John Taylor told us about the mining crisis in El Salvador, and asked us to raise awareness of these problems. El Salvador has significant deposits of gold, which should be a good thing if it were not for the conflicts it generates. Gold extraction comes at a huge environmental cost since arsenic and cyanide are used in the process. Leaders concerned by the health impact on families living near the mines have become better organized. The efficacy of their opposition has become really annoying, to the point that some of these leaders “disappeared”. International mining companies are suing to obtain mining rights under the Central America Free Trade Agreement, even when their country is not part of CAFTA. John is asking that we contact our congress representatives, & ask for the review of CAFTA and the investigation of the disappearances.