(prensa.com) Members of the Coordinating Committee for the Defence of Natural Resources and the Law of the People Ngäbe Bugle and Peasants, and government representatives led by the Minister of the Presidency, Demetrio Papadimitriu, last night reached an agreement that put an end to protests against the recent amendments to the Code of Mineral Resources, which lasted for almost 96 continuous hours and left at least 21 wounded, including four policemen, 14 detainees and material losses due to the closure of the American way at several points.
The agreement was signed following a meeting in the Prayer Center Virgen del Camino, in San Felix, Chiriqui, where the executive authorities arrived, just after 7:10 pm Papadimitriu addition, the government commission was composed of the Minister of Government, Roxana Mendez, director of the Maritime Authority of Panama, Roberto Linares, and by the Bishop of David, Jose Luis Lacunza, and Members of Osman Gómez Panama, Rogelio Baruch for Democratic Change, Irene Gallegos’s Party and Crescencia Prado, the Democratic Revolutionary Party, the latter of the region Ngäbe Bugle.
The first five points of the agreement, approved in less than 20 minutes, were the installation of a high-level committee, comprising representatives of government and the Coordinadora, the creation of a law explicitly prohibiting mining in the region and protect water resources, which would initiate a dialogue on 1 March in San Felix, Chiriqui, to analyze item by item of Act 8 of 2011, the release of all detainees, no retaliation against the leaders of the Coordination and support the Government to the victims after riots last Saturday, and the designation of the Catholic Church as a mediator and guarantor of the dialogue.
Then put on the table Papadimitriu sixth point: the immediate reopening of all roads, which was approved shortly before 9:00 pm, not without being given a tense break in which the Indians left the enclosure discuss the terms.
Last night, the Coordinator began to clear the American way, and David got the commission released six detainees held at police headquarters.
Green light for Koreans
The Korean consortium, led by state Kores, reported that recently received approval from the Government of Panama to develop copper mine in this country. It refers to the Panama mining project in the province of Colon. Kores, together with LS-Nikko Copper Inc., will invest approximately $ 1.000 million to acquire 20% stake in Panama copper project, according to a notice on the website of Shanghai Metals Market, a site specializing in business news of metals in China.
The obstacle to Kores could invest in the project was the Mineral Resources Code, but with its amendment already allows foreign states or to obtain concessions in financing local projects.
The reform will also allow the Panamanian government received before the first half of 2011, at least $ 8.93 million in two fixed payments to be made by the mining companies, excluding royalties, fees and other modifications. The government said last year that estimated the extractive industry receive at least $ 1.000 million in taxes and royalties to finance its ambitious investment plan.
Mary Triny zea
Uncertainty about the future of Gómez Nadal
Spanish journalist and human rights activist Paco Gómez Nadal, who was arrested on Saturday when he was in a protest against mining, was released yesterday under the orders of Migration. It was reported that verifies their legal status. Gómez Nadal and his partner, the Spanish journalist Pilar Chato, were reprimanded by a magistrate for taking part in a protest. Mauro Zúñiga civilian leader said the government shows double standard in this case, because he wants to deport those who defend human rights and signed agreements in parallel to exploit foreigners come to our soil.