economies
Pronounce the rejection of all contaminant mining and all uranium mining.
Declare themselves in Permanent Assembly until the withdrawal of mining companies from the zone.
Name themselves as Autoconvocados of the Calchaquí Valley In Defense of Life and Against Contaminant Metals Mining.