June of this year saw the reactivation of the Community Development Council, which was the leading community organization involved in confronting Ascendant Copper Corporation during the years 2004-2008 in the Junín area. As then, the president is Polivio Perez, and the organization saw fit to create three vice presidencies led by different community presidents from the mining project’s area of influence (the elected representatives include the presidents of Junín, Rosal, Cerro Pelado, Chalguyacu Bajo, and La Armenia). Several Intag organizations also participated in the election process as observers and promised to support the community organization

One of the first actions of the CDC was to stop some five vehicles from Enami the Ecuadorian mining company that were heading to Chalguyacu Alto for a meeting to socialize the decision taken without any community input to reactivate the Junín mining project. About 30 community members met the Enami delegates in the Chalguyacu Bajo area (which included police) and asked them to respect the decision the CDC members had taken and not go to the meeting. The community members, which later grew to between 80 and 100, argued that the communities did not want any more divisions and social conflicts due to the presence of the company. Interestingly enough, the company complied, but not too long afterwards ,there were reports of five police squad cars in the town Garcia Moreno. As of this post, no one knew what they were doing in Garcia Moreno.

We are happy to announce the reactivation of the Intag Solidarity Network, which in the struggle against Ascendant played such an important role. There are several International Observers in the Junín-Cerro Pelado area right now under the guidance of Cedhu, the prestigious Quito-based Human Rights Organization. The observers are there as fair witnesses to record, denounce and hopefully avoid, any possible human rights violations.