Friday, June 11, 2010

Frontino Gold Mines: Cui Bono?

What the hell is going on at the Frontino Gold Mine in Colombia?

We already know that Medoro Resources (MRS.v) wants to buy the mine and that big money and Colombian government will is backing their bid. We also know that the people of Segovia (the local town) and most importantly the workforce of the mine who actaully own the mine by collective agreement are against the sale.

So who is going to benefit from terrorist attacks on the union leaders of Frontino Gold Mines? Why was one of the workers' directors shot three times and narrowly escaped death this week? Would anyone care to ask Frank Giustra about the tactics being used to scare people who oppose his move into Colombia? There's some dirty business going on here, folks. Here's the report translated:

At 12:30pm on June 5th 201o in the municipality of Segovia, North-East Antioquia, Colombia, the union leader of Sintramienergética Segovia division and Health Secretary of the governing body John Jairo Zapata Marulanda was shot and injured by three bullets at the hands of hired assassins on a motorcycle.

John Jairo is 37 years old and has more than 15 years of service in the Frontino Gold Mines Company gold mines. He was taken from the crime scene to the Segovia hospital where his condition was stabilized and then flown to the city of Medellín where he underwent surgery.

It is necessary to remember that in the last few days, Mr. Serafino Iacono, a large shareholder of Medoro Resources (MRS.v), has referred to the Frontino workers as a small group made up of paramilitarists and guerrillas and he was going to take care of the case in conjunction with the government.

Last week, regional president Dairo Rua and all other members of the union directive of Frontino Gold Mines received death threats. Via e-mail, the directive was declared a military target due to its opposition of the sale of Frontino Gold Mines to Medoro Resources and were told they had 15 days to get out of the gold mining zone.

Ther multinational has offered a derisory sum for the company and its pension obligations. kepping in mind that the company belongs to the workforce and to the retired workers, in the face of which the union has stated its absolute non-agreement to the deal and the negotiations which are suspected to be overssen by wealthy members of society and the Uribe government.

Also threatened with death against themselves and family member are Marcos Gaviria Lujan and César Augusto Duque, president and vice-president respectively of the Association of Pensioners of Frontino Gold Mines, who were taken by air to the city of Medellín under strict security measures with their families. Continues here.