Haiti - Politics: Civil Society Organizations oppose mining in Haiti
In a note, representatives of civil society organizations for the protection of human rights: GARR, the Platform of Haitian Human Rights Organizations (POHDH), the National Network for the Defense of Human Rights Human Rights (RNDDH) and the National Episcopal Justice and Peace Commission (CE-JILAP) are opposed to the exploitation of metal mining resources in Haiti.
Referring to the statement of general policy of the Prime Minister, Jack Guy Lafontant in which it's question of a "new bill that will regulate and allow mining while minimizing negative impacts on the environment," the organizations say "that the Haitian authorities are fooling the population."
"It is a bad propaganda to make believe that the exploitation of the mines can be a factor of economic development for the country. Previous experience has shown that the exploitation of metal mines has only increased people's misery, caused epidemics and caused phenomena such as environmental degradation and migration," denounced Alermy Piervilus, Executive Secretary of POHDH.
These organizations have addressed the State a set of recommendations very hostile to the metal mining in the country in which they warn the new government and parliamentarians "about the devastating consequences of metal mining on the environment and inhabitants of the communities concerned ". They urge the Ministry of the Environment and other relevant ministries to provide the country with an environmental protection policy adapted and applied to the Haitian reality before continuing any mining process in the country.
