Thousands of people around the globe suffer from exploitation of their lands by mining companies. The tendency is that the companies promise responsible and sustainable operations and management, but the reality is that after them only ghost towns are left.
Wilmar Orlando Cosme Calzada – activist and citizen of Cerro de Pasco, Peru, is telling the story about the consequences over people and nature of the mining practices in Cerro de Pasco. A huge mine pit in the middle of the city is continuously eating the 400-year-old town, contaminating the agriculture lands of more than 70,000 inhabitants, poisoning their children and destroying citizens’ homes.
Cerro de Pasco is one of the worst lead-poisoning clusters in the world. Health tests have shown that the citizens of the town have up to nine metals in their blood. One of the most vulnerable groups are the children – some kids have more than 100 mcg reaching up to 120 mcg of metal per deciliter of blood. Normally, people people can have up to 10 mcg per deciliter of blood (according to World Health Organization).
The mining company ‘Volcan’ has been continuously presenting projects to expand the open pit in Cerro de Pasco. There are no evidences to change the killing practices or to improve the current low environmental and health standards.
The movie was shot in Bulgaria while field visitation and knowledge exchange among activists and citizens from affected areas of related international companies, organized by ZaZemiata – Friends of the Earth, Bulgaria. Most of the pictures are from Krumovgrad where a new mine is just about to be opened.
Wilmar Orlando Cosme Calzada is Executive Director of ‘Centro de Cultura Popular LABOR‘ in Cerro de Pasco.
