The devastating gold price in Honduras

The devastating gold price in Honduras

In 2001 the US-based Center for Economic and Social Rights (CESR) submitted to the United NationsECOSOC (Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights). a comprehensive report on the impacts of gold mining in Honduras, since the introduction of a new minerals code in 1998. The legislation was intended to attract foreign investment into the country at competitive rates,in the wake of the devastating "Hurricane Mitch" which took nearly 6,000 lives and injured more than twice as many. The result, according to the CESR, has been disastrous on all fronts. Although many of the recommendations in the report are for fairly modest reforms, the organisation makes it clear that it "does not support the gold mining priorities of the Government of Honduras". When the UN ECOSOC considered the report in May 2001, it adopted only a few of the recommendations. Meanwhile, over the past two years, gold mining companies have continued making inroads into local communities which vociferously reject mining.

The following is the Executive summary of the Center's report (in English and Spanish), which can be downloaded here: The Price of Gold (PDF file 481kB)

You can also read the Spanish summary