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Foreign Policy In Focus reports A Huge Mining Conglomerate Wanted to Poison This Country's Water. After a Long Fight, They've Finally Lost.
The people of El Salvador and their international allies against irresponsible mining are celebrating a historic victory. After a long battle against global mining companies that were determined to plunder the country's natural resources for short-term profits, El Salvador's Legislative Assembly has voted to ban all metal mining projects.
The new law is aimed at protecting the Central American nation's environment and natural resources. Approved on March 29 with the support of 69 lawmakers [(out of a total of 84) from multiple parties], the law blocks all exploration, extraction, and processing of metals, whether in open pits or underground. It also prohibits the use of toxic chemicals like cyanide and mercury.
[...] Despite the fact that there is a national consensus among communities, civil society organizations, government institutions, and political parties for a mining prohibition, the Australian-Canadian company OceanaGold and its subsidiaries in El Salvador have consistently attempted to slow the bill's progress and sought to gain support for their so-called "Responsible Mining" campaign.
The company launched the campaign at a fancy hotel in San Salvador after losing a $250 million lawsuit against El Salvador in October 2016. The company had filed a claim with the International Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), demanding compensation when the government declined to grant the firm a permit for a gold extraction project that threatened the nation's water supply. In the face of tremendous opposition from a wide range of groups inside and outside El Salvador, the ICSID tribunal ruled against the company.
[...] By voting in favor of the mining ban, these lawmakers in El Salvador have chosen water over gold, and people and the environment over corporate profits. And they showed that even a very poor country can stand up to powerful global mining firms.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by aristarchus on Friday April 07 2017, @06:23AM
Oh, dear irony! A reference to Oscar Wilde modded flamebait? Oh the Irony! Oh the Huge Manatees! Oh the complete and total ignorance of history and culture that is the right, and even more the alt-right. Did you know, for example, that most of the "white" races were once only considered useful as slaves? Yeah, all you Teutonic bastards, only good for menial work. Why? Lack of mental acumen! One or two, over the course of history, of course. But most of them? This is why we cannot have white supremacy. The "whites" are actually only slave material, and this is why now we emphasize STEM classes at Colleges and Universities, because these not too bright types need some sort of education to keep them off the streets and gainfully employed. Problem is, they just might be stupid enough to vote in some total illiterate braggart as President. Have you heard? Not so much the small hands problem, but Donald can't read. From a cast member that appeared with him on Saturday Night Live! No, seriously! Here, check it out for your self, unless you truly are slave and white supremacy material:
https://www.indy100.com/article/donald-trump-theory-cant-read-illiterate-david-pakman-barely-7567481 [indy100.com]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LFkN7QGp2c [youtube.com] "I forgot my glasses."
https://www.reddit.com/r/EnoughTrumpSpam/comments/5bg8vo/donald_trump_cant_read_says_snl_pete_davidson_to/ [reddit.com]
http://www.rawstory.com/2017/04/revealed-former-snl-cast-member-says-moron-trump-struggled-to-read-script-during-rehearsal/ [rawstory.com]
I am really starting to think that Donald Trump cannot read. And if he cannot, maybe Steve Bannon cannot, either? And what does that say about Peter Theil? OMG, we are being ruled but fracking illiterates! Explains a lot, though.