May 2008:

70 thousand small-scale miners live from the extraction of gold
Monday, May 05, 2008
The confiscation of machinery and stimulates eviction protests in the
sector, which was extended to municipalities Raúl Leoni, Sucre and
Cedeño.

Isidro Casanova



Dallys Figueroa, industry Heart of Jesus, Dorado.Los The events of
recent days, related to the illegal extraction of gold by small miners,
in which there were evictions, confiscation and destruction of machinery
and equipment, and concluded with a protest closure the trunk road 10 or
international, leaving incommunicado transit to the Gran Sabana, Brazil
and other South American countries. The development of this critical
table, it is similar to the events of the past 20 years in the world of
small mining towns in the South, although three years ago, the protests
spread to the municipalities Raúl Leoni, Sucre and Cedeño.


Leaders miners estimate that in those municipalities there are about 70
thousand small-scale miners who live off the extraction of gold. Of
these 70 thousand small-scale miners, only 15% of available titles and
permits to work the land. The remaining works-and some already in the
traditional way - without permits or the Ministry of Mines, nor the
Ministry of Environment. Since the free use gold was banned from the
Government of Carlos Andrés Pérez, the security forces repelled
this activity, arguing further that cause ecological damage.

Leaders solidarity

The previous approaches are part of the portfolio demands of leadership
based on mining unit Minera del Sur, whose main leaders are Paul
Zambrano, Antonio Rivas, Pedro Romero, Dallys Figueroa, Jose Vargas and
others. The same approach is the only Central Mining and South-Cumis -
chaired by William Padilla, Thelmo Fajardo, as general manager and
others. These leaders have indicated to them is the possibility that
Rodolfo Sanz, new Minister of Basic Industries and Mining open dialogue
to take final decisions. They take into account the miners emerge until
stable jobs for miners, whether dealing with mines or companies,
conflicts could go repeating.

A leader who asked not be identified sentenced:

"Whenever you is gold, there will be miners", unless assigned productive
areas ".

The coexistence is indispensable

In a document circulated Jose Alexandria, leader of El Callao mining,
advocating reform of the Mining Act, proposed by the Unit Minera del
Sur, said that the miner needs to work in harmony, which proposes the
following understandings between the Government and small-scale mining:

-- Legalization of mining in Bolivar state. To stimulate investment and
socio-economic benefits for mining communities, including indigenous and
community councils. In the case of El Callao, is due to diversify the
economy by 90% strengthens artisanal mining. Incentives to productive
and trade in the region, with general support for the mining
authorities, consolidating the dialogue that would comprise the unit
Minera del Sur, mining communities, as cooperatives, small businesses
and others maintain educational programs and others.

Technology and finance

Meanwhile, Jesus Head, president of the cooperative mining Sheet Lata,
in the path of Anacoco said it expects to complete the studies being
done Ingeomín to reconsider a request for funding to install a plant
cyanidation; this within the new realities that are raises small-scale
mining. Remember that head about three years ago, who chairs the
cooperative submitted a request for funding by 2.6 billion bolivars and
that although the president of the republic, Hugo Chávez, gave its
approval, the money was never paid. He adds that he and the cooperative
did not surrender and prepare another document, this time with greater
economic and geological references.

We need strong titles

For his part, Felipe González, based in Santo Domingo Las Claritas,
Sifontes municipality, founder of the mining community El Nazareno,
expressed has been directed to the authorities in Mine mining plots to
ask for him and his companions, asking further that the Mining permits
delivered to them, are firm, to recruit technology and private
financing. In the absence of these resources, our informant remains in
an area which is claimed by licensed companies, which constitutes a
permanent threat of eviction and conflict.

What asking small miners?

The mining leadership now has the same approaches of the leaders of
yesterday, as demand for securities firm, sustainable for the small
miner; awarding studied areas that are productive; permits to transport
equipment and supplies, which include the Cavim supplying explosives,
following authorization by the Directorate for Armaments of the Armed
Forces-darf - as well as financing and technical assistance.

The ministries that have driven the gold activity and know the situation
has been that the request will be resolved, but lack decision-making.

This problem is complicated because the restructuring emerged as a
compensatory mechanism for miners evicted from the high Paragua and
other municipalities in the northeast of Bolivar. Proceeds from the
conversion offering financing to mining activity that change, leaving
the soil still gold in the rivers, over 1,200 projects for funding and
technology were presented to Mibam and Bandes. They say the same miners
that the response to this offer has been minimal, which deepens problems