The Mining Injustice Solidarity Network held two events to call attention to "abuses perpetrated in Guatemala by Hudbay Minerals and its subsidiaries and contractors." The abuses in question include "forced displacement, assassinations, gang rape, and intimidation"
Sakura Saunders, an organizer, repeatedly invokes the name of Adolfo Ich. Ich, an indigenous school teacher and leader in his Maya Qeqchi community who opposed the mine, and who was killed on September 27, 2009 after being dragged onto mine-controlled land by security forces.
On Wednesday June 13th, a crowd gathered at OISE to hear about Canadian court challenges against Hudbay. A Rights Action organizer spoke about the need for expanding beyond law suits to target pension funds across Canada, including within the public sector, that are invested in mining companies with known human rights abuses.
Cory Wanless of the law firm, Klippenstein’s, spoke about the efforts to hold Hudbay accountable in Canadian courts for the murder and gang rapes.
The next morning, members of the Mining Injustice Solidarity Network set up a protest in front of First Canadian Place where Hudbay was holding its annual shareholders meeting. The group was loud and their signs caught much attention from media, passersby, the police, and people using the building.
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