MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine police beats up environmentalists protesting mining projects: 24 injured

Catamarca Home Secretary Gordillo “we were ordered to clear the route, but this does not justify the police action”

At least 24 people were injured after Argentine police using rubber bullets, tear gas, dogs and riot vehicles violently cleared demonstrators blocking a national route to protest a mining project by Swiss and Canadian companies in the northeast of the country.

Heavy clashes broke out early Friday when police riot forces attacked the protestors who are objecting a controversial project in the Tinogasta mining district, La Alumbrera belonging to Switzerland’s Xstrata Cooper and Goldcorp Inc and Yamana Gold from Canada.

The Police was issued with a court order to clear the route way, in order to allow twelve trucks containing mining production-related materials to pass through.

Following the incidents Catamarca province Home Secretary Francisco Gordillo said the Police was only making effective a court order but also rejected the degree of violence employed which left 24 people injured, half of them in hospital.

“We receive orders from the Justice branch and make effective court orders. It is part of our responsibilities as government, we are highly distressed with what happened”, admitted Gordillo who added he has ordered an administrative investigation into the incidents.

“We had to clear the route, that was the court order, but this in no way justifies what the police have done”, added Gordillo

On Thursday President Cristina Fernandez joined the ongoing debate in Argentina on the mining industry and the latest projects many of them rejected by local populations alleging lack of sufficient environment impact research and fearing open mining could pollute and devour a scarce resource in the north of Argentina as is fresh water.

The pollution and environment discussion must be approached while avoiding “a dogmatic, close-minded position” said Cristina Fernandez.

“We must have a responsible, serious discussion in this country. We must demand high environmental standards, but we must do so responsibly without falling into dogmatic, close-minded positions that refuse to accept any other opinion” she added.

“We must have a serious debate in Argentina. The environment is where we live. It’s our home. When it comes to it, I like to listen to every position” underlined the president following on a multiplication of environmental protests close to several mining outposts.

Last month Canada’s Osisko mining corporation suspended a gold mining project in La Rioja after intense protests by locals and said it would make all efforts possible to ensure a “social licence”. Meantime the operation is “on hold”.

“If there is no social licence for exploration and development around the Famatina project area, no work will be conducted by MEP,” the company said in a press release

Meanwhile the Catamarca media reported that the federal Secretary of Mining Jorge Mayoral had met with leaders from the mining sector, particularly foreign corporations to address an “homologation chart”, a several phases program intended to ensure that all companies involved purchase their supplies and inputs from Argentina.