Neighbors of the Canadian-owned gold mine in Guerrero–a violent state in the south of Mexico–found a clandestine mass grave among the bushes and trees near a gravel road.
The macabre discovery from last week in Carrizalillo includes a hipbone, the remains of an arm, and fingers, wrapped in plastic and a purple cloth, according to AFP who was taken to the site by townspeople.
This is the fifth mass grave and the eight discovery of human remains that have been found in this zone since the end of October, adding to the sense of insecurity within neighbors, who think that the money made by the mines has attracted organized crime.
“Where there is honey, the bees will come,” said Ricardo Lopez, the 59 year-old cooper leader in charge of the Carrizalillo lands.
The mountain that was blown apart by open mining from Canadian company GoldCorp can be seen from the town of less than 1,000 people. The entrance is guarded by police.
The mine’s operating since 2007, employs 2,600 people from surrounding communities, and produces 258,700 ounces of gold per year.
At the same time that they are thankful for the work, people of Carrizalillo are sure that this new wealth comes hand-in-hand with gunfire, kidnappings, and extortion.
In addition to the discovery of the mass grave, at least one dozen people have been murdered since 2014.
Neighbors blame the situation on Guerreros Unidos (United Warriors), the drug cartel that presumably is responsible for the disappearance of the 43 Ayotzinapa students one year ago. Guerreros Unidos are involved in a bloody battle with their rivals, The Reds (Los Rojos).
Nonetheless, Carrizalillo is not the only municipality of Guerrero that has suffered violent episodes after a company arrives to exploit gold mines.
Two hours away by car one arrives at the coastal town of Nuevo Balsas, where neighbors assure that gunfire and kidnappings began when another Canadian mining company, Torex, discovered gold in 2012.
The last mass grave found in Carrizalillo was discovered by a peasant on the 17th of November.
Nelson Figueroa, Mayor of Carrizalillo and mine-worker for 34 years, says he reported it the following day to the District Attorney but was told that they were short on staff.
The area has not been sectioned off as a crime scene when AFP journalists arrived on the 20th. One week later, investigators still hadn’t been there.
The District Attorney has not responded to any of AFP’s questions, nor made comments about this subject.
Neighbors of Carrizalillo felt safer when the military was patrolling the community for two weeks this month but now that they have left people are worried that violence will return, that they will come back “to kill people,” confesses Figueroa.
Ricardo Lopez’s son, an ex-union mining leader of 39 years, was murdered by gunfire at ~25feet from the entrance to the mine, when they were returning home last August 2.
Since then, Lopez has not grown tired of asking GoldCorp to pay for escorts when employees leave and return to the mine of Los Filos (The Sharp Ones), but he assures that the company continually refuses.
Meanwhile, a police car from Guerrero served as private escort to a GoldCorp convoy headed to a closed event for engineers.
“GoldCorp is very worried with the level of violence that the communities surrounding the Los Filos mine are feeling. We will continue to hold Mexican authorities accountable to do what they can to combat this violence,” GoldCorp’s regional security director, Michael Harvey, said via email.
Violence carries with it a “financial cost for GoldCrop since they are obligated to invest in additional security for its operation and for staff,” Harvey explained without giving further details.
Mayor Figueroa remembers that in June 2014 members of Guerreros Unidos arrived shooting and sounded the community’s bells, gathering people and promising them to “clean” the plaza of Los Rojos. Six people were murdered that day.
The narcotrafficers obligated the people to buy food from them, as well as gas for their cars, and phone cards. One miner of 25 years explained that he turned in 1,000 pesos per week (approximately $60), almost half of his salary.
Furthermore, no one can leave the town without their permission.
“They held us hostage,” affirmed Juan, a mining machine operator of 27 years, who, like many, does not want to give his full name for security reasons.
In March, armed men opened fire of Figueroa’s house and those of his neighbors. Two women and a youth were murdered that same day.
Also in March, three miners were kidnapped and murdered in another region.
While Torex signed an agreement that requires state police to remain on the mining site of Nuevo Balsas, in Carrizalillo people wait for the return of the soldiers.
“We are practically in a war,” said Figueroa.
from La Informacion
translated by Earth First! Journal