{"id":26249,"date":"2026-07-20T12:51:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-20T17:51:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.elturbion.com\/?p=26249"},"modified":"2026-07-20T12:51:00","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T17:51:00","slug":"kamentsa-women-defend-the-amazon-from-the-copper-rush","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/elturbion.com\/?p=26249","title":{"rendered":"Kam\u00ebnt\u0161\u00e1 Women Defend the Amazon from the Copper Rush"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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By: Andr\u00e9s G\u00f3mez<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mar\u00eda del Rosario Chindoy had never heard of the mining concession FJT-141. Like many Kam\u00ebnts\u00e1 women in Colombia\u2019s Sibundoy Valley, she only realized something was changing when helicopters began flying over the mountains surrounding her territory. Seeking answers, the Women\u2019s Council organized meetings and began asking local authorities what company was operating there. They found few answers. The copper mining project had been progressing for years without the communities\u2019 knowledge; now the Council is trying to stop it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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For women, this is a grave threat because it destroys our territory and everything beneath our soil. As mothers on the council, our mission is to care for and protect this land.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Copper is\u00a0essential<\/a>\u00a0to the energy transition, but\u00a0demand<\/a>\u00a0is rising for its use in\u00a0car manufacturing<\/a>, which require three to four times more copper than gasoline-powered cars, as well as its use in the production of new\u00a0weapons<\/a>, and\u00a0data centers<\/a>. Combined with a\u00a0lack of new mines<\/a>\u00a0and technical recycling\u00a0challenges<\/a>\u00a0involved in recycling the mineral, this has caused market prices to soar, thereby increasing pressure on mining operations in regions such as the Colombian Amazon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Libero Copper & Gold Corporation, a Canadian company that in 2025 changed its name to Copper Giant Resources Corp., <\/em>plans to extract the red metal from the Amazonian department of Putumayo, exactly 10 km from Mocoa, the department\u2019s capital, and in the surrounding mountains, but these mountains are no ordinary place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The \u201cMocoa Project\u201d\u00a0is located<\/a>\u00a0in part of the Colombian Massif. This region of high biological richness encompasses the \u201cFluvial Star of Colombia,\u201da cluster of mountains between the departments of Cauca, Huila, Nari\u00f1o, and Putumayo where five rivers originate: the Magdalena, Cauca, Caquet\u00e1, Putumayo, and Pat\u00eda rivers. The Colombian Massif is also part of the \u201cAndean Belt Biosphere Reserve,\u201d an area recognized for its vital role in conserving biodiversity and regulating water. Functions that are essential to the\u00a0biosphere<\/a>\u00a0reserves supported by UNESCO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Frailejones are \u2018water factories\u2019 that channel water into the ground, giving rise to springs \u2013 Photo: Andr\u00e9s G\u00f3mez<\/sub><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The copper mining project has been moving forward slowly for more than two decades in Putumayo, and although it has faced  resistance in Mocoa, it has not met with the same reaction in the Upper Putumayo, despite two indigenous reserves overlapping with the mining titles: Condagua, the reserve of the Inga people, and the Kament\u0161a Biy\u00e1 reserve of the Kament\u0161a people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For members of the Kam\u00ebnt\u0161\u00e1 Women\u2019s Council, the problem has never been only the mine itself, but the lack of information surrounding it. They say municipal authorities, Indigenous authorities and the company have failed to explain how the project could affect their territory. That uncertainty has fueled mistrust and prompted the council to organize discussions, territorial walks and community meetings to understand what is happening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The threat is the decline of our cultures, says council member Mar\u00eda del Rosario Chindoy.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

This is no small matter. In the mountains around the Sibundoy Valley, Libero Cobre operates in the so called FJT-141 mining block. This area is part of both indigenous reserves and forest reserve. The company also plans to work in its three other nearby mining blocks: FJT-131, FJT-132, and FJT-142.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The blocks overlap with many environmentally sensitive areas. These include the Upper Mocoa River Basin Forest Reserve, wetlands, the Remaining Natural Forests, Forests at Risk of Deforestation, the Do\u00f1a Juana Complex p\u00e1ramos, Protected Forest Areas, and Water Protection Zones. They all serve as habitat for thousands of species, protect water and mitigate the impacts of climate change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mining Concessions in Times of War<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Copper mining areas that overlap with the Yunguillo, Condagua and Kam\u00ebnt\u0161a indigenous reserves, as well as forest reserve areas<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Sibundoy Valley sits among mountains in the Amazonian foothills. Former FARC-EP guerrillas used this area as a key route. This path connected southeastern Nari\u00f1o to Lower Putumayo\u2019s lowland rainforests. The Truth Commission (CEV) documented that the Inga and Kam\u00ebnt\u0161a peoples\u00a0suffered<\/a>\u00a0forced lockdowns, murders, armed combat, forced disappearances, and displacements in the Valley.