Two villagers from the Andean mountains of Ecuador have traveled to Toronto, Canada to announce on Wednesday, March 4 the launch of a billion dollar lawsuit in Ontario based on violence and human rights abuse related to a proposed future open pit copper mine in a remote ecologically pristine area in the Ecuadorean Andes.

Marcia Ramirez and Carlos Zorrilla believe that the exploration operations of a Canadian junior mining company have resulted in armed attacks, death threats and assaults on local community members and leaders who oppose the planned future mine, as well as causing social upheaval. Local leaders are arguing for ecologically sound local development instead.

The Ecuadorians are also naming the Toronto Stock Exchange as a defendant for its role in arranging financing for the mining company after the Exchange had been warned of the risk of violence from the mining company's local tactics.

The three Plaintiffs in the lawsuit have all suffered physical attack from what they believe were company agents.

The press conference will be held in a conference room in the Toronto Exchange Tower and will be broadcast live on the Internet beginning at 10:00 a.m. at:

http://www.ramirezversuscoppermesa.com/news.html

A video conference link has been set up to allow journalists in Quito, Ecuador to participate live in the press conference.

The Ecuadorians believe that lax laws and regulations in Canada allow Canadian mining companies to cause serious harm all over the world without adequate legal accountability. In addition to pursuing a major legal action, they have been pressing for Canadian law reform.

The Plaintiffs seek compensation, plus punitive damages totaling over a billion dollars to offset the financial incentives for abuse created by the lure of open pit mine revenues. All net proceeds from the legal claim, if successful, will be devoted to ecological and human rights causes.

The press conference will feature a video clip showing the company's security forces attacking local villagers with guns and anti-personnel spray.

Copies of the Statement of Claim, background information, photographs and a video recording will be provided at the press conference.

A lawsuit such as this can last for years, and the Plaintiffs will be inviting donations to cover non-legal fee litigation costs. Donations can be made at the Plaintiffs' website at www.ramirezversuscoppermesa.com, which will go live at 9:30 a.m., Wednesday, March 4, 2009.

By co-incidence, the press conference will be held on the last day of the national Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada, when thousands of mining industry participants congregate in Toronto.

Where: In Toronto
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The Exchange Tower
130 King Street West (corner of King and York)
18th Floor (Suite 1800)
Conference Room to the immediate left of reception

Video conference address in Quito, Ecuador
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Edif. Espana, 8to Piso., Of. 83
Av. Amazonas N 25-23 y Av. Colón

Time: Wednesday, March 4, 2009
10:00 a.m.

Murray Klippenstein, Legal counsel for the Plaintiffs, (416) 937-8634 (mobile)