Translate24 Jun 2019 14:18
The members of the Constitutional Court (CC) decided to deny and file the request of constitutionality of popular consultation on the mining activity in the parishes of Lita, Carolina, Jijón and Caamaño, Goaltal, and the reactions were immediate. Residents of these communities gave their opinions regarding the ruling issued.
Omar Lara, president of the Asociación Agrícola Ganadera Palermo (Asaganp), said that, although the resolution was negative, he believes that they do not take away the legitimacy of any consultation. "The fact that it has not been qualified, does not mean that any consultation can be given. The right to participation is guaranteed in the constitution. "
He added that due to an error in the representativeness of the person who proposed it, Wilmer Meneses, or due to an error in the way the question was posed, perhaps it was not qualified. "We were surprised that he comes to represent us when there has been no socialization or rapprochement with us, that we are in territory in the Jacinto Jijón and Caamaño parishes, as owners and the area of ??direct influence."
On the future in this area, he indicated that they expect the authorities to do the necessary control to ensure responsible mining, rejecting illegal mining. "We are respectful of public policy. We want to act responsibly and adjusted to the legal framework. Therefore, there are sensitive areas where the conservation of the ecosystem must be guaranteed. For example, protective forests, from which the water sources that are a means of life come from. "
Leaders
Emanuel Vargas, secretary of the community El Cielito, said the community members are against legal and illegal mining in the area, due to the problems that it brings against the inhabitants and the nature of the town. For example, the arrival of strangers to the sector or environmental damage. Regarding the popular consultation denied by the Constitutional Court, he indicated that the question should be clarified in order to consult the citizenry.
"We must take up the case of the consultation, because there we are considering the voice of the people. Because not everyone has the same position. And here it must be taken, in the first place, to the inhabitants. They must decide if yes or no, what is right and practical in this situation, "he said.
Concessions
The popular consultation involving four parishes of Imbabura and Carchi, in turn, grouped different mining projects that are in the area. For example, there are the Cascabel, Blanca and Nieves projects, from SolGold. In addition, with its subsidiary Carnegie Ridge, they have a concession called Rio Mira, in the Jacinto Jijón y Caamaño parish.
Socialization with discrepancies
The company Solgold made a meeting last Saturday with the residents of El Cielito. The objective was to socialize issues related to the future of the town, from the position of the concessionaire. For example, he offered to buy the land in the area where it will