Mining Activist Killed in Guatemala

From the Guatemalan Human Rights Commission / USA

On June 25th, Colom declared suspension of Marlin Mine operations, in compliance with a recent Inter-American Commission ruling. Two weeks later, Diodora Hernandez was shot in the head, and others were physically intimidated.

Doña Diodora Antonia Hernández Cinto is part of the resistance movement in defense of indigenous rights, including land and water rights, against the Marlin mine and the violent aggressions committed by the Montana subsidiary of Goldcorp, a Canadian mining company. She has been threatened several times for her participation in this movement. In June 2009, she was part of the group in Saqmuj that fought for the right to water, when the Goldcorp Company tried to take over the land and water sources from the community.

Other community members who have been actively resisting mining operations have received threats and been victims of physical intimidations.

This can't go on. As part of the international community, we denounce the violence against Diodora and others who dare to speak out on behalf of their communities against the harmful mining operations.

We urge the Guatemalan government to:

1. Guarantee the safety of community members in opposition to the Marlin mine

2. Comply with the precautionary measures provided by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to protect communities defending their rights

3. Hold the Montana/Goldcorp Company responsible for any acts and threats, the great majority of which have been made by company workers.

4. Carry out a thorough and timely investigation of the above stated incidents and bringing those responsible to justice.