In El Salvador there are three exploitation projects and 23 exploration ones, many of which are stalled as a result of the strong resistance of the communities.

For this reason the Salvadorean chapter of the Measoamerican Movement Against the Extractive Mining Model (M4) is demanding a law to stop the advance of these projects and the approval of new ones.

The organizations that comprise M4 in El Salvador expressed their concern over a bill drafted by the Ministries of Economy and Environment to suspend mining exploration and exploitation, since it is aimed at regulating but not at banning mining in the country.

Jose Acosta of CESTA, Friends of the Earth El Salvador said this in a press conference. He emphasized that mining activity causes irreversible environmental, but also health, psychological and economic damage to the people.

“We need a legislation that bans metal mining in the country once and for all, instead of regulating it”, said Acosta.

The Salvadorean M4 demanded Congress to dismiss the bill “that leaves open the possibility for mining transnational corporations to continue with their mining exploration and exploitation aspirations”.

They also highlighted that it is necessary to “start a serious, high level debate on the consequences of metal mining in the country and to pass a law that bans metal mining with cyanide”. They also demand prior and informed consent from the communities affected as part of any discussion related with mining.

Francisco Pineda, of the Environmental Committee of Cabañas, believes that the laws promoted by Mauricio Funes’ administration in El Salvador do not contemplate either the consultation or participation of the communities. “Our life is on the line when these companies want to extract silver and gold. They want to give us a candy to take our lives”, he said.

Meanwhile, Rina Navarrete, of the Association of Friends of San Isidro Cabañas (ASIC) ended the press conference by pointing out the demands of M4 to the Salvadorean authorities.

“It is about time that El Salvador had a law banning metal mining to persuade mining transnational corporations that are still interested in our territories that we won’t allow any mining activities here”, said Rina.

She said that the argument that mining creates jobs has to be refuted: “Most of the people working in mining do not even earn enough to afford the basic food basket”, she said.