Agenzia Fides

Zamora (Agenzia Fides) -The forum "The Church before the mega mining projects", organized by the Social Pastoral in the south of the country, including the jurisdictions of Zamora Chinchipe Azuay, Azogues, Oro and Loja, mainly interested in the issue, takes place today, June 15, in the city of Zamora (Zamora Chinchipe). The forum will discuss issues related to the mining activity: environmental issues; the loss of security and food sovereignity; the vulnerability of social, cultural, environmental rights; immigration and emigration. As a picture to this forum what should be noted is that the Bishops, who gathered for the General Assembly in April (see Fides 24/04/2012), had expressed their support for the care and preservation of the environment with the letter: " We care for our planet." According to the statement sent to Fides Agency from the Vicariate of Zamora, the main speaker at the forum today is His Exc. Mgr. Julio Parrilla, Bishop of Loja, who will speak on the theme "Contributions of the Magisterium and of the Church's social doctrine." Txarli Azcona Goni will talk about the theme: "Experiences of resistance to the vulnerability of the rights of nature and community"; Mr. Eduardo Calva on the "Position of the State before the mining projects"; Mauricio López and Teodoro Delgado on "The impact of socio-cultural and environmental pollution caused by mega mining projects. "
Last week there was a meeting regarding the responsibles of the mining sector in Ecuador and Peru, for effective control of companies working in this field. The Deputy Minister of the mining industry said that the authorization process for 68 plants for the extraction of minerals, which are asked not to flush the waste into nearby rivers and to build suitable filters in accordance with the Provincial Council of the area, has started. One of the commitments made during the meeting was that the Office for the Regulation of mining activities will monitor the control, together with the Ministry of Environment for the enforcement of environmental laws in the border area. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 15/6/2012)