Gold Mining and the Right to Water in Sipakapa, Guatemala

UUSC member and expert volunteer Rob Robinson is putting his Unitarian Universalist principles in practice. Rob has been volunteering as a key expert for the right to water program beginning last fall. His interest? Indigenous people's right to water, gold mining, and Guatemala.

Rob organized two colleagues, bought water sampling test kits and equipment, and joined me (UUSC's environmental justice program manager) in Sipakapa, San Marcos, Guatemala, on a fact-finding mission April 16-22. Rob tested the water quality below the GoldCorp gold mine, and trained local community members in water quality testing, so they may monitor the impact of the mine on water resources. The term "Right to Water CSI" comes to mind!

The Sipakapenses have a case before the International Labor Organization, the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights, and the constitutional court of Guatemala on the illegal process which led to the granting of the mining permit in their territory. Colectivo Madre Selva arranged the trip and oriented the delegation. The delegation met with staff members from the Commission for Peace and Ecology, who will conduct ongoing water quality monitoring along with the Sipakapense people.