Xinka Parliament Accuses Pan American Silver of Barring Escobal Mine Consultation Process
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Hail to the Xinka, an Indigenous folk dwelling in southern Guatemala today. In 2014, the mining giant Tahoe Resources commenced a mega silver mine on their sacred lands, without their fair consent, and amidst brutal suppression of peaceful protesters. This flagrant violation of their right to self-determination has been a thorn in the side of the Xinka Parliament ever since.
Fast-forward to 2017, and the community mobilized, setting up resistance camps around the mine. A Guatemalan court finally acknowledged the injustice inflicted upon the Xinka, halting operations at the mine. The court mandated a genuine consultation process with the Xinka People to determine whether the mine, now operated by Canadian firm Pan American Silver, should reopen.
This consultation process hinges on freedom from coercion and the respect of Xinka customs and traditions, as dictated by international law. Sadly, as we approach the conclusion of the process, this isn't how things are shaping up.
In November, the Xinka Parliament voiced their grievances against Pan American Silver and the municipal government of San Rafael las Flores for sowing disinformation about the project and trying to hijack the consultation process. The statement accuses the mayor of San Rafael las Flores, in cahoots with Pan American Silver, of falsely claiming a visit to the mine and a presentation on its operations and impacts were part of the official consultation. This is a direct attack on the integrity and impartiality of the process the Xinka People have been relentlessly fighting for the past six years. Xinka leaders are complaining about other suspicious activities, such as contacting teachers to organize school trips to the mine and arranging informal meetings with community leaders.
The firm claims otherwise on its official website. Pan American Silver acknowledges that the Guatemalan Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM) is responsible for leading the consultation process with the Xinka through their legitimately elected authority, the Xinka Parliament. Pan American Silver's role is limited to providing information requested of it within the formal consultation space. However, they haven't lived up to this either.
Xinka authorities assert that Pan American Silver withheld crucial information necessary for Xinka experts to fully analyze the mine's operations and environmental impact. "During the formal information-sharing process, Pan American Silver did not present various reports that were requested of the company, and the government does not have copies of," they declare.
For a complete and accurate assessment of the mine's potential impact, the Xinka Parliament's environmental experts carried out their own fieldwork and data analysis, in addition to scrutinizing the data provided by the company and the government. In a February 2024 consultation meeting, the Xinka Parliament's environmental experts presented this analysis to the government and the company. The Parliament and Xinka leaders are now sharing this information with communities.
Throughout the process, Xinka authorities have repeatedly appealed to Pan American Silver to halt its outreach activities in the region, which stir up tension and raise concerns for Xinka leaders' safety, jeopardizing the integrity of the process.
Pan American Silver has heard these concerns before. The solution is straightforward: Pan American Silver needs to step back. The company must cease its attempts to undermine the integrity of the consultation process and respect the Xinka Peoples' rights.
- The ongoing policy-and-legislation dispute between the Xinka Parliament and Pan American Silver, revolving around the silver mine on the Xinka's sacred lands, is a significant issue in the general-news arena, given the challenges in preserving the Xinka's right to self-determination and the integrity of the consultation process.
- In the wake of accusations of disinformation and attempts to hijack the consultation process by Pan American Silver and the municipal government of San Rafael las Flores, as stated by the Xinka Parliament, politics plays a crucial role in the resolution of this issue, requiring transparency, impartiality, and respect for the Xinka People's customs and traditions, as outlined by international law.
