[Peace-discuss] Fwd: Tambogrande Observer mission press release on the referendum

[Margaret E. Kosal]

Piece two of two.

>Date: Mon, 19 Aug 2002 13:19:01 -0700
>Subject: Tambogrande Observer mission press release on the referendum
>
>Please distribute widely:
>
>
>News release
>
>
>
>
>Mining Project in Peru: Manhattan Minerals Must Recognize the Legitimacy 
>of the Municipal Referendum
>
>
>
>MONTREAL, AUGUST 14, 2002 - The Canadian company Manhattan Minerals 
>Corporation must recognize the legitimacy of the Tambogrande (Peru) 
>municipal referendum which confirmed the overwhelming opposition to the 
>company's plan to develop a gold mine in the small town.
>
>In a report released today in Montreal, Rights & Democracy, which had sent 
>two representatives to observe the referendum on June 2, 2002, recommends 
>that Vancouver-based Manhattan pay heed to the results and urges it to 
>release its long overdue Environmental Impact Study.
>
>The report gives a stamp of approval to a process in which more than 93% 
>of the 27,015 residents who voted - over 73% of the population - responded 
>"no" to the question: "Do you agree with the development of mining 
>activities in the urban area; urban expansion area; agricultural zone and 
>agricultural expansion zones in the district of Tambogrande?"
>
>"In our opinion, the municipal consultation in Tambogrande was conducted 
>in a free, democratic and transparent manner, allowing citizens the 
>opportunity to express their opinion through secret ballot with the 
>effective guarantee that the votes would be counted correctly," said the 
>two observers: Stéphanie Rousseau of Rights & Democracy's Democratic 
>Development Programme and François Meloche of the Groupe Investissement 
>Responsable, an ethical investment organization based in Montreal.
>
>"The high voter turnout and the massive number of "no" votes lead us to 
>affirm that most of the population of Tambogrande is opposed to mining 
>development in their region in the current context, based on the 
>information that it had when it voted."
>
>In its report 
><http://www.ichrdd.ca/english/commdoc/prelease/publications/tambograndeReportEng.html>Gold 
>and Land: Democratic Development at Stake, Rights & Democracy recommends 
>to the Canadian government that it urge Manhattan Minerals Corp. to 
>recognize the validity of this public consultation.
>
>The municipal referendum was promoted by the mayor of Tambogrande, the 
>Tambogrande Defence Front and a coalition of non-governmental 
>organizations opposed to the open pit gold mine project which would force 
>the relocation of half of the town's 16,000 residents. The 10-year project 
>estimated at $US 240 million would create only a few hundred jobs 
>according to the company.
>
>Tambogrande is located in the centre of one of the country's most 
>important agricultural regions, and the town is best known for its 
>production of limes used in the national ceviche dish. Some analyses of 
>the gold mine project have indicated that it could bring significant 
>environmental damage in its wake. Funded by Oxfam Great-Britain, the 
>referendum was organized by the municipality, and directed by a freelance 
>electoral expert, under the supervision of an electoral committee formed 
>of four citizens from the nearby city of Piura. It was monitored by 
>observers from the Peruvian NGO Transparencia.
>
>Rights & Democracy has also recommended to the Canadian government that it 
>develop human rights criteria, in line with international human rights 
>law, to evaluate the impact of all projects funded by Export Development 
>Canada. It also urged the Peruvian government, potentially a 25% 
>stakeholder in the project, to recognize the legitimacy of the June 2 
>municipal referendum.
>
>Gold and Land: Democratic Development at Stake also highlights some of the 
>major issues of democratic development at play in this unprecedented 
>referendum, in the context of the re-establishment of democracy after the 
>10 year increasingly authoritarian regime of former President Alberto 
>Fujimori. The report suggests that the Peruvian government review the 
>process by which such development projects are approved, facilitating the 
>participation of local residents.
>
>For further information: 
><http://www.ichrdd.ca/english/commdoc/prelease/ppoirier@ichrdd.ca>Patricia 
>Poirier Tel: (514) 283-6073 - Fax: (514) 283-3792.
>
>----------
>Rights & Democracy (International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic 
>Development) is a Canadian institution with an international mandate. It 
>is an independent organization, which promotes, advocates and defends the 
>democratic and human rights set out in the International Bill of Human 
>Rights. In cooperation with civil society and governments in Canada and 
>abroad, Rights & Democracy initiates and supports programmes to strengthen 
>laws and democratic institutions, principally in developing countries.
>
>Rights & Democracy focuses its work on four thematic priorities: 
>Democratic Development, Women's Rights, the Rights of Indigenous Peoples 
>and Globalization and Human Rights; and two special operations: 
>International Human Rights Advocacy and Urgent Action and Important 
>Opportunities.