"UN Sounds Alarm on Mercury Crisis from Illegal Mining in Colombia's Atrato"

The United Nations warns that mercury contamination from illegal gold mining in Colombias Atrato River basin poses a grave human rights crisis for local Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities.

• The United Nations special rapporteur highlighted that mercury (element) pollution from illegal gold mining threatens the health and survival of communities reliant on the Atrato River.
• In a letter, the United Nations expressed concerns over Colombias inadequate response to the ongoing toxicity crisis affecting local food and water sources.
• The mercury (element) contamination in the Atrato River has escalated into a serious human rights issue, endangering the cultural and physical well-being of Indigenous populations.