Visitors from Amazon rainforest to meet anti-goldmine activists

INDIGENOUS and traditional community leaders from South America’s Amazon rainforest will visit the Sperrin mountains this weekend to discuss the potential environmental impact of goldmining on the local Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The Brazilian visitors will be hosted by members of local campaign group, Save Our Sperrins, which is opposed to controversial plans to build a goldmine outside Greencastle.

The men and women from the Munduruku and Kayapo territories are travelling to Ireland to discuss how the proposed goldmining in the Sperrins could affect the local environment.

They will be joined by representatives from the Lower Trombetas region, who have been protesting against bauxite mining taking place in the lands and forests that they have lived in for generations.

While the Amazon Basin is widely recognised for its importance as home to the world’s largest rainforest, the minerals beneath its soils and riverbeds are increasingly coveted by both smaller scale, unlicensed goldminers, and by large mining companies, many based in UK, Europe and North America.

Groups of indigenous peoples in the rainforest have been protesting against the damage this large-scale mining has done to the area.

Welcoming the visit, Save Our Sperrins chair, Fidelma O’Kane, said, “We look forward to hearing their stories, learning from their experiences and building solidarity.

“This visit highlights the growing awareness of the global issues caused by mining.

“In this time of climate and ecological crisis, the forests of the Amazon and the bogs of Ireland are invaluable carbon stores and must be afforded greater protection.”

The two groups will have the opportunity to share experiences tomorrow (Friday) evening in the An Creagan Centre, located between Omagh and Cookstown, when there will be a viewing of a film, ‘The Ailing Forest’, followed by a discussion.

Then, on Sunday, the visitors will be brought to the Beaghmore Stone Circles to learn more of the history of this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and meet with those opposed to goldmining in the foothills of the Sperrins.

Dalradian, the company that has lodged an application to build the goldmine and processing plant outside Greencastle, has maintained that it will be subject to strict safety regulations, and will transform the economy of the area.