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The special rapporteur of United Nations on Human Rights and the Environment, David Boyd, today recommended that Colombia suspend at least some of its operations in The Cerrejón, one of the largest coal mines in the world, for its environmental damage and minorities indigenous to the area.
“I call on Colombia to implement the directives of its own Constitutional Court to protect the vulnerable Wayúu community “said the expert in reference to the main indigenous community in the country.
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Boyd clarified that this is especially important in the current context of the pandemic of COVID-19 and stressed that at least the cessation of operations in the area of Tajo Patilla, near the indigenous zone of Provincial.
The rapporteur recalled that people living in areas with high air pollution are at greater risk to their health in the current pandemic. A December 2019 court order urged the Colombian authorities and the mine owners The Cerrejón to reduce farm emissions, considering that it had caused damage to the health of the natives of Provincial by polluting the air, water and vegetation.
(Context: Serious findings of the Comptroller’s Office on a stream diverted by Cerrejón)
Although EL TIEMPO consulted the Ministry of the Environment, the National Environmental Licensing Authority and the Ministry of Mines and Energy about the statements of the rapporteur, no response was obtained.
Meanwhile, in a press release, Cerrejón rejected Rapporteur Boyd’s assertions, and assured that, although he received a request for information from the UN on said effects, he is in the process of sending him his position.
It also ensures that, although there are damages, it is committed to respecting the environment and neighboring communities. “We make efforts to improve due diligence processes that seek to identify, prevent and mitigate the impacts generated by our operation, and to compensate them when necessary.”
And they add that they have complied with what was ordered by the Constitutional Court: they have installed 16 air quality monitoring stations (eleven at the mine, two on the railway line and three in Puerto Bolívar). They also add: “Cerrejón maintains a fluid and respectful dialogue with the Provincial community, which has expressed its desire to maintain a direct dialogue with the company to comply with the sentences.”
EFE
