Colombian miners’ union Conalmineracol on Sunday welcomed talks with the government after intervention by the UN human rights council.
In a press release, a spokesperson for Conalmineracol said that members of the organization had met with UN representative Todd Howland in a bid to start a dialogue with the government.
The miners from the north of the country have been on strike for 19 days after the government reportedly took a “take it or leave it” attitude to their demands. Colombian media previously reported that the government had taken a stance of rejecting the requests of small scale miners in favor of supporting big companies.
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The main focus for the miners is concentrated around fifteen points, including the reversal of decree 2235 which gives police the power to confiscate and destroy equipment used by those who do not have a license. They would also like to see the introduction of special ancestral areas for those communities that have been mining for hundreds of years.
While there is currently a recess in the talks, Conalmineracol said progress had been made through conversing with government officials.
Sources
- Press release Conalmineracol