North East Open Cast Conference

Protester Shot in Ecuador

Anti-mining protests earlier this month were met with police violence in Ecuador. Activists were beaten and detained; one was shot in the head.

The Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE) and a number of farmer and environmental organizations are protesting the recent approval of a mining law by Congress, opening the country to large-scale metal mining. Canadian mining companies would benefit from many of the concessions.

The CONAIE and other organizations contend that the new law will allow large-scale mining in protected areas and contaminate critical community water supplies. The CONAIE is also protesting government plans to drill for oil in the Yasuni National Park, the rainforest home of two indigenous communities in voluntary isolation.

http://www.regenwald.org/international/englisch/protestaktion.php?id=350

Walk of proposed opencast site

The good folks from the NO OPENCAST TODAY OR TOMORROW campaign have invited us along to walk the site that U:K coal are planning to destroy with a surface mining 'development'. This walk will outline the site that U:K coal plan to mine and we should hopefully see some of the wildlife that is under threat. Lunch will be provided in the community centre after the walk.
When: Sunday 18th Jan
Where: 9.45am Dipton community centre http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&tab=wl Why: why not?
The n.o.t.t campaign has fought a long battle with U:K coal to stop the open casting of the Derwent valley. The political climate is currently in favour of coal extraction at any cost community, ecology,climate.The application is due to be heard around April by Durham/Derwentside county council. Please help stop the needless destruction of the Pont valley sign the on-line petition at www.pontvalley.net or even better write to county hall but best of all get out on the walk this coming Sunday. Please forward this mail to publicise this