The following press releases have been translated by NISGUA as part of its ongoing human rights accompaniment of communities threatened by the Xalalá dam project.
Press Release 1
25 October 2012
Guatemala
Imposition of Development Projects
Threatens the Life of Communities in Ixcán
Considering that the Ministry of Energy
and Mines recently announced a new bidding process for the
construction of the Xalalá dam and oil exploration in the
municipality of Ixcán, social organizations and community members
from this region publicly state our concern and our rejection of the
implementation of these megaprojects that threaten the well-being
of our communities.
The expropriation and extraction of
natural resources by the oligarchy, businessmen, and the army in
territories inhabited by indigenous peoples (pueblos originarios),
has historically generated displacement, poverty, repression and
serious human rights abuses, including genocide.
We reiterate our concern and call for
the support of other organizations, considering the risk that the
imposition of these large-scale development projects (megaproyectos)
could lead to further violations of community rights, as seen in
Polochic, San Juan Sacatepéquez, San Raymundo, San Miguel
Ixtahuacán, Barillas and Totonicapán.
We hope to strengthen alliances with
different groups also participating in the struggle to defend land
and territory, respect for community rights and referendums, and our
rejection of the repression we currently face as indigenous peoples
for engaging in this struggle.
We denounce the National
Electrification Institute (INDE) for withholding information about
the impacts of the construction of the Xalalá dam and for minimizing
the negative effects it could have on the community.
For these reasons, we demand:
- That the State respect the results of the good faith community referendums held in Ixcán (April 20, 2007) and Uspantán (October 29, 2010), in which participants voted against the large-scale development projects planned for our regions.
- That the government and the Ministry of Energy and Mines, as a matter of urgency, cancel the Ministerial Agreement number 321-2,012, published in the official government paper (Diario Oficial) on October 15 of this year on the construction of the Xacbal Delta Dam in the municipality of Ixcan. We also ask for the cancellation of the Government Agreement 172-2, 012, published on September 4 on oil exploration and drilling in the Xalbal area in the municipalities of Ixcán, El Quiché and Barillas, Huehuetenango.
- That all governmental entities provide truthful information to the communities and engage in a dialogue that respects agreements and decisions reached with the communities.
- That the President and other governmental entities respect that the communities defending their territory and demanding better living conditions for their people have the right to protest, and refuse to allow the army, the national police, or private agents to endanger peoples’ lives.
To defend our land and our territory
is to defend the life and dignity of our people!
Association of Communities for Development and the Defense of Land and Natural Resources (ACODET)
Commission to Follow-up on the Ixcán
Community Referendum
Movement of People’s Resistance for
Life in Ixcán (MOPREVI)
 |
| A mural on a church in a community threatened by the Xalalá hydroelectric dam project reads, "The Maya people deserve respect for life, land, and natural resources." |
Press Release 2
October 2012
On October 25, a delegation of
community and organizational representatives from the municipalities
of Ixcán, Cobán and Uspantán met with government officials in
charge of implementing the Xalalá hydroelectric dam project. The
delegates presented a document signed by authorities and
representatives from 53 communities in Ixcán, Cobán and Uspantán
that are threatened by the construction of the dam.
Juan Carlos Morataya, Project
Development Manager for INDE (the National Electrification
Institute), Edwin Rodas, Vice Minister of Energy and Mines, José
Fernando Carrera, head of the SEGEPLAN (Secretary General of Planning
and Programming for the Presidency), and the Vice Minister of the
Environment all participated in the meeting. Congressional
representatives Amilcar Pop and Carlos Mejía, presidents of the
Transparency Commission and the Indigenous People’s Commission
respectively, organized the meeting.
During the meeting, community
representatives reiterated the decision made during the good faith
community referendums held in Ixcán (April 20, 2007) and Uspantán
(October 29, 2010). In the referendums, participants rejected the
construction of the Xalalá dam, because it would flood the best land
in 58 communities, affecting their rights to land, food, health,
consultation, and participation in deciding development priorities.
The representatives also expressed concern regarding potential human
rights violations, pointing out that INDE has still not paid
compensation for damages to the Achí communities affected by the
Chixoy dam that was constructed over 30 years ago.
The Ministry of Energy and Mines
affirmed that it has not received requests for, nor has it
authorized, geological studies for the Xalalá area. The
representative from INDE stated that the institution does plan to
carry out geological, economic, and social studies to confirm the
viability of the Xalalá dam. One of the officials explained that
SEGEPLAN is conducting social work in order to raise consciousness
among the COCODES [local development committees] and community
members, so that they will accept the dam. INDE has determined that
most communities in the region have no electricity and the
institution plans to promote electricity projects in rural areas so
that the communities will value the importance of electricity and
will approve the construction of the dam.
José Fernando Carrera, head of
SEGEPLAN and Vice President of the Executive Council of INDE,
confirmed that SEGEPLAN and INDE signed an agreement in July to
design plans, within the framework of the national electricity plan,
for land use and regulation (ordenamiento territorial) in the
municipalities affected by the Xalalá dam. INDE contracted and
financed 8 people that earn between 12,000 and 14,000 quetzales
[approximately USD $1,500 - $1,800]. Carrera said he recognizes the
rights of indigenous peoples as established in the International
Labour Organization’s Convention 169. He said not one employee of
SEGEPLAN should try to convince the communities, much less pressure
them or place conditions, such as approval for the dam, on
development projects. He asked people to report the names of
employees that try to manipulate the communities.
The representative of the Ministry of
the Environment and Natural Resources said that he is unaware of the
Xalalá project. The law, however, requires that his ministry verify
the environmental impacts and consent of the affected communities.
XACBAL DAM
After the meeting, a group of Ixil
Indigenous Authorities from the municipalities of Cotzal, Chajul and
Nebaj asked for the immediate suspension of Ministerial Agreement
321-2,012, authorizing the construction of the Xacbal Delta Dam,
because the affected communities and indigenous authorities were not
consulted about it. The representatives from the Ixcán joined those
from the Ixil in this request, due to the fact that the construction
of this new dam will only intensify the environmental impacts on the
Xalbal River.
The indigenous mayor of Cotzal also
asked for further follow-up and compliance with the agreements
previously signed in the case of the Palo Viejo dam. The
congressional representatives asked the Ministry of the Environment
and Natural Resources to share a copy of the approved environmental
impact studies for dams in the Ixil area, so that the representatives
can review them and analyze their legality. The Vice Minister of the
Environment agreed to share and analyze the studies within 20
business days, and in the case of manipulation, he promised to
suspend operations of the corresponding dams.
Association of Communities for Development and the Defense of Land and Natural Resources (ACODET)
Commission to Follow-up on the Ixcán
Community Referendum
Movement of People’s Resistance for
Life in Ixcán (MOPREVI)
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