Obama Ignores Murders of Anti-Mining Activists in El Salvador

President Obama visited El Salvador this week to discuss the drug trade, immigration, and security issues in the region with Salvadoran president Mauricio Funes. The murders of Salvadoran anti-mining activists, however, were not on the agenda.

We recently covered the story of Salvadoran anti-mining activists being threatened, robbed, kidnapped and murdered while attempting to halt Pacific Rim, a Canadian mining company, from excavating gold in the northern department of Cabañas.

The struggle began in 2004, when Pacific Rim conducted its first gold explorations in Cabañas. Residents that had previously noticed the effects of other mines - dry wells, skin irritations, and dead animals - were skeptical of a new, massive gold project. Local Salvadoran organizations responded by researching the environmental, social and economic impacts of mining.

What they found was shocking: Pacific Rim's proposed mine would use almost 900 million liters of water a day (more than a Salvadoran family uses in 20 years). The mine would also require around 2 tons of cyanide each day, yet even brief exposure to cyanide can cause serious brain damage or death. Other heavy metals released during mining could easily poison the water supply, a critical resource for families in the region.

Local residents began to organize against the project, successfully convincing residents of Cabañas and other municipalities and eventually bringing national attention to the mining industry. But in 2009, in a matter of months, three activists lay dead and death threats against others were commonplace.

This week, over 140 organizations signed a letter calling on the President to support efforts during his trip to El Salvador to "investigate the 2009 murders of community activists Marcelo Rivera, Ramiro Rivera, and Dora Sorto, including the extent to which individuals linked to Pacific Rim Mining Corp. were involved."

But Obama ignored the issue.

Such a development is especially troubling when considering the history of US involvement in El Salvador. During his visit, Obama made history when he paid his respects at the tomb of Salvadoran martyr Oscar Romero, the Salvadoran archbishop who defended the country's poor until he was murdered while giving mass in 1980. He failed to acknowledge, however, that the architect of the assassination was trained at the School of the Americas in Fort Benning, Georgia, says commentator Elizabeth DiNovella. Obama also failed to mention the millions of dollars the US pumped into the Salvadoran military during the nation's 12-year civil war, an atrocity-filled conflict that left 75,000 dead.

Though Obama didn't speak up, Salvadoran authorities still need to investigate the murders. Such continued violence against communities that are simply fighting for continued access to clean water is appalling. Help stop the cycle of violence against Salvadoran anti-mining activists. Join hundreds of Change.org members and click here to tell government officials in El Salvador to investigate these crimes and protect members of the anti-mining movement.

Photo Credit: VotoLatino