Savannah wants to move forwards with expropriations by this summer
Communities battling to save their agricultural heritage and livelihoods from open pit lithium mining in the borough of Boticas have woken up today to new hurdles.
Savannah Resources, the company they have been fighting tooth-and-nail against for the last eight years, appears to be getting the upper hand.
After receiving the government’s greenlight to invade properties (that have nothing to do with the mining scope), Savannah is asking for a “Declaration of Public Utility”, to allow it to move forwards with expropriations as early as this summer.
By coincidence, autumn will see municipal elections throughout the country. It is fair to predict that a government that allows a private company to ride roughshod over the will of communities, will not see its political brethren favoured in the elections. Thus, this could be something of a dilemma, finally, for the government – and not just for the people who feel completely abandoned.
Up till this point, civic group Unidos em Defesa da Covas do Barroso, believes the government has simply decided that locals, their way of life, the UNESCO agricultural heritage that the region boasts, is all secondary to signing up to the European Critical Raw Materials policy, even though that policy has been shown to be carrying a heavy downside.
Today, the group appeals for publicity of the abuses it feels are being allowed to take place. On its Facebook page, it declares: “GNR try to force removal of trailer from private land: The populations of populations of Covas do Barroso and Romainho continue to resist the “Mina do Barroso” lithium mining project. One local received an ultimatum from the GNR to remove a trailer on land on which he was never notified of the administrative easement in favour of the Savannah Resources company in that area. The population decided not to allow this abuse any longer.
“The association Unidos em Defesa de Covas do Barroso (United in Defence of Covas do Barroso) warns of the danger of the use of public force against people in resistance and the possible arrest of people today.
“We are tired of these attacks. We are not going to allow them to occupy and destroy our mountains any longer. That is why we are calling on everyone to show solidarity, and denounce the abuses that are being committed”.
Some months ago, Bloco de Esquerda visited the region, to pledge total support. Since then, there appears to have been little in the way of any tangible results. ND
Source material: Unidos em Defesa da Covas do Barroso/ Linked In
