A crucial court hearing concerning a lawsuit against mining giant Barrick Gold has been postponed until 24 June 2025, as environmental organizations press for the suspension of the company’s operations and the halt of a controversial new tailings dam project, Listin Diario reports. The Ministry of Environment cleared the construction of the second tailings dam in the province, but this has met with protests from community members and environmental groups.
Judge Lauda del Carmen Canaán of the First Chamber of the Superior Administrative Tribunal granted the delay at the request of the Ministry of Environment’s representative, allowing the plaintiffs more time to thoroughly examine the case file.
The lawsuit, filed on 19 May 2025 by the Institute of Lawyers for Environmental Protection (Insaproma) and other groups, seeks to suspend Barrick Gold’s activities in the Zambrana community, located in Cotuí, Sánchez Ramírez province. The legal action also aims to prevent the construction of a second tailings dam, citing serious environmental and social impacts that have sparked widespread concern among nearby communities.
The virtual hearing saw participation from legal representatives of Insaproma, the Public Policy Observatory of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD), and the National Committee for the Fight Against Climate Change. Interns from Insaproma’s “Solidarity Legal Assistance” project, a practical training initiative to bolster environmental legal defense, were also present.
Community protests escalate in Cotuí
Meanwhile, tensions remain high in Zambrana and Cotuí, where community members have established a protest camp to resist the ongoing deforestation on the El Naranjo river hill. This comes as military personnel clear the area, ostensibly to facilitate the mining company’s construction of the new tailings dam.
The Listin Diario reports indicates that Barrick Gold workers, equipped with chainsaws, are continuing to fell trees in Zambrana.
Military presence amidst environmental battle
Dozens of soldiers have reportedly cordoned off the Zambrana hill, pushing deeper into the mountainous terrain. Local residents have set up a permanent encampment to monitor and prevent Barrick Gold from cutting down trees and destroying the headwaters of the El Naranjo river. This river serves as the sole water source for over half a dozen communities in the Cotuí municipality.
The mining company is reportedly attempting to build a second tailings dam and a road precisely at the river’s origin. Members of the Dominican Republic Army (ERD) are allegedly under orders to prevent community members from opposing the tree felling, thereby facilitating the advance of heavy machinery for continued deforestation.
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Listin Diario
11 June 2025