Verdict of the Peoples’ International Health Tribunal against mining

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Verdict of the Peoples’ International Health Tribunal against mining

A special radio show by Sons of the Land covered the Peoples’ International Health Tribunal that took place in San Miguel Ixtahuacan, San Marcos department, Guatemala. In the show they broadcasted the verdict of the Tribunal and the testimony of Juan Almendares, of FoE Honduras.

The verdict of the Tribunal was read after hearing tens of testimonies and it included a passage where Canadian mining company Goldcorp is demanded to suspend all operations in Central America and to ensure that the damage caused in Guatemala, Mexico and Honduras won’t happen again.

The jury was made up by internationally renowned people of different fields. There were activists, academics, religious leaders, journalists and doctors of countries such as the US, Canada, El Salvador, Chile, Guatemala and Mexico.

We’ll now share a video interview with Honduran doctor and environmental activist Juan Almendares at the Tribunal. Almendares said that mining is dividing communities and corrupting authorities, supporting military coups as it happened in his country, Honduras.

“They use technology and science to show that the mining companies are responsible companies, but we have to understand that our peoples are wise and reject mining”, said Almendares, of Madre Tierra-Friends of the Earth, Honduras. "The health of entire populations is at risk", he said.