Ecuador: Solaris Resources facing accusations of fabricating a consultation agreement & violating FPIC by indigenous Shuar Arutam People

BY BUSINESS & HUMAN RIGHTS RESOURCE CENTRE

October 12, 2020

On September 8, Canadian mining company Solaris Resources Inc. issued a press release announcing the signing of an “Impacts and Benefits Agreement (“IBA”) for the Warintza Project” with the Shuar Centres of Warints and Yawi. The release followed statements that the company has been making since March about a successful “prior consultation process” it had completed with the Shuar Arutam People through a “strategic alliance”. Following this release, the Shuar Arutam People's Government Council (CGPSHA) which represents the 45 Indigenous centres in Shuar Arutam territory, publicly condemned the statements as false, and accused the company of violating their rights as Indigenous peoples. 

The Business and Human Rights Resource Centre contacted Solaris Resources to respond to the allegations; the response can be found below. We also invited Equinox Gold to respond due to the company having significant stakes in Solaris Resources; the company did not respond.