Indigenous communities fighting against the quest for “white gold”
Published in BBC
"Our territory is part of our identity, it is our life. Our way of seeing is different. We live in harmony and balance with all the elements of our territory. It is crucial to preserve each of these natural resources that are currently at risk because they are the guarantee of life for all humanity. But what is
being sought here is to favor the economic power that is coming for everything". Nestor Gerez, cacique of the Ocloya people.
The Argentine northern province of Jujuy is part of the Lithium Triangle, located in the triple border between Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile, which together hold more than 50% of the world's reserves. The Argentine land where lithium is found is mainly inhabited by indigenous communities who have lived on them for generations.
According to the Constitution, the land is 'communal' and belongs to the communities, but over the past years both the province and national governments have concluded deals with private companies from the USA and China in order to exploit the reserves of lithium, the core of electrical batteries called to be 'the mineral of the future'.
In front of billionaire investments, communities have hardly been able to resist what they call a colonialist form of extractivism that dries up water from their land.
"Our territory is part of our identity, it is our life. Our way of seeing is different. We live in harmony and balance with all the elements of our territory. It is crucial to preserve each of these natural resources that are currently at risk because they are the guarantee of life for all humanity. But what is
being sought here is to favor the economic power that is coming for everything". Nestor Gerez, cacique of the Ocloya people.
The Argentine northern province of Jujuy is part of the Lithium Triangle, located in the triple border between Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile, which together hold more than 50% of the world's reserves. The Argentine land where lithium is found is mainly inhabited by indigenous communities who have lived on them for generations.
According to the Constitution, the land is 'communal' and belongs to the communities, but over the past years both the province and national governments have concluded deals with private companies from the USA and China in order to exploit the reserves of lithium, the core of electrical batteries called to be 'the mineral of the future'.
In front of billionaire investments, communities have hardly been able to resist what they call a colonialist form of extractivism that dries up water from their land.
[spanish]