Dominican Republic,
DR-CAFTA & Extractive Industries
Prepared for TradeJustice NY Metro by Howl J. Baggins
of Global Justice for Animals and the Environment
Protests/Movements there:
United Communities’ Small Farmers Movement (MCCU - Movimiento Campesino de la Comunidades Unidas)(6)
‘Toy Jarto Pero Creo en Mi Pais’ (7)
Environmental Commission of the Santo Domingo Autonomous University (UASD) (7)
Free Trade Agreement with implications for extractive industries
CAFTA, including chapter 10 state-investor ruleschapter 10 of trade agreement (8)
major corporations:
Barrick Gold
Consorcio Minero Dominicano? (Comidom)
actions of (corporate name):
Barrick Gold: invested $3 billion in several mines across country (1)
Barrick Gold: has 34 subsidaries (2)
Barrick Gold: abusing workers? (2)
Barrick Gold: Barrick Gold has been questioned for pretending environmental clauses in contract are “non-binding” and over food poisoning that occurred in January of 2009 (2)
Barrick Gold: intoxicated 400 workers at mine with unknown chemical because of unsafe conditions(3)
Barrick Gold: Dominican Minister of the Environment has suggested a revision of the contract with in order to have them pay for the destruction they have brought to the environment (4)
Barrick Gold: Deforestation is a serious problem in the Dominican Republic, and a source of contention between the government and the rural population (5)
Consorcio Minero Dominicano: plans of building a cement factory in Los Haitises, a very biodiverse area filled with endangered species, and the land over rich rests an important junction through which 50% of the nation's water comes from (6) DEFEATED: it is relocated, thanks to a report by the UN Development Programme , and lots of public pressure! (9)
environment:
tropical zone.
environmental risks:
as a tropical zone, with high levels of biodiversity, as well as underground systems of water that citizens depend on, we can clearly see what could possibly go wrong
Possible Allies?
Valerie Julliand, the resident coordinator of the UN program. She apparently likes how Dominicans got out and protested the building of the cement factory. maybe she'd be interested in supporting Dominicans getting out and protesting Barrick Gold's mines, and even doing an environmental report like the one her program did on the cement factory? (7)
other groups that have done work in country, and what campaign they worked on:
“The Gonzalo camp”, “Camp for Solidarity” located in “Gonzalo Municipal District, Province of Monte Plata” (6) (probably defunct after their victory against Comidom): worked on fighting against the building of the cement factory in Los Haitises
Potential Campaigns
* Campaign to Oppose Gold Mine and Support Trade Act
* Multinational Dirty Gold Campaign (see Chile report)
* Multinational Campaign Against Barrick Gold (US, Peru, Canada, DR, Chile, Argentina, etc.)
Sources:
(1) http://www.dominicantoday.com/dr/economy/2009/2/10/31036/Barrick-Gold-to-invest-more-than-US3B-in-Dominican-mine
(2) http://www.dominicantoday.com/dr/local/2010/6/11/35987/Official-probe-another-setback-for-Barrick-Golds-Dominican-mine
(3) http://protestbarrick.net/article.php?id=576
(4) http://www.dominicantoday.com/dr/economy/2010/3/9/35046/Dominican-Republics-Environment-chief-wants-Barrick-Golds-contract
(5) http://network.speleogenesis.info/directory/bibliography/karstbase/item_view.php?biblio_id=6990
(6) http://www.wrm.org.uy/bulletin/144/Dominican_Republic.html
(7) http://www.dominicancentral.com/newsarticle/un_slams_proposed_dominican_cement_factory/
(8) http://www.ustr.gov/sites/default/files/uploads/agreements/cafta/asset_upload_file328_4718.pdf
(9) http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/12/03/dominican-republic-factory-in-los-haitises-to-be-relocated/
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