Lexi Carver

The story about the fight against mining companies in the Intag region, Ecuador, attracted the interest of activists, journalists, documentary filmmakers and researchers. Intag is located in the northeast of the country and has a lot of ecological significance as it is a protected tropical reserve among the Andes that enjoys great biodiversity. Here is the Toisán Mountain Range, from where about twenty rivers of crystalline water originate that give life to the Intag River. This river flows between the mountains until it reaches Esmeraldas – the Ecuadorian coast -, supplying water to many rural communities and biomes.

Since the nineties of the last century, the communities of Intag have fought for their rights. The Constitution of Ecuador (2008) indicates that decisions that have an impact on the environment need to previously include the opinions of the residents. But, Intag has suffered some illegal actions by international mining companies and the governments in power, such as repeated invasions to force communities to sacrifice their land, water sources and ways of life. The residents have fought incessantly against environmental pollution and the eviction of their homes.

Intag is a high-risk area for mining since it is located in a seismic zone and has a very irregular topography. Furthermore, it is a water recharge area and there are no studies or knowledge about the underground water network. This is a dangerous issue because water surfaces when there are advanced exploration drillings, such as the Llurimagua mining project or what happened with the Bishimetals company that contaminated the Junín River (a community in Intag) where water has continued to flow for 25 years. years. The problem persists with the National Mining Company (Enami EP) and Codelco (Chile), which since December 2015 had new water outcrops, including thermal type. The rupture of the mine dams is also a threat since it could spill millions of cubic meters of toxic waste that would contaminate the water in many territories of the province of Imbabura.

Many of Intag’s residents have taken strategic and creative nonviolent actions to resist the invasion of mining companies. There were, to name a few cases, forms of self-organization in order to create control points and prevent companies from entering some towns. Community volunteers blocked the streets peacefully, but firmly rejecting company representatives from entering their territories. On the other hand, the community has also investigated the damage that mining left in the Intag valley, both in health and in agriculture. This has led to legal cases being filed in the courts to demand their rights. Meanwhile, they rejected bribes and threats from companies that have tried to manipulate them into buying their land. These actions have sometimes been successful, but peaceful struggle and resistance continues.

A famous case refers to the known events in the town of Junín (Intag), portrayed in the documentaries After the fog and Under rich soils. The mining company Ascendent Copper hired private paramilitaries to intimidate the residents and force them to hand over their lands, however, a group of residents decided to confront them despite the risk to their lives. In this case, their knowledge of the forest and the land was a great advantage: they disarmed the paramilitaries without violence (they stole their weapons), directed them to a church, and then reported them to the police.

What has happened since those famous 2006 events in Junín with the paramilitaries and Ascendent Copper? Paúl Gualotuña, an Intag activist, has shared the story from his perspective for this publication.

Paúl is an unusual case: he grew up near Quito and came to Intag as an adult. The experience changed his life, he moved to Intag and stayed to support the fight. He has lived in Intag from 2004 to the present. Over time, Paúl joined an organization called the Intag Agroecological Farmers Association (ACAI) and worked with other organizations dedicated to protecting agricultural land and the ecological region. In 2008, he said, the Constitution changed under the presidency of Rafael Correa and nationalized mining, but it did not transform the situation. The cycles of oppression have been repeated many times and have even deepened, he maintains.

One of the most creative forms of nonviolent resistance employed by communities in Intag is to develop an alternative economy to protect their land and way of life. They opened cafes and coffee shops that told the story of resistance, promoted tourism to the communities due to their great biodiversity, supported women’s groups to sell artisanal products, among others. These actions are forms of resistance that attempt to break the idea of ​​“progress” in mining and also seek to persuade more residents to join the fight in the hope of a better future.

Paúl admits that sometimes this economy is not very easy: coffee prices can fluctuate or are controlled by the government. Another challenge is the formation of new leadership that requires time, discussion and training. There are people within the community who do not agree with the methods or actions of the leadership and the ways of resisting mining. There were violent fights between companies and residents, attacks, social division and accusations of terrorism. In 2014, for example, the government illegally imprisoned the president of the Junín community, Javier Ramírez, and accused his brother of committing crimes. Javier was detained on false charges near Quito while he was returning to Intag after a meeting with the Minister of the Interior. A month later, the police arrived in Intag after clashes between farmers and Ecuador’s National Mining Company, Enami.

The tension between companies and communities is strong, but there is also a lot of tension between members of the communities. Not everyone agrees. Some sold their land to mining companies or decided to work for them, hoping to pay for a better education for their sons and daughters or wanting more financial security for their families. Relationships with Intag people who disagreed were not easy and often broke down completely.

Paúl emphasizes the importance of talking to people who think differently at Intag, discussing the impact of mining, fostering the understanding that people have more than one option. He said that the story of economic poverty caused some people to want mining, for that reason it was necessary to offer alternatives to sustain their lives and remove worries. “There are different types of poverty,” he comments. During the COVID19 pandemic, the community realized that they were not going to lack food like in the cities.” One of Paúl’s objectives is to convince the community that the fight is not between the residents, that everyone needs sustenance and can act as companions to find the best way to move forward.

Paúl’s perspective is common among nonviolent movements, which are statistically more successful than violent movements. Discipline and strategic planning are necessary to develop an alternative economy, push for court cases, the need to offer alternative jobs for people who are concerned about their financial security, the effort to unite different factions with negotiation, self-organization to prevent the incursion of mining companies and open all possible channels to achieve justice.

Paúl doesn’t know if this fight will ever end, but more people come to help. International groups have helped bring court cases and pressured companies to change their corrupt practices. Meanwhile, the inhabitants of Intag continue fighting to protect their territories: they have built a municipal ordinance called the Intag Toisán Municipal Conservation and Sustainable Use Area (Acusmit), which has an area of ​​126,967.5 hectares and is aimed at the protection and care of water and forest remnants.

We invite you to read the history and most recent mining projects on Intag:

Decoin

The problematic Llurimagua mining project in Ecuador

Ecuador’s mining delusion: some hard truths (English)

A brief history of resistance to mining in Intag, Ecuador (English)

Lexi Carver

Was an intern in Quito (Ecuador) at Cemproc, from January to May 2022. Who studies conflict resolution at the University of Massachusetts, Boston (USA) and is interested in nonviolent movements to improve social conflicts, protect vulnerable people and build peace.

Translated by Damian Vasquez