Intag, Ecuador

Communities in Ecuador have encountered success in protecting ecologically diverse but vulnerable areas from mining. Communities like Junín and the Intag valley, home of EARTHWORKS partner organization Defensa y Conservación Ecologica de Intag (DECOIN), are now working to make sure that politicians follow through with promises to protect people and the environment.

Defending Intag

The Intag valley and its cloud forests, home to 18,000 farmers and to jaguars, howler monkeys, and spectacled bears, represents one of the last of the rapidly disappearing western Ecuador forests and a big part of a hotspot of global biodiversity.¹ So when Canadian mining company Ascendant Copper proposed the development of a copper mine in the area, residents resisted the incursion and recently won an important victory.

Junín and the Intag area had experience dealing with foreign mining corporations. In the 1990s they stopped Bishimetals's mining activities after they had begun exploration within the community's protected forests.

Ascendant acquired concessions for the cloud forest region in 2003 on the southern side of the Toisan, a mountain range that forms a natural border between Intag and the Cotacachi-Cayapas Ecological Reserve,² which protects a large part of the 10 percent of forests remaining in western Ecuador.³

The community of Junín, the proposed site for the mine, remained as strongly opposed to Ascendant as they had been with Bishimetals. Intag resident Carlos Zorrilla had co-founded the organization DECOIN to protect the region's pristine environment and natural resources. Working with local communities, DECOIN helped establish an organic, shade-grown coffee cooperative, a community-run eco-tourism project, and 15 community-based ecological reserves that protect local watersheds. These projects have shown that Junín residents can engage in sustainable livelihoods and do not need Ascendant's mine.

Faced with the community's solid opposition, the mining company sought to entice community members to its side and became aggressive towards others. Community defenders were often harassed and intimidated by Ascendant staff. A public smear campaign against DECOIN accused its leaders of being corrupt and pocketing money from illegal logging and international development aid. Carlos, his colleagues, and their families also received death threats. On several occasions they even faced violence by Ascendant security forces, especially in 2006 when security forces invaded the community protected area.

After four years of struggle, the government ruled in September 2007 that the mining company had to cease its activities in the area because it had failed to notify the Cotacachi city government before commencing exploration.⁴ In a more definitive victory, the national Constituent Assembly revoked two of the three concessions held by Ascendant at Junín in January 2008. The community nonetheless remains vigilant as change in national policy continues.

Defending Ecuador

Following on the steps of destructive oil drilling in Ecuador, metals mining has already threatened communities and the environment in many areas around the country in addition to the Intag area. Fortunately, affected community members have organized to oppose these destructive projects and caused the government to begin to reform mining policy.

In January 2008, in a move that affected the Junín concessions and communities all over the country, Ecuador revoked 587 mining concessions on technical grounds. The government is also planning a series of mining reforms that could raise environmental standards and give greater public control on the country's mining development.

Ecuador set up a Constituent Assembly in November 2007 that is working on a new Constitution and policies on topics such as mining.⁵ Draft assembly mining policy documents have been circulating and suggest a range of possible changes to national mining law. Unfortunately, the voices of the communities affected by mining and oil drilling may be drowned out by mining industry lobbyists that have been trying to influence the Assembly members. Many would like to see a ban on all large-scale metals mining in the country, but the Assembly may not take such bold steps. President Correa, who once called for a ban on destructive open-pit mining,⁶is supporting eight mining projects as being "areas of national interest," and has threatened community activists.⁷

[Updated 15 April, 2008]

1. Conservation International, "Biodiversity hotspots: Tumbes-Chocó-Magdalena,"www.biodiversityhotspots.org/xp/Hotspots/ tumbes_choco (accessed July 31, 2007).
2. "Standard & Poor's corporate descriptions plus news," s.v. "Ascendant Copper Corp.," June 16, 2007.
3. Conservation International, "Biodiversity hotspots: Tumbes-Chocó-Magdalena," www.biodiversityhotspots.org/xp/Hotspots/tumbes_choco(accessed July 31, 2007).
4. "Ascendant-MMP Dialogue Continues." Ecuador Mining News. September 29, 2007.
5. Alonso Soto. Ecuador mining to move on after new constitution. Reuters. 3 April 2008.
6. Alonso Soto. "Ecuador wants mining reforms via assembly." Reuters. August 22, 2007.
7. "Gobierno define a ocho proyectos en materia minera como de interés nacional; Ocho proyectos mineros están en la mira del Régimen." El Comercio. "Mining companies set to renegotiate contracts in Ecuador." Latinnews Daily. February 11, 2008.