The Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Susana Muhamad, announced the draft resolution that declares much of the territory of Soto Norte in Santanderas temporary reserve areas. That is, for the next two years, mining activity stops around the Santurbán Páramo.
Given this resolution, the president of the Vetas Miners Association, mining leader Ivonne Gonzálezassured that this decision will affect more than 78,000 hectares in Soto Norte, Santander. And not only would it affect these hectares, but he also stated that it puts at risk the livelihood of some 1,300 miners who depend on informal mining in this region.
“She told us that she needed to leave the area still to study whether or not we were compatible with mining and make a regulation around the water. What the minister is saying is totally incoherent, why we have been mining there for a number of years, Are we compatible with mining or not?” asked González.
This in response to Muhammad’s decision, to carry out studies that determine that it is included or excluded from miningto the protection of water in the area.”
González also assured that there was no agreement as promised, Well, the duty is that these measures must be consulted with the communities. And, in addition to prohibiting mining activities, he ignores that a process of precautionary measures is currently being carried out in the Council of State and emphasized that the resolution goes beyond the Escazú Agreement.
“For us this reservation is purely political. She started a political campaign with this. The minister has even said that it is a political commitment that the president, Gustavo Petro, made in a campaign with people who call themselves defenders of the wasteland. As he saw that he could not with the delimitation return to Páramo what is not Páramo, he decided to abandon the delimitation and dedicate himself to making this reservation,” said the leader. According to González, this reservation will affect traditional miners and families who have wanted to formalize more than 14 years ago.
“Are 75,000 thousand hectares that she is protecting are outside the Paramo. That is to say, those who were outside the Páramo have not been able to formalize themselves and that is why they are asking for the hectares.”
Likewise, he assures that the documents were not presented prior to the announcement to the governor’s office, mayors and other authorities of the territory. Despite the serious questions of illegality raised by the attorney general’s office and ignoring the studies of the public ministry. And he mentioned that environmental participation was limited to a web page.
“Environmental justice and the commitment of the Colombian State to dialogue with communities on environmental policies have been reduced to the simple task of leaving comments.”
More than 10 mining organizations from Santander joined these complaints, representing almost 1,500 miners from the municipalities of California, Vetas and Suratá.
On the other hand, there are those who assure that this declaration is a correct and effective decision.The national leader in defense of the paramos, Edwing Rodríguez Salah, ensures that the declaration of the temporary reserve in the Páramo de Santurbán helps territorial water management.
“The declaration of the temporary reserve is an essential step for the effective implementation of territorial planning around water. This step is essential to provide our vital and strategic ecosystems such as our moors,” concludes Rodríguez.
In response to the miners’ complaints, from the Office of the Ministry of the Environment, They assured that there are inaccuracies and stated that it was pertinent to clarify some points about the draft resolution.
The first key point to explain is that the Temporary Reserve Zone has not yet been declared, since the draft resolution entered public consultation during the next 20 days.
They also reiterate that traditional small-scale mining will not be affected. The resolution recognizes the mining tradition of the municipalities of Vetas, California and Suratá and guarantees the continuity of formalization processes that are being carried out with small traditional miners in formalization.and they clarify that the planned temporary reserve area does not incorporate paramo areas, it is located in an area contiguous to this ecosystem.
Likewise, the mining communities reported that they are declaring civil disobedience and will take to the streets with the support of other miners from different departments. “We are quite upset and outraged. We feel great helplessness and we will be present until the last consequences,” said González.
#Santander | The national leader in defense of the paramos, Edwing Rodríguez Salah, assures that the declaration of the temporary reserve in the Páramo de Santurbán helps the territorial organization of water 🤝👇. pic.twitter.com/C4BnxV7m54
— RCN Radio Bucaramanga (@RCNBga) November 27, 2024
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