Permalink: https://media.greenpeace.org/archive/Mechoacan-Community-Member-27MZIFLWKCSO.htmlConceptually similarMechoacan Community MembersGP01L0YCompleted★★★★Mechoacan Community MembersGP01L0ZCompleted★★★★Mechoacan Community MembersGP01L11Completed★★★★Mechoacan Community MemberGP01L10Completed★★★★Mechoacan Community ChildrenGP01L0VCompleted★★★★Mechoacan Community ChildGP01L0WCompleted★★★★Mechoacan Community ChildGP01L0XCompleted★★★★Mining OperationsGP01L1YCompleted★★★★Mining OperationsGP01L1ZCompleted★★★★View AllGP01L0UMechoacan Community MemberA resident of the community of Mechoacan which borders the Drummond coal mine - a US-based coal company - in Guajira province. The community was founded in 1991 by peasants granted the land through INCORA (Instituto Nacional de la Reforma Agraria) land reform process. Many of the community suffer from respiratory and eye problems and the water is contaminated. There are only 3 people from the community who work in the mine. The rest can't get employment since they have no education. Locations:Colombia-Guajira-South AmericaDate:28 May, 2008Credit:© Greenpeace / Steve MorganMaximum size:4992px X 3328pxKeywords:Cerrejon Zona Norte (CZN) coal mine-Climate (campaign title)-Close ups-Coal-Day-Energy-KWCI (GPI)-Local population-Men-Mining-One person-OutdoorsShoot:Coal Mine Affected Communities Documentation in ColombiaColombia is the fourth largest coal exporting country in the world. The Cerrejon Zona Norte (CZN) mine on the Guajira peninsula is the largest opencast coal mine in the world. The site is also infamous for the widespread human rights violations against indigenous and Afro-Colombian people. The CZN mine covers 150 square miles in southern Guajira, the site consists of an integrated mine, railroad and a coastal export terminal. The Colombian government claims that the mine brings progress to the poverty-stricken region of La Guajira. But the reality is that Afro-Colombian and indigenous communities are under siege by the mine as much of the land close to the mine is uninhabitable due to blasting, dust and contamination. Miners and local communities suffer from poor health and the loss of land, homes, livelihoods and even life. The surrounding air is polluted by fly ash and methane and the water is contaminated by waste sludge and a cocktail of other chemicals. Local communities are being displaced by force to allow the expansion of the mine.
