Guatemalan Mining Re-Sister Crisanta Perez arrested by police

Guatemalan Mining Re-Sister Crisanta Perez arrested by police

“We are all Crisanta … if she is guilty, we are all guilty of defending our rights” (rightsaction.org)
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February 4, 2010
 

Crisanta Perez, a Maya Mam villager from the community of Agel, in San Miguel Ixtahuacan, Guatemala, was arrested by police for an outstanding arrest warrant that was laid against her in 2008, reports the maritimes-guatemala Breaking the Silence Network (BTS).

Crisanta had been in hiding for the past several months, due to several threats on her life. She returned to her home in Agel just a few weeks ago, to give birth.

UPDATE: Rights Action confirms that Crisanta was arrested on Monday, February 1, 2010. However, not long after the arrest, she was liberated by members of the local communities… Rights Action explains

On Monday, February 1, 2010, Gregoria Crisanta was taken by police and presented before the justice of the peace in San Miguel Ixtahuacan. To then “formalize” their detention of her, based on previous “capture orders” issued after activities in protest against harms and violations linked the mine, the police needed to present her before legal authorities in the city of San Marcos.

As the police were taking her to San Marcos, the road was blocked and Gregoria Crisanta was liberated by local populations. There was no violence.

Thankfully this ordeal has ended positively. However, the charges still stand against Crisanta Perez and at least 13 other Mayan Mams.

Please see below for what you can do to help…

Background

A community leader, Crisanta Perez is one of the “Goldcorp 8”, a group of Eight Mayan Women who were charged in 2008 for standing up to the Canadian mining company Goldcorp.

On June 10, 2008, Crisanta “provoked a short circuit on the electric lines which hang above her home”, explains Jaimie Rodriguez in one of several photo essays about Goldcorp’s now-infamous Marlin gold mine, which sits adjacent to Agel and two other Maya communities.

Crisanta’s action caused a power failure at the mine, which temporarily interrupted its operation.

According to Crisanta, the company never asked for her permission to set up the power lines. “They simply put them there,” she says.

Soon after she cut the power, ultimately a response to Goldcorp’s continued refusal to act responsibly, about 150 Mayas gathered in support of Crisanta and declared themselves in a “permanent state of alert.”

A few days later, “representatives from the mine arrived along with 35 national police officers and private security guards from the company. As the gathered women did not allow engineers to enter the property, the security forces began to violently threaten the women and children with tear gas. The local women continued their resistance and created a human chain that the police was not able to break,” Rodriguez explains.

The company’s response was predictable: they filed criminal charges against Crisanta and seven other defenders: 8 Maya Woman, in total.

Crisanta had even more charges laid against her in 2009, after Goldcorp failed to honor its word.

In June 2009, the company started an exploratory drilling operation in the community of Saqmuj, without the community’s informed consent.

After observing the operation, and seeing milky-white coloured water being transported in a tube, the community became deeply concerned about their own water being contaminated. It wasn’t long before they decided that Goldcorp had to pick up and leave.

Then, on June 11th, a company official agreed in writing to remove the equipment the very next day.

Unfortunately—-and, of course, predictably—-as they day came and went, no one from the company showed up. Around noon, the equipment was set on fire.

Goldcorp’s response was to charge Crisanta Perez and four others.

Further Reading

What You Can Do

All charges against the “Goldcorp 5? and the “Goldcorp 8″ will most likely be thrown out by the courts, much like the frivolous charges that Goldcorp laid against the “Goldcorp 7” in 2007.

But even so, Goldcorp and their supporters must be compelled to do the right thing. Please write to them, and urge them to:

Also, write to the following politicians to:

GOLDCORP Inc.

Chuck Jeannes, President & CEO
666 Burrard Street, Suite 3400
Vancouver, B.C. V6C 2X8
Main: (604) 696-3000
Direct: 604-696-3076
Chuck.Jeannes@goldcorp.com
Kim Keras, executive assistant,
Kim.Keras@goldcorp.com

Tim Miller, Goldcorp – Central America
Tim.Miller@montana.com.gt

Dina Aloi, Goldcorp – VP Corporate Social Responsibility
Dina.Aloi@goldcorp.com

David Deisley, Goldcorp – legal counsel
david.deisley@goldcorp.com

Jeff Wilhoit, Goldcorp – investor relations
Jeff.Wilhoit@goldcorp.com

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Suite 3400-666 Burrard St.
Vancouver, BC, V6C 2X8
T: (866) 696-3055, local (604) 696-3055, Directors@Goldcorp.com

TORONTO OFFICE
3201–130 Adelaide St. W.
Toronto, ON, M5H-3P5
T: (416) 865-0326

HUMAN RESOURCES
hr@goldcorp.com

GUATEMALA CITY
Jim Schenck, Goldcorp – Guatemala City
jamess@montana.com.gt

Lisa Wade, Goldcorp – Guatemala City
lisa.wade@montana.com.gt

* * *

CANADIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS

Governor General of Canada
Michaëlle Jean
Rideau Hall, 1 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, ON, K1A-0A1
info@gg.ca, t: (613) 993-8200, t: 800 465-6890

