Oaxaca: Presentation of Report on Human Rights Violations in San Jose Mining Project

On March 17th, communities and civil organizations presented the “San Jose Mining Project Report – On Violation of Human Rights in Communities of Ocotlan, Ejutla and Tlacolula of the Central Valleys in Oaxaca”, where the lack of respect is evident for the right to self-determination, territory and healthy environment, as well as the great inequalities and existing poverty.

The communities organized in the No to Mining for a Future of All Front, have been defending the land and territory for many years, against the economic interests of the Cuzcatlan Mining Company, a subsidiary of the Canadian company Fortuna Silver Mines, which has been granted 80,000 hectares of the Central Valleys since 2002.

The objectives of the report are:

“a) Highlight the impacts on human rights produced by the “San Jose” mining project and its expansion “San Jose II” in communities of the Central Valleys of Oaxaca;

b) Build legal arguments, mainly collective rights for the respect and guarantee the rights of indigenous peoples;

c) Question the Mexican State about the importance of respecting indigenous rights in the face of private investment projects.”

The federal government failed to comply with indigenous communities by issuing new permits to the mining company Fortuna Silver Mines, they warned in the presentation: “No authority of the government of the Fourth Transformation has wanted to face up to these permits that were delivered without a technical analysis of the impacts”, they denounced.

The analysis of the impact on human rights contrasts with the main laws and conventions ratified by the Mexican State against the facts denounced by the affected communities. Finally, an urgent and strong call is made to the Canadian and Mexican governments to cancel the “San Jose” project and regulate the mining industry.

The publication was a joint effort by Cambiemosla Ya, Oaxacan Collective in Defense of the Territories, Against Mining for a Future for All, Services for Alternative Education C.A. and the Union of Organizations of the Sierra Juarez of Oaxaca.

For more information in Spanish:

Presentan informe sobre violaciones a derechos humanos del proyecto minero San José (EDUCA, 18 de marzo de 2022)

Proyecto minero San José. Informe sobre violación de derechos humanos en comunidades de Ocotlán, Ejutla y Tlacolula. Oaxaca (EDUCA, 17 de marzo de 2022)

Proyecto minero SanJosé. Informe sobre violación de derechos humanos en comunidades de Ocotlán, Ejutla y Tlacolula. Oaxaca (EDUCA, marzo de 2022)

For more information from SIPAZ: