Evictions under Development: a Case Study of the Mirador Mining Project in Zamora Chinchipe, Ecuador

Abstract

In 2012, Ecuadorian government and Ecuacorriente mining company signed a contract for the exploitation phase of the Mirador project, beginning a more intensive stage of operations and infrastructure construction. Under this project, several families have been evicted and others are in imminent danger of losing their land. This paper presents the findings of a research about situations of eviction and human rights violations generated as a result of the implementation of the Mirador project, and identifies means and resources used by the company to evict the inhabitants of the direct area of influence of the project.