Prime Minister
Stephen Harper
harpes@parl.gc.ca

Minister of International Cooperation
Bev Oda
509-S Centre Block, House of Commons
Ottawa, ON, K1A 0A6
Oda.B@parl.gc.ca

Minister of Foreign Affairs
Lawrence Cannon
509-S Centre Block, House of Commons
Ottawa, ON, K1A 0A6
cannol@parl.gc.ca

Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas)
Peter Kent
125 Sussex Dr
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0G2
T: (613) 992-0253, F: (613) 992-0887, kent.p@parl.gc.ca

Kevin Sorenson, MP
Chair, Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development
T: (613) 947-4608, F: (613) 947-4611, SorenK@parl.gc.ca

Gilles Duceppe, leader, Bloc Quebecois
1200 Papineau Av, #350
Montreal, Quebec H2K 4R5
ducepg@parl.gc.ca

Jack Layton, leader, New Democratic Party
221 Broadview Ave, Suite 100
Toronto, ON MM 2G3
laytoj@parl.gc.ca

Elizabeth May, leader, Green Party
Saanich Gulf Islands EDA
PO Box 20076
Sidney BC V8L 5C9
emaytowin@greenparty.ca

Michael Ignatieff, leader, Liberal Party
656 The Queensway
Etobicoke, ON M8Y 1K7
ignatm@parl.gc.ca

Larry Bagnell, liberal MP, bagnell.l@parl.gc.ca
Stockwell Day, conservative MP, days@parl.gc.ca
Peter Julian, NDP MP, julian.p@parl.gc.ca
Peter Mckay, conservative MP, Mckayj@parl.gc.ca
John MacKay, liberal MP, Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development, T: (613) 992-1447, F: (613) 992-8968, MckayJ@parl.gc.ca
Bob Rae, liberal MP, Foreign Affairs Critic, T: (613) 992-5234, F: (613) 996-9607, RaeB@parl.gc.ca
Francine Lalonde, Bloc Quebecois MP, Foreign Affairs Critic, T: (613) 995-6327, F: (613) 996-5173, LalonF@parl.gc.ca
Paul Dewar, NDP MP, Foreign Affairs Critic, T: (613) 996-5322, F: (613) 996-5323, DewarP@parl.gc.ca
Alexandre Leveque, DFAIT, Director Caribbean, Central America & Regional Policy,
125 Sussex Dr
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0G2
T: 613-992-2971, F: 613-944-0760
Barbara Curran, CIDA Director, Canadian International Development Agency,
200 Promenade du Portage
Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0G4
T: 819-994-4092, F: 819-997-0628, barbara.curran@acdi-cida.gc.ca

HOW TO CONTACT YOUR MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT IN THEIR RIDINGS:

http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Compilations/HouseOfCommons/MemberByPostalCode.aspx?Menu=HOC

CANADIAN Embassy in Guatemala
Ambassador Leeann McKechnie
leeann.mckechnie@international.gc.ca
Karin Reinecke, Assistant to the Ambassador
karin.reinecke@international.gc.ca
13 Calle 8-44 Zone 10, Edificio Edyma Plaza
Ciudad de Guatemala
T: (502) 2363-4348
gtmla@international.gc.ca

* * *

CANADA PENSION PLAN Investment Board
csr@cppib.ca, 416-868-4075, Toll Free: 1-866-557-9510

Stakeholder Relations
1 Queen Street East, Suite 2600
Toronto, ON, M5C 2W5
Toll free: 1 (866) 557-9510
(416) 868-6612

* * *

SOME GOLDCORP INVESTORS

NAME / AMT HELD / %OUT

Fidelity Management / 47,023,114 / 6.44
Investor Relations, 82 Devonshire Street, Boston MA, 02109, 617-563-0371

Barclays Global Investment / 33,976,447 / 4.65
Blake Grossman, 1 Churchill Place, London, E14 4HP, 415-597-2735

Pyramis Global Advis / 21,399,960 / 2.93
Jack Sholl, 900 Salem Street, Smithfield Street, MA, 02109, 617-392-0172, jack.sholl@pyramis.com

Harris Financial Corporation / 18,301,337 / 2.51
Matthew Barrett, 111 West Monroe, PO Box 755, Chicago Il, 60690, 312-461-3167, investmentservices@theharris.com

RBC Asset Management / 17,905,559 / 2.45
Frank Lippa, Royal TR Tower, Suite 3800, 77 King St W, Toronto, ON, M5K 1H1

Jarislowsky Fraser Li / 17,190,505 / 2.35
Pierre Lapointe, 1010 Sherbrooke St. West, Suite 2005, Montreal, PQ, H3A 2R7, 514-842-2727, plapointe@jfl.ca

