The Conference of the Episcopate Dominican (CED) expressed his disagreement with the recent acts of assaults perpetrated against people who were protesting against the installation of a tailings dam by the mining company Barrick Gold in the Arroyo Vuelta community, municipal district of Zambrana, in Cotuí.
Through a releasepointed out that these events “characterized by the disproportionate use of force, the violation of the human rights and disrespect for the dignity of people, where they have been injured two priests and several people from the aforementioned communities, are unacceptable“.
He attributed the attacks to the mining company “with the support of members of the National Police and the Army of the Dominican Republic.”
He recalled that in a rule of law must guarantee the justicepeace and respect for citizens.
He stressed that the Catholic churchfaithful to its mission of defending life and human dignityrepudiates any action that violates the fundamental rights of the affected communities and “stands in solidarity with the actions of our brother bishop of La Vega, Monsignor Carlos Tomás Morel Diplán, also president of the National Pastoral Commission for Ecology and the Environment.”
“It is unacceptable that the profit motive prime about life and tranquillity of the affected families in the area,” he said.
Willing to find a solution
Likewise, he called on the national authorities so that, among all the sectors involved, due legal framework“dialogue is encouraged, in which we are willing to participate to seek a fair solution to this situation.”
He urged that ” investigate these facts with impartialitythose responsible for these abuses are punished and measures are guaranteed to repair the damage caused to those who have been affected.”
He recalled that the exploitation of natural resources must be done with social responsibilityenvironmental and ethics.
“We invite the national community to unite in solidarity with those affected and peacefully express their rejection of these practices,” concluded the Conference of the Episcopate.
