[IPSM] FW: [PK] GUATEMALA: Massacre survivors take control of World Bank and IDB funded Dam

[JJ]

 --- On Mon 09/13, Don < dbain at telus.net > wrote:From: Don [mailto: dbain at telus.net]To: Undisclosed-Recipient:;@myway.comDate: Sun, 12 Sep 2004 23:00:32 -0700Subject: [PK] GUATEMALA: Massacre survivors take control of World Bank and IDB funded Dam----- Original Message ----- From: "Rights Action" To: Sent: Sunday, September 12, 2004 12:07 PMSubject: GUATEMALA: Massacre survivors take control of World Bank and IDBfunded DamSeptember 12, 2004GUATEMALA: Mayan-Achi massacres survivors from Rabinal take control ofChixoy Hydro-electric Dam, as means of pressuring the Inter-AmericanDevelopment Bank (IDB), the World Bank (WB) and the Guatemalan government toprovide full compensation and reparations, 22 years after the army carriedout a series of massacres (killing some 450 Rio Negro villagers) as a meansof forcibly displacing the community, to make way for the flooding of thedam basin.Since 1995, Rights Action has funded and otherwise supported a wide range ofcommunity development and re-building projects designed and implemented bythe communities affected by the Chixoy Dam.BELOW:Press Release and Background Urgent Action -- COORDINATING COMMITTEE OFCOMMUNITIES AFFECTED BY THE CHIXOY DAM.What to do list - Rights Action.===If you want on-off this elist, info at rightsaction.org. Please redistribute this information tofriends, media, politicians, etcetera . .===PRESS RELEASEPueblo Viejo, Guatemala, September 7, 2004From: The COORDINATING COMMITTEE OF COMMUNITIES AFFECTED BY THE CHIXOY DAMWE DEMAND RESPECT FOR OUR RIGHTS AS A PEOPLE -- Guatemalan Government, WorldBank (WB), Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Must Resolve Damages Causedby the Chixoy DamWe, the communities from Quiché, Alta and Baja Verapaz, Guatemala, have beenand continue to be affected for more than 28 years by the ChixoyHydroelectric Dam -- a so-called "DEVELOPMENT" project promoted by theGovernment of Guatemala. Construction of the project by the NationalInstitute of Electricity (INDE) began in 1976 with financing from the WB andthe IDB.Project developers entered our communities and deceived us, offering manypromises to reach their goals. We resisted their project proposals.Nevertheless, they used the armed conflict in the country as a strategy toaccuse us of being guerrillas and to conduct several massacres to displaceus violently from our lands and strip us of our rights, especially ourlands, homes and crops and other possessions.At present the Guatemalan Government, the WB and the IDB, do not recognizethat our rights have been violated, and even more, they have not recognizedthat our possessions have been flooded.For more than 28 years, our right to live a balanced life, in harmony andwith the possibility of providing a better life for our future generationshas been taken away. What is worse is the lack of compliance with thepromises made during the promotion of that "DEADLY PROJECT."In light of these violations, we demand the following. To the GuatemalanGovernment, WB and the IDB:* Immediate reparations for the damages and losses caused by theconstruction of the Chixoy Hydroelectric Dam, and for the Guatemalan Stateto accept responsibility for the committed violations of Human Rights.* Prompt compliance with the promises made by INDE since 1975, when theconstruction of the Chixoy dam began.* A halt to construction of new hydroelectric dams, because they do notbenefit affected communities. As an example, none of the communities in theproximity to the Chixoy dam have electricity, even though the generatingfacility is close by.WE CONDEMN THE GOVERNMENT OF GUATEMALA* For its lack of interest in promoting public policies to improve the livesof Indigenous Peoples.* For responding to the interests of transnational companies and theeconomic sectors.* For allowing the economic interests of a few to prevail while negotiatingaway the rights of communities over their natural resources.* For charging exhorbitant electricity fees from consumers, especiallyindigenous communities and the poor.THEREFORE, WE DEMAND THAT THE GUATEMALAN GOVERNMENT:* Halt all megaprojects 
