Hacktivists protest against mining companies and the pollution they generate

Sep 13, 2012 11:24 GMT  ·  By

Anonymous Argentina has launched a campaign called Operation Terra Viva. The main goal of this operation is to raise awareness of the pollution generated by mining companies. “It’s been a long time since people have been fighting the mining companies that steal our water, devastate our people, land, pollute and leave. It's time we did something about it, the mega-corporations who commit these crimes and believe they have the power to step on anyone who comes their way,” reads a translation of the hacker’s statement.

“We are tired of us not to be heard. We are the people of Argentina and Buenos Aires, Catamarca, Córdoba, Corrientes, Chaco, Chubut, Entre Rios, Formosa, Jujuy, La Pampa, La Rioja, Mendoza, Neuquen, Misiones, Black River, Salta, San Juan, San Luis, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Santiago del Estero, Tierra del Fuego, Tucuman and all who inhabit these sacred lands we will do everything possible to defend what is ours.”

The hacktivists dedicate this month to online and offline protests to raise awareness of the “negative impact” generated by mining installations.

The initiators of the campaign have asked their supporters to go to the streets on September 23 to protest. In the meantime, as with other Anonymous operations, a number of websites have been attacked.

The latest, and probably the most important website taken down by the hacktivists is the one of the Argentinian Ministry of Medias and Communication (medios.gov.ar).

While they claim that they don’t usually attack the media, the Ministry of Medias and Communication has apparently been attacked because the government plans to counteract the “cacerolazo” – a popular protest practiced in Argentina and other Spanish-speaking countries.

Other websites that currently appear to be under attack are apmcorp.ca, aquiline.com, and the one of Allana Potash – a world-class potash project from Ethiopia.

The activists have also completely removed a number of websites related to mining and resource extraction, including minerapiuquenes.com.ar allanaresources.com angloamerican.co.uk, antaresminerals.com, and argentinefrontier.com.