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amid the counterinsurgency war led by\u00a0\u00c1lvaro Uribe V\u00e9lez<\/a>(2002 \u2013 2010), Anglo Gold Ashanti (AGA) acquired six mining concessions in 2004, which Mocoa Ventures Ltd. took over in 2009. During the Santos\u2019\u00a0Mining Locomotive<\/a>\u00a0initiative, Mocoa Ventures carried out 12 drillings in the area, and in 2018\u00a0sold<\/a>\u00a0the concessions to the Canadian multinational Libero Cobre Ltd., which has since owned the mining titles: FJT-131, FJT-132, FJT-141, and FJT-142. The four titles cover 7,830 hectares and are located in the municipality of Mocoa, 10 kilometers from the city.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The concessions, however, were granted without consulting the communities in the Condagua and Kam\u00ebnt\u0161\u00e1 Biy\u00e1 reserves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has noted that the\u00a0lack of prior consultation<\/a>\u00a0is one of the central factors in conflicts between extractive projects and Indigenous communities, especially when significant profits are at stake. And this is the case with Libero Cobre Ltd. a company which\u00a0claims<\/a>\u00a0that the \u201cMocoa Project\u201d has 232,000 tonnes of molybdenum and 2.1 million tonnes of copper:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mocoa is home to one of the largest undeveloped copper-molybdenum deposits in the Americas, with significant additional exploration potential. The deposit remains open in multiple directions, and recent drilling has identified new high-grade zones.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

At current market prices, the Mocoa project promoted by Libero Cobre represents a massive economic stake. The reported molybdenum reserves alone has a gross in-situ value of $14 billion. This estimate relies on benchmark prices of $50,000 to $60,000 per ton, as stated by the\u00a0U.S. Geological Survey<\/a>\u00a0(USGS)<\/a>, in December 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following the ownership of the Mocoa Project is not straightforward. A 2023\u00a0review<\/a>\u00a0of corporate records shows that Libero Copper\u2019s ownership structure extended beyond Canada and included companies incorporated in the British Virgin Islands under the control of the influential U.S. Sununu family:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sununu\u2019s politically connected, climate change-denying father, John H. Sununu, and brother, Michael Sununu, are more than just investors in Libero Copper & Gold. Michael is a board member of Libero, and he and his father sit on the board of the company\u2019s largest shareholder, Anglo Asian Mining PLC, which operates in Azerbaijan.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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A Mining Project Beyond Control<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The presence of Libero Cobre raised concerns for the Mocoa City Council. In response, they approved\u00a0Resolution 020 of December 6, 2018<\/a>. This resolution prohibits medium- and large-scale mining in the municipality, but the National Mining Agency (ANM) challenged\u00a0Resolution<\/a>\u00a0020. The agency argued it did not follow the Constitutional Court\u2019s\u00a0Ruling SU-095<\/a>\u00a0from 2018 that states that surface and subsoil are State property. However, Mocoa\u2019s Administrative Courts denied the claim. The courts\u00a0concluded<\/a>\u00a0that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Municipalities may prohibit mining and energy activities within their territories in the exercise of their powers to protect the environment and regulate land use.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Despite the court\u2019s ruling, Libero Cobre\u00a0announced<\/a>\u00a0in October 2021 that exploration work had begun:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Boots on the ground exploration work at Mocoa has officially begun.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The company\u2019s expansion also coincided with questions about its relationship with public institutions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2021, Libero Copper not only began work without a permit, but also partnered with the Faculty of Mining at the National University of Medell\u00edn, with both parties signing an agreement to explore the deposit and train students, but Giovanny Franco, who served as Deputy Minister of Mines from October 2022 to 2 March 2023, was also a lecturer at the faculty and met with the company to promote the project whilst he was supposed to be overseeing it. Due to the obvious conflict of interest, Franco\u00a0resigned<\/a>\u00a0following\u00a0accusations<\/a>\u00a0from members of parliament and civil society organisations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Commencing work without authorisation has led to a chain of unauthorised actions which, however, do not result in effective sanctions. In March 2022, Corpoamazon\u00eda inspected camps and drilling sites due to a breach of Mocoa Resolution 020. They\u00a0<\/a>found that Libero Cobre hired\u00a0Kluane<\/a>, a Canadian firm, to handle drilling waste, but Libero Cobre had no records of the waste management process. They also discovered that Libero Cobre had cleared 5,000 square meters of land and built infrastructure without permits. Due to these issues, Corpoamazon\u00eda ruled that the company:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Cannot carry out any activity related to mineral exploration and exploitation within the jurisdiction of Mocoa \u2026(and) must immediately suspend any activity it is currently conducting.