Call for rights activists to be protected

Rights activists supporting indigenous people in Colombia whose land is being exploited by one of the largest open cast coal mines in South America have been threatened. The ‘Stop Blood Coal Alliance’ has said that it is “extremely worried” about the safety of communities in La Guajira, in particular, their leaders who have received death threats in recent weeks its asking the Irish government to intervene.

Ireland is a major importer of Colombian coal which provides 60% of the imports for the Moneypoint Power Station in Co Clare.

This report from Green News ie:

“An Irish civil society coalition has called on the new Irish embassy in Bogota to intervene to protect communities and activists in a coal mining region in the north of Colombia.

“In a letter sent to the embassy last week, the Stop Blood Coal Alliance said that it is “extremely worried” about the safety of communities in La Guajira, in particular, their leaders who have received death threats in recent weeks.

“La Guajira – one of the poorest regions of Colombia – is home to Cerrejón mine, one of the largest open-pit coal mines in the world. Cerrejón produces and exports over 30 million tonnes of coal a year.

“Cerrejon is of particular interest to Ireland as the Coal Marketing Company (CMC), responsible for marketing coal from the mine, is based in Dublin….”

Link to full report:

https://greennews.ie/colombian-embassy-urged-to-must-suppo…/

Image: The vast Cerrejon open cast coal mine with Ireland’s largest power station at Moneypoint inset.

Related link ‘Blood Coal’ video;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=23&v=-Oz7LTRaxtc

Bernard Moffatt

Assistant General Secretary

Celtic League