A global mining giant is trying to jail 86-year old grandfather – for standing up and defending his community's water. And while they keep him and ten other farmers busy in court, the company is trying to get permission to destroy even more land. We have seven weeks to help stop this: a global outcry can help pressure the authorities to reject their request and weaken the case against the land defenders. Add your name now: A massive gold mining project in Colombia could soon take a major step forward – with a renewed permit to explore that would pave the way to tearing open a sacred mountain, dumping millions of tons of toxic waste into rivers, and forever scarring a region sustained by coffee and clean water. The company behind it? AngloGold Ashanti – a global mining giant. And what's worse: they're not just threatening the environment. They've also pressed charges of kidnapping and theft against 11 farmers, the Jerico 11, including 86-year-old Don Porfirio, for peacefully resisting their project. The Colombian government is expected to decide as soon as December whether to grant or deny the company's request to extend its exploration phase – a key step that would keep this destructive plan alive. And that's where we come in. Partners on the ground are calling for massive support so that the National Mining Agency hears them loud and clear – and rejects the company's permit extension. Let's raise our voices together and make this call impossible to ignore. Add your name now and we'll deliver our voices straight to the Mining Agency:
| | | A global mining giant is trying to jail 86-year old grandfather – for standing up and defending his community's water. And while they keep him and ten other farmers busy in court, the company is trying to get permission to destroy even more land. We have seven weeks to help stop this: a global outcry can help pressure the authorities to reject their request and weaken the case against the land defenders. Add your name now: | | | | | Dear friends, | | A massive gold mining project in Colombia could soon take a major step forward – with a renewed permit to explore that would pave the way to tearing open a sacred mountain, dumping millions of tons of toxic waste into rivers, and forever scarring a region sustained by coffee and clean water.
The company behind it? AngloGold Ashanti – a global mining giant. And what's worse: they're not just threatening the environment. They've also pressed charges of kidnapping and theft against 11 farmers, the Jerico 11, including 86-year-old Don Porfirio, for peacefully resisting their project.
The Colombian government is expected to decide as soon as December whether to grant or deny the company's request to extend its exploration phase – a key step that would keep this destructive plan alive.
And that's where we come in. Partners on the ground are calling for massive support so that the National Mining Agency hears them loud and clear – and rejects the company's permit extension.
Let's raise our voices together and make this call impossible to ignore. Add your name now and we'll deliver our voices straight to the Mining Agency: | | | | | This mountain isn't just land – it's life. For generations, local communities have treated it as sacred. But for AngloGold Ashanti, it's just profit. Their proposed megaproject would extract 130 million tons of rock and leave behind 119 million tons of toxic waste – threatening rivers, ecosystems, and livelihoods.
When the community stood up, peacefully halting illegal excavation and turning in unauthorized machinery to the police – the company struck back, framing them as 'kidnappers' and 'thieves.' Now they face prison, just for defending water. Denying the permit would weaken the case against the Jericó 11 and send a powerful message in defense of community resistance.
Let's show Colombia's authorities that renewing this permission would not just be a disaster for the land – it would legitimize the silencing of peaceful resistance. Sign now! | | | | We've done this before. When forest guardians in the Amazon were threatened, when peaceful climate activists in the UK were jailed for speaking out, when community leaders in the Congo faced repression – our movement showed up. Now the Jericó eleven needs us. Standing with them means standing for dignity, for justice. Let's show the world that people's power runs deeper than gold.
With hope and determination,
Miguel, Lily, Mo, Nadia and the Avaaz team | | | | | | |
Avaaz is a 70-million-person global campaign network that works to ensure that the views and values of the world's people shape global decision-making. ("Avaaz" means "voice" or "song" in many languages.) Avaaz members live in every nation of the world; our team is spread across 18 countries on 6 continents and operates in 22 languages. Learn about some of Avaaz's biggest campaigns here, or follow us on Facebook, X, or Instagram. | You became a member of the Avaaz movement and started receiving these emails when you signed "Community Petitions Site" on 2016-12-07 using the email address statusgps@gmail.com. To ensure that Avaaz messages reach your inbox, please add avaaz@avaaz.org to your address book. To change your email address, language settings, or other personal information, contact us, or simply go here to unsubscribe. | | | | | | | | | |
