Reactivated combat illegal mining in the state
Written by Yasmin Sanguino / Photos: Elke Door
Sunday, April 25, 2010
City Bolívar. "With the deployment of more than 2800 troops of the various components of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces, to areas of the body where it has found the existence of illegal mining, the central government on Friday reactivated from the Plan Caura, a strategy that is oriented to the eradication of an activity that would proliferate at an alarming rate, resulting in its path in addition to environmental destruction, a high risk to the life of the miners and the collective in general.
This information was provided on Saturday by Vice President Elias Jaua, who arrived in the entity with a committee formed by the heads of the ministries of Defense, Environment, Basic Industries and Mining, the communes, Interior and Justice and representatives of the Public Ministry in order to perform in the company of military and government authorities in the region, a technical inspection to the areas where fighting has been illegal mining.

Puerta eradication

Such a revival, according to those reported by Elias Jaua, would aim to fight so strong, an activity that, despite the actions taken years ago, continues to proliferate at an alarming rate, as has been evident in the case of the basins of Caura River, Alto de Caroni, La Paragua, among other things identified, thanks to the performances of the strength of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces, which would come to develop intelligence work and permanent missions, in order to return to the Venezuelan state control the situation.

Hence, government spokesman continued, the control plan is to culminate when it is completely eradicated illegal mining in the state, began with the mobilization of 2,800 troops, 12 aircraft, a significant number of boats, as well as a representation officials from the Office of the Ombudsman and the Public Ministry, which will verify the respect of fundamental rights to the miners, who unlike what has been thought, instead of being treated like the enemy, would be seen as victims of human exploitation, another of the scourges promoted by that practice illegal.

In this sense, the spokesman said this structural problem will be addressed in a comprehensive manner, through various branches of the national executive and security components, put this in where it plays a decisive role Caura implementing the Plan, as it involves coverage of economic, social, cultural and environmental, where they also participation of Government agencies, communities near the mining areas.

Technical Aspects

The timing was also propitious to Maj. Gen. Henry Rangel Silva, head of the Strategic Defense Region Integral Guayana (REDI), made a brief statement of the technical aspects covered by the plan, in order to combat illegal mining their harmful products, as would environmental degradation, the leakage of minerals, fuel and timber smuggling, and human exploitation, the spread of diseases and even the pollution of freshwater tributaries, a situation which, he stressed, also endanger the lives of the miners, also affects the community in general.

Silva said that to achieve these objectives, the national authorities as well as installing a control room and monitoring at the national level, in order to collect the results of these operations and for the determination of the conclusions and therefore the application of corrective measures in case of any failure to register, we will promote the positive development of productive projects for people who practice this activity, through the recovery of farms and land used as centers of these criminal operations.

Now to finish the respondents expressed that this joint would guarantee the transformation of illegal mining in a controlled activity, sustainable, reasonable, and especially organic production for the country, increasing international reserves of gold and diamond, by eradication of smuggling.

Unfounded Allegations

The theme of the course management of mining sites by military personnel, was listed by Elias Jaua as an action of disqualification to the only body that has been devoted to tackle this problem, suggesting that they believe these are coming out of the gangs that have handled this sector, adding that if confirmed irregularity of this kind, those involved will be prosecuted by the Venezuelan justice.

http://nuevaprensa.com.ve/content/view/40919/2/