We are pleased to pass along news from DECOIN that the current escalation of the  conflict in Intag has significantly de-escalated.  After the communities took  control of the Ascendant base camp in Chalguayacu Bajo (what used to be the “experimental farm”), both parties agreed to avoid violence and negotiate.  A special commission of the Ministry of Energy and Mines was dispatched, and negotiations began.  As result, an agreement was reached, one that has Ascendant agreeing to finally obey the stop work order of last December in exchange for  community members agreeing to things like taking down the control check point at Chalguayacu Bajo.  DECOIN sees this agreement as a victory for the communities.

ISN notes that the underlying cause of the conflict –  Ascendant’s presence — remains in place.  It appears that the next step in this process is for the Ecuadorian state to decide once and for all the fate of Ascendant Copper in Intag.  We think the struggle is far, very far, from over,  but we celebrate this victory and are very relieved that there was no violence.

UPDATE FROM DECOIN.ORG

Chalguayacu Bajo 17 March

Ascendant backs down

Under the pressure of more than 300 Intag residents from all over Intag and all seven of the Parish Township governments, late last night Ascendant agreed to abide by the Ministry of Energy and Mine’s

December 9th order for the company to cease all activities within its mining concessions by promising to reduce the number of its employees working in Intag by 80%, and not to hire additional personnel. The

only allowed company presence within the company’s lands will be that of one or two caretakers in some of the properties. On their part, the communities agreed to lift the road control at Chalguayacu Bajo, to turn over the guns confiscated from the paramilitary on December of 2006, and to not occupy any more land legally belonging to the company. A multi-stakeholder group will be formed to monitor compliance. Both parts also agreed to work hard to diffuse the tension in Intag. The agreement will be formalized this coming Tuesday at the Imbabura Governor’s office.

The agreements will hold until a final decision is taken regarding the legality of Ascendant’s mining concessions. The delegation which was finally able to come to the temporary agreement late on Friday night was comprised of two community representatives opposed and supporting ; the governor of Imbabura Province, a representative from both the Ministry of Energy and Mines, and the Ministry of Government; Ascendant’s general manager, and local Parish government officials. The clear winner, as some local representatives stated last night, are all the communities, which will benefit from the reduced level of conflict.

END

The following update comes from DECOIN.
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NEWS FLASH: Communities Take Over Ascendant Camp
Ascendant: Back to the Drawing Board?

Information is coming in slowly, but we just learned that apparently several communities around the Junin area have taken over Ascendant’s camp in Chalguayacu Bajo area, and are demanding the government makes the company comply with the STOP-WORK order issued by the Ministry of Energy and Mines in December of 2006, and which the company has not respected. Until 9am this morning here were no reports of confrontations, but we’ll try to keep you informed.

Acabamos de confirmar que varias comunidades se han tomado el campamento de la empresa minera para exigir al gobierno que le obligue a la empresa a respetar la orden de prohibición de trabajo dentro de sus conceciones que fue emitida por el Ministerio de Energìa y Minas en Diciembre del 2006, y la cual la empresa ha irrespetado. Tan pronto tengamos más informaciones estaremos informandoles, pero hasta la 9am hora del Ecuador no habìa reportes de enfrentamientos.

Ascendant hasn’t told its shareholders yet, but the December 9th order from the Ministry of Energy to stop all work within its concessions carried with it the implicit order to begin the whole process of getting its environmental impact study approved- beginning with trying to get new Terms of Reference approved. This is a process that could take years and cost hundreds of thousands of dollars if done properly.

You’ll recall that DECOIN reported that in the Ministry of Energy and Mines stop-work order, the Ministry gave several reasons why the Environmental Impact Study was so flawed that it wasn’t adequate enough for the Ministry to process. The company, in short, would have to start the whole process over again and present a new study, with the added condition that it now has to abide by very strict and community-friendly consultation bylaws the government made explicit to Ascendant it must comply with.

We recently learned that Ascendant has not made the least effort to present new Terms of Reference- a time-consuming process involving community participation, and a necessary first step to present an Environmental Impact Study. With Municipal, Provincial, and seven local township governments opposed to its project (all that have jurisdiction), besides the widespread NGO and community opposition, there is no way either the Terms of Reference or the Environmental Impacts Study will be approved.

Meanwhile the company keeps choosing not to comply with the December government order to stop work within its Junin mining concessions. Understandably, Ascendant’s decision has angered people in government, and has led to an dramatic escalation of tension in the area- a dangerous situation compounded by the general perception that several properties in the hands of Ascendant were acquired fraudulently.