Fausto:

The canton of Las Naves resembles a paradise. We are blessed with stunning water sources flowing down from the highlands of Nave Chico, which nourish our many streams and rivers. 

That’s why the people of Las Naves are fighting to save our environment, water, and food production.

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Since 2006, mining firm Curimining has obtained several concessions and begun exploring the area around Las Naves, in central Ecuador.

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The Curipamba gold and copper mine is set to be the country’s third large-scale mine in operation.

But the project faces opposition from most residents of local communities, many of them small-scale farmers.

Miriam:

Before the arrival of the mining company, we lived peacefully. But now there’s chaos.

Our livelihoods depend on agriculture. We oppose the mining company because the negative impact isn’t hypothetical — it’s very real.

Alejandra:

[The mine] already did the initial and advanced explorations, so they want to exploit even though they’ve never consulted the community.

The mining activity in Curipamba will go on for 10 years. But after its conclusion, the tailings dam will remain there. 

The communities are situated just a few kilometers away [from it], making their concern about the potential collapse of the tailings dam entirely justified.

Given the ineffectiveness of government oversight, legitimate concerns arise. 

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Mining copper and gold involves the use of chemicals such as arsenic that end up in the waste or tailings dam, risking contamination of water sources.

Alejandra:

This is open-pit mining, so it’s going to use chemicals to do the separation of the ore from the target metals.

We all know that arsenic is a highly poisonous contaminant … supposedly they say that in certain quantities it’s not toxic, but that’s what they have to inform people about.

Miriam:

The advanced stage of this mining project poses a significant threat, affecting not only Las Naves but also the entire province of Bolívar and neighboring provinces.

The highlands of Las Naves play a crucial role as the source of water springs that extend to other regions.

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The communities, aware of these risks, are taking measures to secure their water source, including constructing a pipeline to bypass legal restrictions on accessing the mine area.

Miriam:

Now we are engaged in the water project, which is a mechanism to block the advancement of the mining company by using the constitutional priority granted to us for water. 

But unfortunately the regional governments have not respected this law. 

The Constitution gives us the right of resistance.

They’ve laid more than 6 kilometers (about 4 miles) of underground pipe.

Citing their constitutional right to freshwater, the community of Jerusalen also decided to build a water tank despite legal restrictions.

This tank will provide water for more than 700 people in the community.

We don’t want yellow gold, no thanks. We don’t want destruction, no thanks. Water isn’t sold, water is defended. Say no to mining.