Fundación Raíz CAEMBA highlights a humane approach to address the effects of illegal mining in Ecuador
As a young leader of the A’i Kofan nationality recounted how mercury has sickened her community, her voice betrayed deep concern and the weight of accumulated fatigue. She described how illegal mining has brought blood, violence, disease, human trafficking, alcohol, drugs, prostitution and death, plunging her people into a situation of extreme vulnerability. Her words, full of truth and pain, reflect the feelings of many indigenous women who, in silence, face a struggle that threatens their bodies, their lands and their cultures.
This was the setting for the First International Workshop on the Effects of Illegal Mining, organized by Fundación Raíz CAEMBA, which for years has worked closely with indigenous communities through its “Indigenous Peoples and Nationalities” program. This work has made it possible to identify illegal mining as a risk that generates profound impacts on their territories and ways of life. For two days (December 16 and 17, 2024), actors from the public sector, international organizations, the media and, above all, the voices of indigenous communities exposed the true impact of this problem, not only on the environment, but also on human life.
Effects on communities, the local economy and a new legal approach
During the workshop, it became clear how illegal mining, in addition to causing irreversible environmental damage, has had a serious impact on the communities’ main livelihood: agriculture.
Within the framework of one of its most important projects of the “Indigenous Peoples and Nationalities” program, Fundación Raíz determined that in the territories of the Chachi, A’i Kofán and Kichwa nationalities (corresponding to the FCUNAE), there are areas where illegal mining activities are taking place. The field survey carried out by the technical team identified the presence of narco-guerrilla groups exploiting gold ore in nine Chachi communities, while in the A’i Kofán nationality, two communities located on the banks of the Aguarico River were found with illegal mining activities, and in the Kichwa communities, seven communities were detected where these practices are also carried out.
State neglect and lack of protection have left these populations in a situation of extreme vulnerability and helplessness, in addition to the disproportionate impact of this crime on indigenous peoples. Faced with this, the experts proposed a new legal approach, pointing out that, although the environmental impact has been the predominant focus, focusing the struggle on the defense of the human rights of the communities can be a more effective and powerful way to strengthen legal strategies and make this problem more visible.
The event brought together key actors such as UNODC, WWF, USAID, Fundación Pachamama, the Andean Court of Justice, the Attorney General’s Office, the Central Bank of Ecuador, the Internal Revenue Service, the Superintendency of Banks and journalists from renowned media outlets such as Mongabay Latam and Código Vidrio, along with representatives of the Chachi, A’i Kofan, Siekkopai, Kichwa of the FCUNAE, Sionas, and Waorani and Sapara nationalities, among others.
Testimonials that make the reality of women’s lives more visible
As the main victims, indigenous women shared powerful testimonies about the impact of illegal mining on their health and on the social fabric of their communities. Strong and determined voices were raised on behalf of their peoples to denounce the devastating effects of this activity:
- Mercury and other pollutants are seriously affecting the health of their families.
- Mining has brought human trafficking, prostitution, gender-based violence, alcoholism and drug use, plunging communities into vulnerability and silencing them with fear.
Each testimony reflects an inescapable reality: women are at the center of a struggle that threatens their bodies, their homes and their cultures.
The resilience of communities depends on their collective efforts to confront the disproportionate impacts of environmental degradation, which especially affect children, women and men.
The workshop concluded with an urgent call to strengthen public policies, defend human rights and strengthen the capacities of indigenous peoples and nationalities, promoting their resilience. The need for intersectoral collaboration was highlighted as a key way to address illegal mining from a holistic approach, protecting not only the environment, but also the life and social frame of communities.
