Picolotti denunció amenazas de mineras y en especial de Barrick ante el Parlamento Canadiense

La ex secretaria de Ambiente argentina Romina Picolotti testificó hoy ante una comisión parlamentaria canadiense que recibió amenazas contra ella y sus hijos por parte de compañías mineras extranjeras cuando intentó endurecer los requisitos medioambientales del sector, informó la prensa local.

Según la edición digital del periódico The Toronto Star, Picolotti testificó a través de videoconferencia ante el comité de Asuntos Exteriores de la Cámara de los Comunes del Parlamento canadiense, como parte de los debates del proyecto de ley, con el que Ottawa busca ejercer un mayor control sobre las multinacionales canadienses que poseen minas en países en desarrollo.“Yo y mi personal más cercano fuimos amenazados personal y físicamente tras nuestra intervención minero. Mis hijos fueron amenazados”.

Durante su declaración, la ex secretaria argentina, que ocupó el cargo de 2006 a 2008, dijo:“yo y mi personal más cercano fuimos amenazados personal y físicamente tras nuestra intervención minero. Mis hijos fueron amenazados”. Picolotti destacó que las empresas mineras fueron, de todos los sectores interesados, las que más se opusieron al endurecimiento de las normas medioambientales.

“Descubrí una y otra vez que los intereses mineros extranjeros en Argentina eran extremadamente adeptos a promover sus intereses con las instituciones políticas locales, muchas veces invitando a funcionarios y ministros a obtener lo que querían en asuntos sociales y medioambientales sensibles”, afirmó.

La ex funcionaria añadió que en su caso la presión se tradujo en dificultades para implementar las reformas medioambientales y finalmente en su dimisión.De aprobarse el proyecto de ley, presentado por el diputado liberal John McKay, las empresas mineras canadienses que no respeten en el extranjero normas internacionales de derechos humanos y medioambientales serían penalizadas.

Canadá cuenta con una de los sectores mineros más activos del mundo y las empresas canadienses constituyen los principales inversores del sector en muchas naciones latinoamericanas. Organizaciones no gubernamentales, como Rights Action, han denunciado en numerosas ocasiones que compañías mineras canadienses favorecen las violaciones de derechos humanos en el extranjero, especialmente en países en desarrollo.

Mining companies threatened me: Ex-Argentine minister – November 24, 2009 – Les Whittington – http://www.thestar.com/printarticle/730104

OTTAWA–A former Argentine environment minister told Members of Parliament today that she had been personally threatened and rendered ineffective as a result of the aggressive activities of foreign mining companies who objected to the government’s efforts to clean up mining operations in that country.

Testifying by video hook-up at hearings of the House of Commons foreign affairs committee, Romina Picolotti said foreign mining companies stood out from other business sectors in their resistance to Argentina’s bid to tighten up control over the environmental consequences of large-scale mining projects.

“I found, over and over again, that foreign mining interests in Argentina were extremely adept at leveraging their interests within the local political institutions, many times co-opting government officials and ministries to get their way on sensitive environmental and social issues that typically arise from large-scale mining investments,” she said.

Picolotti, now president of the Centre for Human Rights and Environment in her country, was environment minister in Argentina from 2006-08. While other business sectors understood the need to respect environmental and human rights standards, she testified, the mining sector was different.

“They were more stand-offish, more resistant, more aggressive and more dangerous,” Picolotti told MPs. “I and my closest staff were personally and physically threatened following our mining intervention. My children were threatened.”

As a result of threats and political pressure, her efforts to tighten up environmental standards at mines in Argentina were undercut and she was forced to resign, she said.

Canadian mining companies working abroad have consistently rejected such accusations, saying they operate in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations and adhere to high standards of ethical behaviour. Mining representatives say the companies view corporate social responsibility and environmental stewardship as fundamental to their business operations overseas and have made extensive efforts to uphold those standards.

Picolotti was testifying at Commons committee hearings into a private members’ bill intended to strengthen Ottawa’s control of Canadian multinationals running mines in developing countries.

If passed, Liberal MP John McKay’s legislation (Bill C-300) wouldgive the federal government the power to investigate complaints that Canadian mining operations overseas were not in compliance with international human rights and environmental standards. A company found not to be living up to those standards would be denied federal financial support by the Export Development Corp.

Hearings into the bill continue on Thursday. A final vote on the legislation in the Commons could take place early next year.

(EFE / Bahianoticias.com, 25/11/2009)