NewsWhore
06-21-2012, 03:10 PM
A protest vigil led by Priest Rogelio Cruz and the PLD deputy for La Vega Aridio Vasquez was held in La Vega yesterday, Wednesday 20 June. The plan is to establish a permanent watch in the area. The protestors say that what is being decided is whether there will be mining or water for drinking and farming.
Residents in La Loma de Miranda oppose the start of mining by Swiss company Falcondo Xstrata Nickel. Their concern is that solid and gaseous waste will pollute the farmland and waters. They say that the mining activity would impact major water sources serving the communities in the lower Yuna River basin.
The protestors assembled at Km. 6 of the highway that links Bonao and La Vega on Wednesday, 20 June.
Hundreds of farmers, environmentalists, young people, farmers and La Vega and Bonao residents agreed to camp at Loma Miranda in protest. The residents want Loma de Miranda to be declared a natural sanctuary to prevent it from being turned into a desert area as a result of the mining exploitation.
Scientists from the Dominican Republic Academy of Sciences are opposed to the mining exploitation at Loma de Miranda by Falcondo Xstrata Nickel on the grounds that it would be the end of Acapulco River (Jaguey).
Dionisio Gonzalez, spokesman for Agua y Vida, an environmental group, has said that the exploitation of the minerals would put an end to the only "lung of the Cibao" and the only source of pure water in the province. Hundreds of springs and rivers come from the Acapulco River, including Rio Jaguey, La Piedra, El Pino, Junumucu, Jayaco, Jima and others.
The argument is that the exploitation is a serious threat to Duarte province. The river basin is the main source of the Rincon Dam, the main water source for the city of San Francisco de Macoris, capital of the province, and which supplies water for drinking and farming in the valleys of Bonao and La Vega.
Agua y Vida also says there are 423 species of endemic trees in the area. They stated that neither dictator Trujillo nor long-time President Joaquin Balaguer dared to touch the mountain, despite the fact that it was known to be rich in nickel, gold and coal deposits. In contrast, the Fernandez administration has been very supportive of mining in the Dominican Republic. Among others, the Mining Department has authorized exploitation by the Canadian firms Gold Star (copper, gold and silver exploitation in Cerro Maimon), and Barrick-Gold Corp in Cotui, and the Australian firm Enviro Gold (Compania Minera Las Lagunas) for gold and silver in Las Lagunas.
The protestors say that this is about deciding between mining or providing water for the population.
Falconbridge is known to have been very detrimental to thousands of hectares of farmland in Monsenor Nouel province as a result of pollution. Nickel extraction is linked to the disappearance of fauna, flora and endemic vegetation and its rivers.
www.vozdiaria.com.do/contenedor/portadas/pdf/3589etc.pdf (http://www.vozdiaria.com.do/contenedor/portadas/pdf/3589etc.pdf)
www.elnacional.com.do/nacional/2012/6/20/125340/Montan-vigilia-contra-la-minera-Falconbridge (http://www.elnacional.com.do/nacional/2012/6/20/125340/Montan-vigilia-contra-la-minera-Falconbridge)
http://dr1.com/news/PuebloViejogold.pdf
www.acento.com.do/index.php/news/15166/56/Expertos-debatiran-sobre-la-explotacion-minera-en-la-loma-de-Miranda.html (http://www.acento.com.do/index.php/news/15166/56/Expertos-debatiran-sobre-la-explotacion-minera-en-la-loma-de-Miranda.html)
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#10)
Residents in La Loma de Miranda oppose the start of mining by Swiss company Falcondo Xstrata Nickel. Their concern is that solid and gaseous waste will pollute the farmland and waters. They say that the mining activity would impact major water sources serving the communities in the lower Yuna River basin.
The protestors assembled at Km. 6 of the highway that links Bonao and La Vega on Wednesday, 20 June.
Hundreds of farmers, environmentalists, young people, farmers and La Vega and Bonao residents agreed to camp at Loma Miranda in protest. The residents want Loma de Miranda to be declared a natural sanctuary to prevent it from being turned into a desert area as a result of the mining exploitation.
Scientists from the Dominican Republic Academy of Sciences are opposed to the mining exploitation at Loma de Miranda by Falcondo Xstrata Nickel on the grounds that it would be the end of Acapulco River (Jaguey).
Dionisio Gonzalez, spokesman for Agua y Vida, an environmental group, has said that the exploitation of the minerals would put an end to the only "lung of the Cibao" and the only source of pure water in the province. Hundreds of springs and rivers come from the Acapulco River, including Rio Jaguey, La Piedra, El Pino, Junumucu, Jayaco, Jima and others.
The argument is that the exploitation is a serious threat to Duarte province. The river basin is the main source of the Rincon Dam, the main water source for the city of San Francisco de Macoris, capital of the province, and which supplies water for drinking and farming in the valleys of Bonao and La Vega.
Agua y Vida also says there are 423 species of endemic trees in the area. They stated that neither dictator Trujillo nor long-time President Joaquin Balaguer dared to touch the mountain, despite the fact that it was known to be rich in nickel, gold and coal deposits. In contrast, the Fernandez administration has been very supportive of mining in the Dominican Republic. Among others, the Mining Department has authorized exploitation by the Canadian firms Gold Star (copper, gold and silver exploitation in Cerro Maimon), and Barrick-Gold Corp in Cotui, and the Australian firm Enviro Gold (Compania Minera Las Lagunas) for gold and silver in Las Lagunas.
The protestors say that this is about deciding between mining or providing water for the population.
Falconbridge is known to have been very detrimental to thousands of hectares of farmland in Monsenor Nouel province as a result of pollution. Nickel extraction is linked to the disappearance of fauna, flora and endemic vegetation and its rivers.
www.vozdiaria.com.do/contenedor/portadas/pdf/3589etc.pdf (http://www.vozdiaria.com.do/contenedor/portadas/pdf/3589etc.pdf)
www.elnacional.com.do/nacional/2012/6/20/125340/Montan-vigilia-contra-la-minera-Falconbridge (http://www.elnacional.com.do/nacional/2012/6/20/125340/Montan-vigilia-contra-la-minera-Falconbridge)
http://dr1.com/news/PuebloViejogold.pdf
www.acento.com.do/index.php/news/15166/56/Expertos-debatiran-sobre-la-explotacion-minera-en-la-loma-de-Miranda.html (http://www.acento.com.do/index.php/news/15166/56/Expertos-debatiran-sobre-la-explotacion-minera-en-la-loma-de-Miranda.html)
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#10)