Tuesday, December 1, 2020
Azacualpa community v. Aura Minerals (MINOSA)
Honduran Supreme Court of Justice ruling sets precedent for community struggles against global extractive model
November 27, 2020, by Bufete de Estudios para la Dignidad
The Bufete de Estudios para la Dignidad, in conjunction with the Movimiento Amplio por la Dignidad y la Justicia, MADJ, makes public the sentence resolution issued by the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ), in which the CSJ orders the municipal government of La Union, Copan and the Ministry of Health to reject any authorization of exhumations in the Cemetery of San Andres (Azacualpa) carried out by Aura Minerals (MINOSA).
The ruling of the Constitutional Chamber of the CSJ determined that
Honduran Supreme Court of Justice ruling sets precedent for community struggles against global extractive model
November 27, 2020, by Bufete de Estudios para la Dignidad
The Bufete de Estudios para la Dignidad, in conjunction with the Movimiento Amplio por la Dignidad y la Justicia, MADJ, makes public the sentence resolution issued by the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ), in which the CSJ orders the municipal government of La Union, Copan and the Ministry of Health to reject any authorization of exhumations in the Cemetery of San Andres (Azacualpa) carried out by Aura Minerals (MINOSA).
The ruling of the Constitutional Chamber of the CSJ determined that
- the motion (Appeal for Protection) presented in favor of the community of Azacualpa, in the context of the struggle against Aura Minerals (Minerales de Occidente S.A. de C. V - MINOSA), was admissible;
- the company – in addition to harming the environment and violating the rights of the local population – had been destroying the Azacualpa (San Andres) cemetery and disappearing the cultural and historical patrimony of the cemetery;
- Aura Minerals (MINOSA), the municipal government of La Union and other institutions will no longer be able to carry out illegal exhumations, and they will have to face justice for any illegal exhumations already done.
The ruling restores the right to self-determination of peoples, personal integrity, culture and the right to protection of the family. It constitutes a precedent that vindicates and strengthens community struggles and the exercise of sovereignty against the abuses and violations of rights by companies and, in general, by the extractive model in Honduras.
The Bufete Estudios para la Dignidad will continue to fight for the defense of the rights of our clients and all the inhabitants of the community of Azacualpa.
More information: Lic. Victor Hernandez, sanjuanvic@yahoo.com, direccion@bufetedignidad.org
The Bufete Estudios para la Dignidad will continue to fight for the defense of the rights of our clients and all the inhabitants of the community of Azacualpa.
More information: Lic. Victor Hernandez, sanjuanvic@yahoo.com, direccion@bufetedignidad.org
NO TO THE EXTRACTIVE MODEL!
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Mining impunity & corruption, enabled by US & Canadian governments and military-backed Honduran regime
Rights Action is directly supporting the Azacualpa Environmental Committee in its land and environment, human rights and cemetery defense struggle against the corrupt, repressive mining activities of the US-based Aura Minerals (with an office in Canada, trading on Toronto Stock Exchange) and Aura’s Honduran subsidiary MINOSA.
Recent communiques
August 26, 2020 - U.S. company Aura Minerals threatening members of Azacualpa Environmental Committee in Honduras. More charges of environmental harms and human rights violations filed against company
https://mailchi.mp/rightsaction/us-company-aura-minerals-threatening-members-of-azacualpa-environmental-committee-in-honduras
August 20, 2020 - Blowing up Azacualpa Cemetery hill
https://mailchi.mp/rightsaction/aura-minerals-blowing-up-azacualpa-cemetery-hill
Watch, as Aura Minerals “gets on with normal” in times of Covid19, blowing up this mountain, on top of which is the 200 year old Azacualpa Cemetery, in behind of which lies the community itself of Azacualpa: https://www.facebook.com/noticiashondurashn/videos/697480547648444/
July 7, 2020 - Aura/MINOSA ties to drug-trafficking
It was reported July 7, 2020 that the owners of INCOBE, a Honduran heavy machinery company partnered with Aura Minerals, must remain in pre-trial detention. They are accused of involvement with drug-trafficking organized crime.
https://proceso.hn/mas-noticias/32-m%C3%A1s-noticias/seguiran-en-prision-preventiva-capturados-en-operacion-arcano-ligados-al-crimen-organizado.html
Learn more
Azacualpa Environmental Community struggle in defense of land, rights and cemetery:
- Archives: https://rightsaction.org/aura-minerals-archives
- Photo Gallery: https://rightsaction.org/aura-minerals-photos
Films
- “Story Behind the Story: What Aura Minerals didn't want us to see in Azacualpa” (2017), 4 minute film by Maggie Padlewska: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1uY6E6zs7Q
- “Where even the Dead can’t rest” (2019), 6 minute film by Trocaire: https://vimeo.com/365482741
- “La Fiera de Azacualpa: Resistiendo la avaricia y destrucción de Aura Minerals” (2019): https://youtu.be/o42NDTIgAFM
More information
- Hector Antonio Trigueros, Comité Ambientalista de Azacualpa, https://www.facebook.com/azacualparesiste/
- Lisbeth Jimenez, activist accompanying Azacualpa defense struggle: liisjimenez21@gmail.com
- Grahame Russell, Rights Action, info@rightsaction.org
- Karen Spring, Honduras Solidarity Network, spring.kj@gmail.com
Updates
Honduran political, human rights issues: https://lists.riseup.net/www/info/honduras_daily
Honduran political, human rights issues: https://lists.riseup.net/www/info/honduras_daily
