El Comercio - Quito - Ecuador | 28 de abril del 2008

http://tinyurl.com/3zrrpc

Environmentalism overwhelmed the patience of President Correa.

In his radio [address], the chief executive railed against the radical positions and threatened to apply all the weight of the Law.

President Rafael Correa made a call yesterday to the militants of his government to reject the positions of certain fundamentalist groups that try to take measures of protest against the Mining Mandate, approved by the Assembly two weeks ago.

He said this during his radio [address] in Zaruma in which he clarified that this document is of joint responsibility between the Executive and this latest instance, presided over by Alberto Acosta (Acuerdo País).

The pronouncement of Correa comes one week after the pro-government block passed one of its trials by fire with the approval of this mandate that threw out 3100 concessions.

That, despite a sector of official assembly members close to Acosta and Mónica Chuji that was not in absolute agreement with the position of the Regime, especially on the question of consultation and previous consent of the indigenous communities where mining and other resources are located.

“We believe in socially, economically, and environmentally responsible mining” Correa said, but he reiterated his call to avoid radical positions and to reject anarchist postures, which he did not specify.

In any case, it is a fact that the chief executive differs with the positions of people near Alberto Acosta, like the activist of Ecological Action, Esperanza Martínez, whom he questioned in the penultimate meeting that he held with its members en Manta.

“We make a call to stop the wagon to this hundred of furious crazy people financed by the foreigner [outside]” and he asked "what country in the world prohibits mining?" 15% of the GDP of Canada, for example, is due to mining, argued Correa.

He clarified that the goods and the properties of the mining companies that are included in the Mandate will be protected by the State until the new legal framework that will regulate the sector is ready.

“Any attack on private property is illegal, the State guarantees to the companies the integrity of its goods and legitimately acquired lands,” he said.

And he was clear: “If they bring out 200 people, I make a call so that 200,000 citizens come out,”, threatened Correa and he ratified that he will not allow interference/stoppages(?) nor methods of action where all the rigor of the Law will be applied.

“There are honest people but totally mistaken, they have a straight intent but terrible ways,” he reiterated without giving names.

In that line, the chief executive reiterated that the Assembly will this week eliminate subcontracting. [refers to government work, not mining] The mandate, he said, looks for fairness in labor relations and will end the abuses of certain labor aristocracy.

“We will review the contracts of the public sector, that have removed the head of the State,” he said and he announced that the task will be realised within 180 days.

This last pronouncement of Correa occurs a few days before this Wednesday, when the Assembly resolves this subject just before a long four day holiday decreed Friday by the chief executive on the occasion of the International Day of Labor, the 1st of May. On this date, various union organizations close to the MPD intend to carry out their traditional march. A change of date is not considered.

[translation-ebear]

This was a tough one. Spanish is a convoluted language compared to English - lots of reflexive verbs and figures of speech that don't translate very well. I keep to the text as much as possible, which is why it sounds awkward at times. I'm aiming for clarity, not style.

ebear