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Yet documents obtained by El Turbi\u00f3n<\/em> through freedom of information requests show that the  National Mining Agency (ANM) itself later acknowledged Corpoamazon\u00eda\u2019s warnings regarding \u201cthe possible development of activities\u201d by Libero Cobre during suspension periods affecting the concessions FJT-131, FJT-132, FJT-141 and FJT-142.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same documents reveal that, in the case of the FJT-141 concession, ANM inspectors \u201cverified the presence of mining activities within the contract area\u201d while the suspension remained in force. However, instead of sanctioning the company, the  National Mining Agency accepted Libero Cobre\u2019s request to lift the suspension, arguing that \u201cthe essential element of irresistible force majeure no longer existed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In late 2022, the Inga Council of Condagua filed a protection writ. They challenged the Ministry of the Interior and Libero Cobre. The council sought prior consultation on copper mining in Block FJT 131. While the Ministry of the Interior reviewed this petition, the Council of State\u00a0annulled<\/a>\u00a0Agreement 020 in 2024. This judicial decision lifted the mining ban that the agreement had put in place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Copper advances despite institutional gaps<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After the annulment of Agreement 020 in 2024, Mocoa faced legal and territorial uncertainty. Meanwhile, Libero Copper moved forward with the Mocoa project. During that year, they launched a 14,000-meter drilling program and announced\u00a0cadastral adjustments<\/a>. According to the company, these changes removed overlaps with forest reserve areas.\u00a0 However, the adjustments announced by the company have not been verified by Corpoamazon\u00eda, which maintains that the concessions continue to affect protected areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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But the same freedom of information documents reveal deeper institutional failures. The  National Mining Agency (ANM) admitted that \u201cno records of meetings with Corpoamazon\u00eda prior to the signing of the concession contracts\u201d exist because \u201cthe ANM was not the mining authority\u201d at the time. The agency also stated that determining whether Indigenous consultation was required \u201cis the exclusive responsibility of the Ministry of the Interior.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, another official response obtained by El Turbi\u00f3n<\/em> from the Ministry admitted that \u201cno prior consultation processes\u201d involving the Kam\u00ebnts\u00e1 Biy\u00e1 and Inga de Santiago peoples had been registered regarding mining projects in their territory. The authority only confirmed consultation-related processes involving the Condagua reserve and Libero Cobre\u2019s FJT-141 concession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2025, the Ministry of the Interior, the Mocoa Mayor\u2019s Office, Corpoamazon\u00eda, and the National Mining Agency held 10 official sessions and 10 forums with the Inga de Condagua Council. On September 20, they finalized the\u00a0agreements<\/a>\u00a0that allow the mining company to operate under the FJT 131 title, even though this area includes part of the Kament\u0161a Biy\u00e1 reserve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same year, the company intensified operations. The drilling pace increased, a\u00a0second drill<\/a>\u00a0was deployed, and the project\u2019s scope expanded. Results confirmed the deposit is a large-scale deposit, and the company announced that a\u00a0third drill<\/a>\u00a0would be deployed by 2026.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Continuing violations<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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In the FJT 141 project, the moorlands (grey) and their buffer zone (green) would be seriously affected<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Once again, the company is acting in violation of established regulations.\u00a0Resolution DG No. 0631 of June 10, 2025<\/a>, issued by Corpoamazon\u00eda, the FJT-141 concession currently in operation, along with the other three concessions in the construction and assembly phases, must suspend operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, the Ministry of Environment admitted that the process to integrate environmentally protected areas into the national mining cadastre \u201cis still underway.\u201d Meanwhile, according to the Mayor\u2019s Office of Mocoa, the project area is classified in the municipality\u2019s Land Use Plan as \u201cRural C \u2013 Absolute Protection Zone,\u201d whose purpose is to \u201cguarantee the permanence of water sources and the preservation of forest cover.