DIGGING FOR GOLD WHILE DESTROYING EVERYTHING ELSE

Outfits like AES Corporation are not exactly alone in their greed-driven activities that damage instead of develop. Panama is also host to several gold mining companies that have been subject to numerous protests and legal actions by activists and residents of mining areas. Large scale gold mining has nothing to do with romantic images of people sifting through river beds, panning sediments for gold dust. It is about massive excavations, cyanide to dissolve gold residues, exploitation of workers.

Case in point is Petaquilla Mining, a Canadian outfit that owns a concession in the province of Coclé. If you read their website, it’s all about building roads and helping local communities.

These local communities, however, hold different views about Petaquilla’s endeavors.

Early August, representatives of no less than 21 such communities filed criminal complaints against Petaquilla and Panama’s environmental authority (ANAM) for (allowing) ecological crimes.

Some of the petitioners had walked for three days to travel to the capital and be present at the filing of the complaints and a forum held at the Lawyers Association. Ironically, protesters also came from Coclesito, a village that was formerly home to a campesinos pet project during the dictatorship of Omar Torrijos. His son, Martin Torrijos, supports the Petaquilla mine enthusiastically.

Instead of building roads, Petaquilla is chasing people away. Hundreds of hectares have been destroyed as they are illegally diverting rivers, slashing down forest and contaminating the water which people depend on. That, in its turn, is causing an increased number of illnesses, lack of food and social upheaval. Without any previous warning, Petaquilla is setting off heavy explosives near the homes of local residents.

As was to be expected, the Petaquilla stock is actively being pumped on the web by hustlers and online pimps operating from Panama on the very edge of legality.

ANAM, as usual, does nothing

The company does not even have the required permits nor have any environmental impact studies (obligatory in Panama) been done about its activities, but ANAM does nothing to stop the onslaught. Those who protest are threatened, and the mining robber barons employ their own paramilitary thug squad to suppress dissent.

In short, Petaquilla brings death and destruction instead of development and prosperity. The only ones to benefit from its nefarious activities are (foreign) stock holders and local politicians/officials on the take. In fact, one such politician, Richard Fifer, was appointed president of Petaquilla. Fifer is a former governor of the Coclé province under indictment for embezzlement of public funds. President Martin Torrijos, a friend of Fifer, has ordered the prosecution of this corrupto to be stalled.

Meanwhile, the Canadian partners of Fifer are distancing themselves of him.

This is part 2 in a series about foreign investment that really is foreign destruction.