Blackrock Group Limi / 16,158,436 / 2.21
Dennis Moleeur, 33 King Williams St, London, En, ECAR 9AS, 44-20-7743-2253

Van Eck Associates CO / 11,547,330 / 1.58
Florence Childress, 335 Madison, 19th Floor, New York, NY, 10016, 212-293-2125, Florence.childress@vaneck.com

Caisse De Depot, Et Plan / 10,977,431 / 1.50
Luc Houle, 1000, Place Jean-Paul-Riopelle, Montreal, PQ, H2Z 2B3

TD Asset Management I / 8,337,398 / 1.14
Barbara Callbeck, 161 Bay Street 25th floor, Toronto, ON, M5J2T2, 416-9308-5346, inst.info@tdam.com

Toronto Dominion BA / 8,251,345 / 1.13
Christopher Ontague, PO Box 1, Toronto ON, M5K 1A2, 416-982-8222

Connor Clark & Compa / 7,004,758 / 0.96
Steve Affleck, 1200-925 West Georgia Street, Vancouver BC, V6C 3L2, More_info@cclgroup.com

UBS Global Asset Manag / 6,967,348 / 0.95
Mark F Kemper, 312-525-7138, ONE North Wacker, Chicago, IL 60606, comments@ubs.com

US Global Investors / 6,542,598 / 0.90
Frank Holmes, 7900 Callaghan Road, San Antonio TX, 78229, 210-308-1234, fholmes@usfunds.com

McEwen Robert R / 6,435,651 / 0.88
n/a (?)

Great West Lif Assur / 6,303,915 / 0.86
Susan Ledwich, 100 Osborne St. North, Winnipeg MB, 204-946-7162

OMERS Pension Fund Administraion / 6,041,546 / 0.83
Jenny Tsouvalis, 1 University Avenue Suite 700, Toronto ON, M5J 2P1, 416-947-7201, client@omers.com

Goodman & Co Investment / 5,588,143 / 0.77
Investor Relations, 1 Adelaide Street East, 29th Floor, Toronto ON, M5H 4A9, 416 365-5100, ir@dundeewealth.com

McKinley Capital Manage / 5,549,010 / 0.76
Investor Relations, 3301 C Street Suite 500, Anchorage AK, 99503, 907-563-4488, info@mckinleycapital.com

McLean Budden Ltd / 5,533,742 / 0.76
Grant Patterson, 145 King St. West 2525, 416-862-9800

Blackrock advisors / 5,115,096 / 0.70
Denis Moleur 609-282-2382, 100 Bellevue Prakway, Wilmingotn DE, 19809, 609-282-2382

Aletheia Reserach & M / 5,072,177 / 0.69
Roger B. Peikin 310-899-0800, 100 wilshire Blvd suite 1960, Santa Monica CA, 90401, rpeikin@aletheiaresearch.com

Tetrem Capital Management / 4,815,500 / 0.66
Junion Damianidis, 204-975-2876, 1450, 201 Portag Ave, Winnipeg MB, R3B-3K6, info@tetrem.com

Eaton Vance Managme / 4,784,237 / 0.66
Frederick S. Marius, 255 State St., Boston MA, 02109, 617 598-8423

AGF Funds INCompletely / 4,502,730 / 0.62
Jacqueline Sanz, 416 369-1900, Toronto Dominion Bank Tower, Toronto M5K 1E9, tiger@agf.com

Carmignac Gestion / 4,306,557 / 0.59
Edouard Carmignac 33-1-42—86-53-35, Carmignac Gestion, 24 Place Vendome, 75001 Paris, ecarmignac@carmignac.com

Chilton Investment CO / 4,267,411 / 0.58
Patricia Mallon, 1266 East Main St. 7th floor, Stamford CT, 06902, 203-352-4180, pmallon@chiltoninc.com

* * *

PENSION FUNDS:

Ontario Teachers Pension fund / 2,653,500 / 0.36
Roger Barton 416-730-5321, 5650 Yonge St, Toronto, Canada, 416 730-5321, communications@otpp.com

Canada Pension Plan / 1,400,000 / 0.19
John H Butler, 416 868-1171, One queen st. East, suite 2600, Toronto On, M5C 2Wc, 416 868-1171 — $349,000,000 of shares in Goldcorp

Norges Bank / 2,107,573
Investor Relations, Bankplassen 2, 0107 Oslo –No, 47-22-31-60-00, contact@nbim.no

Teachers Retirement System of Oklahoma / 131,430
Cathy Conway, P.O. Box 53524, Oklahoma City, OK 73105, 405-521-2387

New York State Teachers retirement System / 65,300
William O’Brien, 518 447-2730, 10 corporate woods drive, Albany, NY, 12211, 518-447-2730, communit@nystrs.state.ny.us

Ohio Public Empolyees Retirement System / 36,750
Karen Carraher, 277 East Town St, Columbus OH 43215 Un, 614-227-0059, benefitquestions@opers.org

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