\u201d Yet the  National Mining Agency (ANM) argued that \u201cit is not the responsibility of the Mining Authority to carry out an analysis of territorial compatibility.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sandra Torres, a former Corpoamaazon\u00eda official, says Libero Cobre often escapes consequences. She blames this on negligence by public servants at the National Mining Agency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Libero Cobre is drilling and operating despite its license being suspended by the National Mining Agency. The National Mining Agency was informed, but it turned a blind eye showing total indifference. This demonstrates repeated inaction.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Today, Libero Cobre continues to pursue its goal: to develop the project. The Sununu family seems to anticipate this could be a lucrative opportunity. The International Energy Agency says that the shift to new energy sources will\u00a0increase<\/a>\u00a0copper demand by 50% by 2040.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Libero Cobre\u2019s work proceeds without restriction due to state agencies\u2019 failure to enforce the law. Yet, the State is aware of the potential damage this inaction may cause. The\u00a0Environmental Licensing Agency<\/a>\u00a0(ANLA) recognizes that the villages of Campucana, San Antonio, Montclar, and Pueblo Viejo are located within Libero Cobre\u2019s mining concession and near Condagua and Kam\u00ebnt\u0161\u00e1 indigenous reserves.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ANLA also acknowledges that these communities \u201cmaintain cultural and practical ties to this area\u201d and that the region \u201cregulates water cycles\u201d through fragile high-Andean and sub-Andean ecosystems. Yet despite these warnings, the project continues advancing in one of the territories most vulnerable to landslides, floods and climate disruption in the Colombian Amazon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, a council of Kam\u00ebnt\u0161\u00e1 women is determined to stop the environmental damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Women in the Path of Libero Cobre<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Mayra Alejandra Chindoy and Mar\u00eda Chindoy, first and second from right to left during the B\u00ebtsknat\u00e9 \u2013 Photo: Andr\u00e9s G\u00f3mez<\/sub><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When Mar\u00eda del Rosario learnt of the copper mining taking place near her community, she and the Women\u2019s Council organised a response and set up \u2018circles of the word\u2019 and \u2018mingas<\/em>\u2019 for reflection and collective work. Both Kam\u00ebnt\u0161\u00e1 and non-Kam\u00ebnt\u0161\u00e1 people from the Valley came together to share their views. These participants began to question the mindset behind development and its promises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mayra Alejandra Chindoy, Mar\u00eda del Rosario\u2019s niece, says that as a result of these forums, they have come to understand how fleeting these promises are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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 They say they can bring education, a bridge, stores, or new jobs. But that\u2019s only temporary, Mayra explained.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Twelve women lead the council. By urging others to care for the environment, they have become a strong feminine force within their reservation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We feel very satisfied. Bringing together 200, 300, or even 400 women is a real achievement.\u201d We invited the elders to share, and many responded, \u201cThat\u2019s interesting, keep going, we\u2019ll join you too.\u201d Their support has been a great source of strength for us. They\u2019re with us; we can count on them.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Many of the Councilwomen\u2019s activities have centered on Libero Cobre (now Copper Giant). El Turbi\u00f3n first learned of their concerns regarding the mining company through our partner,\u00a0Fundaci\u00f3n Bit\u00e1cora Ciudadana<\/a>\u00a0. This organization met with the Councilwomen and shared the group\u2019s story with us to ensure their voices were heard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite their interest, these women did not know that mining blocks FJT 141 and part of FJT 131 were on their territory. They were also unaware of other blocks or that the neighboring Condagua Reservation had yielded to the company\u2019s demands for the FJT 131 block in 2025.The Kaments\u00e1 women noticed Copper Giant\u2019s presence when helicopters began flying over their mountains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unsure of what was happening, they decided to visit the nearest moorland, and El Turbi\u00f3n accompanied them. The plan was to walk through the territory, share knowledge across generations while gathering edible plants and medicinal herbs, and discuss the company\u2019s local impact. As we climbed into the p\u00e1ramo, another threat became evident\u2014one that goes beyond mining: the effects of the\u00a0climate crisis<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Women who support the conservation of the p\u00e1ramos \u2013 Photo: Andr\u00e9s G\u00f3mez<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Upper Putumayo is one of the rainiest places on Earth, but its waters are already changing. This p\u00e1ramo ecosystem depends on the frailejones, plants endemic to Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela, which grow just one centimetre a year. These delicate plants absorb moisture from the mist and act as water factories by channelling water into the ground, feeding springs and water sources that nourish the streams flowing into the River Mocoa, part of the Caquet\u00e1 River basin which flows through the Amazon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Eight years ago, we used to walk on a watery cushion, and we\u2019d end up completely soaked!