40 lines
1.6 KiB
Markdown
40 lines
1.6 KiB
Markdown
The **Esquel Anti-Mine Movement** was an
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[environmentalist](Environmentalism "wikilink") movement active in
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[Argentina](Argentina "wikilink") from [2002 to
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2006](Timeline_of_Libertarian_Socialism_in_South_America "wikilink").
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## Background
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In 2002 the local government granted a gold mining permit to US-Canadian
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mining company Meridian Gold. The permit allowed them to build a large
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open-pit gold mine 7 kilometres from the town of Esquel, Argentina.
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Concerns were raised about the potential for a cyanide contamination
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(used to leach gold from ore and highly toxic to humans) in the towns
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water supply and to nearby forests with endangered trees.\[1\]
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## Events
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The movement started with the formation of a [popular
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assembly](Democratic_Assembly "wikilink") to coordinate the action,
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composed of 3,000 people (in a town of 31,000). The assembly coordinated
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protests and invading town council meetings on several occasions. Courts
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ruled in the assemblies favour, and a referendum held in the town showed
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most people rejected the mine. Meridian refused to abandon the project,
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and the assembly illegally obtained recordings of a shareholder meaning
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discussing methods of astroturfing and bribes to win over the community.
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Leading to widespread anger and disgust.\[2\]
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## Results
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Courts eventually blocked Meridian from construction the gold mine.\[3\]
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## References
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<references />
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1. [Global Nonviolent Action
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Database](Global_Nonviolent_Action_Database "wikilink"): [Esquel
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community opposes to gold mining,
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Argentina, 2002-2006](https://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/content/esquel-community-opposes-gold-mining-argentina-2002-2006)
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2.
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3. |