The Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) has called for plans by Canadian company U92 Energy Corp to explore for uranium in Region Seven to be halted, arguing that the project has proceeded without consultation with affected Indigenous communities and in violation of the principle of free, prior and informed consent (FPIC).
Responding to questions from Kiskadee Watch which were submitted last week, the APA said it was opposed to any uranium exploration, mining or development in the Mazaruni and maintained that communities whose traditional lands are likely to be affected have not been given an opportunity to make their views known.
“In keeping with decades of decisions and deliberations that the leaders and peoples of the Mazaruni have made, the APA is of the position that there should be no uranium exploration, mining or development activities in Region Seven,” the organisation said.
It added: “We categorically reject this developing uranium project especially because there has been no consultations with respect to the principles of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent with the peoples of the Mazaruni whose traditional lands are now under threat by uranium exploration.”
The APA said there had been “no public nor community level consultations” with affected communities and argued that “on that basis alone, this project should be halted and cancelled as it violates both our rights as indigenous peoples and Guyanese citizens.”
Last week, indigenous rights activist, Laura George told Kiskadee Watch that she only became aware of the project after U92 publicly announced its exploration plans. She had said there had been no engagement with Indigenous communities and expressed concern about the absence of information regarding the environmental and health implications of uranium exploration.
The APA said there had been “a total absence of transparency and information regarding the uranium project by U92.”
“Without this indigenous peoples are left in the dark about how their lives will be impacted and what measures must be taken to prepare for this project. Instead, our people are expected to be geological and scientific experts on a highly technical and specialised topic without support from our government and the company. We must learn this on our own,” the organisation said.
It also questioned the company’s ability to undertake the project.
“One major concern is the suitability, and experience of U92 to undertake this project given its vague and very recent history in the sector,” it said.
The APA warned that communities in Region Seven were already experiencing the effects of mining and feared uranium exploration would compound those problems.
“From our own experiences of mining, we can already expect further degradation of our environment and livelihoods, along with further health complications similar to that which we are seeing from suspected mercury contamination in the communities of Region Seven. We know that this will be exacerbated by uranium explorations, which can lead to further environmental and health complications for our communities and the rest of Guyana,” the APA stressed.
Raised
The organisation also raised concerns about the possible impact on the Mazaruni River system, noting that waterways originating in the Middle Mazaruni eventually flow into the Mazaruni and Essequibo rivers before reaching the Atlantic Ocean.
“The importance of the waterways are not only … to the Lower Mazaruni, but the entire Mazaruni Basin that is home to Guyana’s Akawaio (Kaphon) and Arecuna (Pemon) peoples. Peoples’ livelihoods, environment and health depend on this major freshwater artery for Guyana,” it said.
According to the APA, mining has already affected the river system.
“We have already been seeing the impacts of mining in the Mazaruni as tailings have resulted in the discoloration of the river, and concerns continue to rise regarding its impact on the health of people, ecosystems and the food chain.”
The APA argued that uranium extraction could have long-term consequences.
“We can expect these worries to grow, as we know that runoff effects of uranium, like it’s tailing, will last for centuries. Indigenous peoples will be the first to feel its effects for generations, as we know that women and children are the most vulnerable to radioactivity that is linked to uranium extraction and runoff. This will extend to the wider Guyana,” it added.
The APA said that without an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), communities could not be assured that such impacts would be avoided.
On the issue of consultation, it maintained that FPIC had not been observed.
“FPIC was not done. And, so there must be a rigorous process to facilitate consultation that is led by the affected communities.”
It said consultation should begin in the Kurupung area, which it described as part of the traditional lands of the Akawaio and Arecuna peoples.
“The pace at which this project has developed is alarming. It is the responsibility of the State and the company, U92, to follow FPIC principles, especially since villages like Isseneru will face the greatest impact of the uranium project.”
The APA said too that Guyana and U92 should adhere to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
The organisation also argued that Guyana currently lacks the legal framework required to regulate uranium extraction.
“Guyana does not have any legislation or policy for uranium extraction, production, and use. This is what Guyana needs before further development on any uranium programme,” it said.
Pointing to experiences in the United States, Canada and the Democratic Republic of Congo, the APA said uranium extraction had historically endangered Indigenous peoples disproportionately.
“The Governments of Guyana and Canada should be cooperating to learn from the lessons of the past to avoid further rights violations in relation to uranium and extractive projects,” it said, while reiterating its rejection of uranium development on Indigenous lands.
Kiskadee Watch questions submitted last week to Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat sought information on what licences or permissions had been granted to U92 Energy or its predecessors by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), whether Guyana has a policy governing uranium exploration and development, why no public consultation or announcement preceded the company’s exploration plans, and whether the minister would support a review of the project by Parliament’s Natural Resources Sectoral Committee.
Kiskadee Watch also asked what technical, environmental and safety assessments had been conducted before exploration activities were approved.
Minister Bharrat subsequently indicated that a response would be forthcoming.
“I will issue a statement on this matter before the week is out,” the minister said. No statement has since come from the minister.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA has also not responded to questions from this publication.
On June 12th , U92 announced in a press release that it had received Toronto Stock Exchange and Toronto Venture Exchange approval and closed a binding Asset Purchase Agreement to acquire the complete historical technical and exploration dataset relating to the Kurupung Uranium Project in Guyana.
Pursuant to the transaction, U92 said it had issued 1,030,927 common shares of the Company at a deemed price of CDN$0.485 per share to the arm’s-length vendor.
Adam Clode, Executive Chairman and CEO of U92, stated, “Securing ownership of exploration work completed over more than a decade at Kurupung is a pivotal milestone that materially strengthens the project’s technical foundation ahead of an updated mineral resource estimate and inaugural drill program. By completing the transaction on an all-share basis, U92 has enhanced the value of its asset while preserving capital for exploration.”
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