\u201d But look at it today, with the few days of summer we\u2019ve had, and the ground is dry. Well, yes, there are small patches that still have a little mud, but that\u2019s about it. Before, we would get completely soaked.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Luisa Chindoy\u2019s words, spoken in the forest among the frailejones, reveal her fear that the p\u00e1ramo will degrade, and that Libero Cobre will intensify that degradation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But environmental change is not the only concern. Libero Cobre has sought to shape local perceptions through cultural events and symbolic gestures. Miguel, a young indigenous guard, explained that the multinational co-opts the community\u2019s events and sacred dates for its own promotion. This includes the \u00abClestrinye<\/em>,\u00bb a celebration that is part of the day known as the B\u00ebtsknat\u00e9: <\/em>Great Day or Day of Forgiveness, shared by the Kaments\u00e1 and Ingas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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And what hurts me the most about this multinational is that a year ago, on the eve of \u2018Clestrinye,\u2019 they went around giving away drums to anyone who wanted one, but with the Libero Cobre logo on them. So it\u2019s like they\u2019re gradually making it clear\u2014in quotes\u2014that it\u2019s good, that it\u2019s going to bring development, but development only for the moment.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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\u00a0B\u00ebtsknat\u00e9<\/em>\u00a0(first from right to left) \u2013 Photo: Andr\u00e9s G\u00f3mez<\/sub><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGreen transition\u201d at the risk of a catastrophe?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Libero Cobre activities do not seem consistent with a company focused on a clean and sustainable energy transition. Its dealings with indigenous communities have been opaque and disregard the regulations of environmental agencies. Whilst the mining company owned by the Sunnunu family had initially planned an open-pit mine, now, it\u00a0insists<\/a>\u00a0it can conduct underground mining with less environmental impact. But underground mining still has major safety risks in the Andean-Amazonian foothills of Putumayo. The Mocoa River basin is known for its powerful torrents and steep, deep canyons. Sandra Rodr\u00edguez, a geologist and former Corpoamazon\u00eda contractor, confirms this assessment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The water source there is young, and furthermore, it is still dynamic and has great force. The narrow canyon increases its speed and power.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Sandra Rodr\u00edguez is not exaggerating. Data from the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology, and Environmental Studies and the Colombian Geological Service, as cited by\u00a0Corpoamazon\u00eda<\/a>, show that 80% of Mocoa faces a high or very high risk of landslides, flash floods, and floodings. Since 1998, Mocoa has recorded over 80 disasters. Most of these disasters are linked to geomorphological and hydrological processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The underground exploration and mining proposed by Libero Copper could make this situation worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Corpoamazon\u00eda says\u00a0mining concessions for the \u201cMocoa Project<\/a>\u201d are in areas prone to mass movements. These risks exist alongside flash floods from heavy rains that trigger mudslides and sediment runoff. Both types of disasters have happened several times in the region. Sandra Rodr\u00edguez fears Libero Cobre\u2019s operations will harm local communities and believes this damage has already begun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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There have already been events that occurred last year on this little stream that affected Pueblo Viejo here. They destroyed a bridge that connects Montclar, San Antonio, and Pueblo Viejo. A small amount of mud was enough to destroy this bridge. I can\u2019t even imagine what it would be like with more rocks and sediment falling into the stream.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The danger is not limited to the communities threatened by rockslides and mudslides. Copper miners also face the threat of mine collapse. Sandra Rodr\u00edguez explains:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I would even go so far as to say that 70% to 80% of all accidents inside the mine are due to collapses. Consider the Marmato case in Caldas, where collapses happen constantly. The key difference is that Marmato is located in a forest area that is almost dry. The rainfall there is less than 10% of what we get here in this Amazonian region. Yet collapses still occur frequently.