|
Link-ups | come on everybody, we gotta linkup |
|
Home
Page | Join | Education | Book Store | Publications
| Magazine |
||
| ||||||
|
OMAI UPDATE The Omai gold mine disaster did not end in August of 1995. For the Essequibans in Guyana, it is only the biggest link in a continuing chain of pollution and injury. While the August 19th disaster made the headlines, the resumption of operations in 1996 and the continuous dumping of chemicals into the river up to this very day has been ignored - except for the people that have to live with it. Yet their demands for medical care, attention, and justice continue not to be heard - not in Georgetown nor in North America. Led by Dr. Gustav Jackson, A Guyanese geologist and environmental Scientist, a group of professionals from both Guyana and North America has come together to secure a basic human right of the people of the Essequibo: clean drinking water. Even the Omai gold mine does not deny that it is pumping chemicals used or contaminated in its mining process into the Essequibo River. It does claim, however, that these poisons are "safe". "Cyanide Is a Poison" After a small spill that occurred 6 months before the Big Spill of '95, Dr.Jackson said, "Cyanide is a poison - there are no safe poisons". This is why the US EPA has a zero discharge standard for gold mines using cyanide. Omai, however, has completely ignored this and other safety standards designed to protect the health, safety, and welfare of people. It is important to keep in mind that cyanide is but one chemical of concern, all of which present a threat to many forms of life both immediately and into the future. It's worse than Jim Jones. At Jonestown, Jim Jones forced the community to drink cyanide and ultimately shared their fate of death. Louis P. Gignac, President of Cambior, the owner/operator of Omai, is forcing the people of the Essequibo to use contaminated water not even bothering to respond to the people's continued complaints of illness and injury. Even Jim Jonesdid not insult his followers by telling them that cyanide was safe but Louis P. Gignac claims that the mine tailings are "safe" when released never offering to talk directly to the residents nor hear first hand the truth about what his mine is doing downstream. "Development Must Not Be At the Expense of the Lives of People" Vivian Fredericks, an Amerindian leader, spoke for all Guyanese when he said, "we welcome development but it must not be at the expense of the lives of indigenous people." It is the height of insanity to place a higher value on gold than water. The international and national economy place a higher price on gold than water because water is assumed to be plentiful, clean, and cheap. But give a thirsty man in the desert a choice between an ounce of gold and water and then we see which one has greater value. Like King Midas before he discovered that his golden touch prevented him from eating or drinking because his food and water also turned to gold, we must not forget where our true treasure lies: a clean, healthy environment for ourselves, our children, and elders. Community Support The people of the Essequibo need your support to regain their dignity and basic human right to clean water. Poverty should not mean that people have to accept death, disease, and destruction. The poisoning of well water by Serbian troops is considered a war crime yet if it is associated with Omai it is called "progress". The greatest irony is that it is unnecessary. It is possible to have a profitable mine yet not pollute the people's water. Only by expressing your outrage over this brutal assault on innocent people will this brazen human rights violation be stopped. Cambior is counting on your silence. The people of the Essequibo need your voice. SAXAKALI June 2, 1999
|
|
Home
Page | Join | Education | Book Store | Publications
| Magazine Send mail to info@saxakali.com
with questions or comments about this web site. |