Friday, April 9, 2010

Mo' Medoro (MRS.v)

Hot on the heels of yesterday's post about the travails of Medoro Resources (MRS.v) in Colombia and the dispute over ownership of the Frontino gold mine, the Frontino unions and locals sent out another NR yesterday. Here it is.

Sintramienergetica, Segovia Section: Press Release From the Rightful Owners of Frontino Gold Mines

Sintramienergetica, Segovia Section -

1. We, the worker's union, the people of Segovia, the creditors and the retirees are the rightful owners of Frontino Gold Mines as fully documented by a legal deed of 1979 that is readily and publicly available at the courts. This legal deed leaves no doubt whatsoever that we are the rightful owners of Frontino Gold Mines. The Canadian company Medoro is well aware of this fact but nevertheless fails to disclose it to Canadian authorities as well as to the Colombian people.

2. In the last days defamatory remarks by Medoro and especially by Mr. Iaicon Serafino Iacono have been made, that portray us as a marginal group that does not represent the Colombian people. We want to make clear that we represent the entire population for which reason this press release has been signed by the leaders of the Colombian National Worker's Union. Mr. Serrafino Iacono and Medoro Resources are clearly outsiders that hardly seem to understand the needs of the Colombian people. Frontino Gold Mines is a Colombian national treasure owned by Colombians and we will under no circumstances allow it to be taken by a foreign company. The proceeds from Frontino Gold Mines are urgently needed to improve the miserable life conditions and poverty of the region where even basic needs of life are absent. Medoro Resources is trying to take our only asset the welfare and livelihood of an entire region. We will not allow this to happen.

3. Medoro Resources has failed to disclose in its filings with Canadian authorities the existence of this legal deed as well as the existence of a lawsuit against it. We will take national and international legal action against Medoro to prevent what is legally ours from being taken from us. We ask all Colombians and Canadians to support us in our fight for survival and for better living conditions against Medoro Resources. We will also take legal action against those people who finance Medoro Resources and Mr. Serafino Iacono.

4. The Central Union of Workers (CUT), FUNTRAENERGETICA, (National Federation of Workers), SINTRAMIENERGETICA, (National Federation of Workers), and SINTRAMIENERGETICA, Segovia Section, the people of Segovia, and the entire region emphatically reject the claims on our assets by Medoro Resources, and are outraged that this Canadian company would attempt to take a Colombian treasure that is rightfully owned since 1979 by the pensioners, active workers, and the regional community. We call upon all national and international workers' organizations, the world-wide mining community, and all free people to show solidarity against Medoro Resources, and ask them to stand with the workers against this gross violation of their legal rights. We will not stand down, and will fight for our survival.

Dairo Rua, Presidente, Sintramienergetica Segovia Section

Raul Sosa Avellaneda, National President of Sintramienergetica

Tarcisio Mora Godoy, National President, CUT, FUNTRAENERGETICA

Joaquin Romero, President, CUT

For what it's worth, I really don't know which side is right and which is wrong on this issue. What I do know is that MRS.v has a whole heap of legal woes coming its way if it wants to take control of Frontino and the case is likely to drag on for years.