new vheadline Posted by: jetfan on May 14, 2008 08:36AM

Unidad Minera del Sur (United Southern Miners) directors Antonio Rivas and Pablo Zambrano are proposing a referendum for gold mining companies in the Sifontes municipality of southeastern Bolivar State to remain.......... Rivas and Zambrano are quoted as saying "we have always called for these two companies to remain in the zone to stabilize employment ... the delivery of the (environmental) permits must now be decided by the people. In continuance, such decisions must no longer be allowed to be taken to the detriment of the people. In the case of Las Cristinas and Las Brisas it is the people who must decide ... we are revolutionaries and the Revolution owes it to the people. That's where we are today and we must be consulted ... the rejection of the (final) permits to these companies is of such magnitude that there must be consultation."

IMHO:

So what I get from all this is there was probably an effort by some in the Ven. Govt. or one or more of it's components to do the same thing to us.

Recently;

The 40 miners out of 300 (small percentage) striking and blocking the border and causing mayhem.

The "ecological / indiginous peoples" permit reversal- and I am still not sure who that came from.

News orginizations reports of nationalization and workers protests against organized mining companies.

And for some time;

General dummying up and stalling on permits and making excuses like we are waiting for this or that.

-But-

As you can gather from the Jetfan article there are a number of united southern miners (probably the regional mining majority) and others whom are opposed to these tactics, recognized them being used again (against Kry/Grz) and are actively campaigning for an outcome more favorable to the way we would like to have. Maybe these people just do not want to be completely socialized. I think back to the history of the miners of California, Alaska etc. and how they endured great hardships (allthough more enviromental than political). I like the fact that Kry has been reserved, continued the social projects (might as well), made a LP record (next- we will have to furnish turntables?) Sorry about babbling but it is what I do. Good luck everyone, Hondo.