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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A transition that demands a State that cares<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Woman hands caring \u2013 Photo: Andr\u00e9s G\u00f3mez<\/sub><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The energy transition is advancing, but without effective technologies to recycle electronic waste, the demand for copper will continue pushing mining deeper into territories such as Putumayo. In Mocoa, this does not only mean extracting a mineral. It means intervening in p\u00e1ramos, forests and water systems that sustain Indigenous communities and regulate life across the Andean-Amazonian foothills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Kam\u00ebnts\u00e1 women know this well. In response, not only they organize mingas, discussions and territorial walks. They collect seeds, monitor springs and try to defend the territory before the damage becomes irreversible. Their actions also reveal something deeper than opposition to mining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a region torn apart by war, displacement and institutional opacity, the Women\u2019s Council is striving to uphold collective forms of territorial stewardship and communal decision-making that the State has never guaranteed. Whilst the authorities have fragmented responsibility amongst the agencies responsible for mining, the environment and prior consultation, the women are organising themselves to learn about the issue, holding assemblies to share what they have learnt, walking the p\u00e1ramo and bringing together elders and young people to discuss what is at stake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Elderly people who cherish their culture and the way of life rooted in the p\u00e1ramo, now under threat from the copper mining project \u2013 Photos: Andr\u00e9s G\u00f3mez<\/sup><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The conflict is not just about the copper deposits beneath the mountains, but about who has the authority to determine the future of the territory itself. And on this point, Rosario Chindoy calls on her people to be prudent:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Money comes, as the saying goes, but money runs out and the fool is left behind. What good is it to us if our authorities bring in vast amounts of money? Resources and programmes may arrive, but if we are losing our essence, if we are not thinking like Kam\u00ebnt\u0161\u00e1, if we are not feeling like Kam\u00ebnt\u0161\u00e1\u2026 then what use is the money?<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

* El Turbi\u00f3n submitted a formal request for information to Copper Giant Resources Corp. (formerly Libero Copper), enquiring about the overlap of its mining concessions with indigenous reserves and forest reserves, as well as its failure to comply with a suspension order issued by Corpoamazon\u00eda; however, the company never replied.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In recognition of El Turbi\u00f3n\u2019s commitment to integrity and excellence in journalism, the outlet has obtained the Certification of the Journalism Trust Initiative, promoted by Reporters Without Borders under the international standard CEN CWA 17493:2019.
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Independent journalism and investigation are costly\u2026 Support us.<\/h2>\n<\/div>
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By: Andr\u00e9s G\u00f3mez Mar\u00eda del Rosario Chindoy had never heard of the mining concession FJT-141. Like many Kam\u00ebnts\u00e1 women in Colombia\u2019s Sibundoy Valley, she only realized something was changing when helicopters began flying over the mountains surrounding her territory. Seeking answers, the Women\u2019s Council organized meetings and began asking local authorities what company was operating […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":26245,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,66,12,14,39,54],"tags":[246,894,2031,2138],"class_list":["post-26249","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-amazonia","category-amazonia-regiones","category-ddhh","category-destacado","category-movimientos-sociales","category-senza-categoria","tag-amazon","tag-copper-giant","tag-kamentsa","tag-libero-cobre"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/elturbion.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26249","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/elturbion.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/elturbion.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elturbion.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elturbion.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=26249"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/elturbion.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26249\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elturbion.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/26245"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/elturbion.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=26249"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elturbion.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=26249"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elturbion.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=26249"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}