 for which we have not been consulted and whichthreaten our lives and that of future generations; the Chixoy dam is anexample because of all the irreparable damage it caused.* Revise the strategy of billing consumers, now in the hands of DEORSA, inorder to address improper billing.* Immediate compliance with promises made by INDE since 1976 whenconstruction of the Chixoy dam began. This includes the following:1. Urgently purchase fertile lands, build appropriate housing and constructpublic services where communities live. Provide sustainable economicprojects, educational grants for our children and grandchildren who live inextreme poverty and free electricity; all in order to be able to provide forour families and guarantee them better and dignifying living conditions.2. Resolve with EXTREME URGENCY the electricity crisis in the community ofPacux where villagers have not had ELECTRICITY OR WATER FOR 2 MONTHS. Usefunds from the Rural Electrification Fund created when INDE was privatized.3. Create a working group including representatives of the Government of theGuatemalan Republic, the WB and the IDB, the Human Rights Ombudsman'sOffice, MINUGUA and representatives of the affected communities to discussand come up with solutions to all these problems. The creation of suchworking group should be organized no later than 15 days from today's date.NO MORE CONSTRUCTION OF HYDROELECTRIC DAMS. NO MORE BLOOD AND FAMINE FOROUR FAMILIES****URGENT ALERTPueblo Viejo - Chixoy Dam site, Guatemala, September 7, 2004From: The COORDINATING COMMITTEE OF COMMUNITIES AFFECTED BY THE CHIXOY DAMIn response to the lack of willingness to repair the damages caused by theconstruction of the Hydroelectric Chixoy Dam to the affected communities,BACKGROUNDAccording to the policies of the Government of Guatemala in 1976, TheNational Institute of Electricity (INDE) began construction of the Chixoyhydroelectric dam. The Project was called "the biggest project build by menin Central America," and was build to provide cheap, abundant and reliableenergy.At the end of 1976 INDE forcibly displaced communities. They were offeredcompensation for damages and losses caused by the construction of theproject, such as: new replacement lands, compensation for lost crops anddamaged harvests, construction of new homes in new colonies with all theservices and infrastructures, sustainable economic projects, cooperatives,free electric energy, a bridge, a communal boat, among other things.The WB and the IDB were indispensable in the planning and financing of theChixoy Dam, and played a very important role in several stages in theconstruction of the project. They approved Chixoy in 1978 withoutconsidering the importance of the lives of affected communities that weremassacred because of their opposition to the project, and the flooding oflands we used to cultivate. In 1982 the reservoir was finished and the plantbegan operation.The survivors sought refuge in sub-human places for five years, and laterafter the first amnesty announced by the government in 1985, we began tolive in the resettlement villages of Colonia el Naranjo, Colonia RosarioItalia and Colonia Pacux where we presently live. These were the "ModelVillages" built by the army to control guerrilla actions. The houses areuninhabitable and lack services, for which the WB and the IDB admitted thatthe resettlement program had failed. It was immediately clear that theeconomic situation of the community worsen after the resettlement to thosecolonies began, all the services are in bad condition.The WB, in its 1996 mission [to Guatemala to investigate the Chixoy Damissue], acknowledged that compensation and resettlement had not beenfulfilled completed and identified obligations that had not been met, suchas providing free electricity and water for the resettled communities.Because of these reasons we CALL on all Human Rights organizations,communities affected by the construction of dams and to the national andinternational press to join a peaceful demonstration at the dam site, todaySeptember 7, starting at 8:00 AM at the
  Chixoy Dam Site in Pueblo Viejo,Santa Cruz Verapaz.Sincerely,COORDINATING COMMITTEE OF COMMUNITIES AFFECTED BY THE CHIXOY DAM.===TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS in the USA and Canada:To support the community development and rebuilding work of the communitiesaffected by the Chixoy Dam, make check payable to "Rights Action" and mailto:USA: Rights Action, 1830 Connecticut Av, NW, Washington DC, 20009.CANADA: Rights Action, 509 St. Clair Av, W. box73527, Toronto ON, M6C-1C0.To come on an educational delegation to Guatemala or to become a humanrights accompanier in the region, please -1- get on our elist and -2-contact RA: 416-654-2074, info at rightsaction.org.===------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> $9.95 domain names from Yahoo!. Register anything.http://us.click.yahoo.com/J8kdrA/y20IAA/yQLSAA/oOHolB/TM--------------------------------------------------------------------~-> -----------------------*If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post this message, please retain this credit.=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=UBCIC's Protecting Knowledge Conference site: http://www.ubcic.bc.ca/protect.htm Yahoo! Groups Links<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/protecting_knowledge/<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:protecting_knowledge-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

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