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Activists stage a shut down of the (kangaroo) court that is sueing El Salvador

by Mining Injustice Solidarity Network (MISN)

The Kangaroo court vs. the people of El Salvador
OceanaGold is suing El Salvador in the World Bank Group’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) because El Salvador didn't grant a permit to mine gold.
Protestors present at the tribunal denounced OceanaGold's lawsuit for attempting to rob El Salvador and punish an entire country for trying to protect its water.
The protestors (along with a newly-enlightened kangaroo following the street theatre skit!) then delivered nearly 175,000 signatures on a petition condemning OceanaGold's lawsuit to the Canadian Trade Commissioner's Office.
The Kangaroo and the guests from El Salvador made it inside the Trade Commissioner's office.
The secretary accepted the petitions on behave of the Trade Commissioner

Huron-Wendat, Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee territory (Toronto, Canada) May 15, 2015 - The Mining Injustice Solidarity Network and allies convened a "kangaroo court", mimicking a little-known World Bank arbitration tribunal whose imminent ruling could force El Salvador to pay Canadian-Australian mining firm OceanaGold US$301 million for denying a gold mining permit. Protestors were present at the mock tribunal to denounce OceanaGold's lawsuit for attempting to rob El Salvador and punish an entire country for trying to protect its water.

The protestors were joined by two guests from El Salvador who addressed the tribunal - Yanira Cortez, the Deputy Attorney for the Environment for El Salvador's Human Rights Prosecutor's Office, and Marcos Galvez, President of the Association for the Development of El Salvador. The speakers highlighted how investor-state arbitration threatens democratic decision-making, public health, and the environment both here in Canada and beyond our borders. 

The protestors then delivered a petition condemning OceanaGold's lawsuit to the Canadian Trade Commissioner's Office, signed by nearly 175,000 people.

(all photos: Allan Lissner. Allan.Lissner.net)

 

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