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Home
| Friday 18th April
2008 | Issue 629
MAYAN THE FORCE BE WITH YOUFIGHTING A NEW DAM IN GUATEMALA In the Quiche region of northern Guatemala, on the border with Mexico, lies the isolated Ixcan Municipality. It is home to around 75,000 indigenous Mayans who are mostly subsistence farmers. The area is beautiful, green and lush, charecterised by rushing rivers and jungles rich in biodiversity.Unfortunately for the indigenous population, the area also contains many of Guatemala’s most coveted natural resources - oil, gold, land perfect for large scale sugar cane plantations for biofuel production and rivers with the potential for massive energy production. One of these, the Chixoy River, is the controversial proposed location for what would be Guatemala’s largest hydroelectric development. If built, the dam is set to flood an area of 7.5km², displacing at least 3000 people and destroying the agricultural land and livelihoods of around 6-8000. Directly through the construction of the dam, and indirectly through relocation of the resident communites, the project will irrevocably alter the ecology of the area. Thousands living downstream of the flooded area will also be aversely affected as their primary water source is reduced drastically. Unsuprisingly, the plan is meeting huge resistance from the Ixcan population. The dam is just one part of the hugely controversial Plan Puebla Panama (PPP). Initiated in 2001, PPP is a regional intergration project for Central America involving large scale infrastructure projects aimed at facilitating "free trade" (See SchNEWS 440). Advocates state that the plan aims to “develop” Latin America, but with 92% of the $5 billion budget allocated for transportation and electrification iniatives, designed primarily to aid resource extraction and transportation of raw materials and sweat-shop produced consumer products from the region, the only real development will be in the profits of big business. DAMMED IF YOU DO In the US, in March 2006 at the Forum of Latin American Leadership, the Xalala dam was promoted to potential foreign inverstors as one of the 50 largest projects planned in Latin America. Once functioning, annual net profit of the project is predicted to be US$100-150 million. And following two favourable changes of law in the past few years, the project is now looking for a new slew of investors. In the late 1990s, the rate of tax demanded from the Guatemalan government from private corporations fell from a draconian 6% to a mere 1%. Sweet! Then, and at the end of the last government, a law was rushed through which removed obligatory impartial assessments of the effects of mega projects and enables the corporation set to profit from the development to carry out all the social and environmental impact studies themselves! Even sweeter! As with all the mega projects of the PPP, proponents claim that the Xalala dam will bring “devlopment” to the region.The (Guatemalan) National Institute of Electrification (INDE) states that the dam will generate cheap and clean electricity, help Guatemala become self sufficient in its energy needs - and generate capital through sales of the electricity to other countries. However, for the 88% of the region’s population who live in poverty, lacking both running water and electricity, losing their lands and resources to provide electricity for far away countries and profit for a MNC is a strange definition of development. DAMMED IF YOU DON'T The communties set to be affected initially attempted to resist the development through constitutional channels. Convention 169 of the International Labor Organisation is an international agreement (ratified by Guatemala in 1997) designed to protest the rights of indigenous communties. It states both that “governments should respect and protect the property rights and possesion of lands that are traditionally occupied by indigenous people” and that “governments must consult the affected communties before authorising any program that plans to exploit the natural resources in their terrotories.” In April 2007, a Consulta Popular (referendum) was held in the Ixcan on both the construction of the Xalala Dam and whether to grant permission for oil exploration and extraction in the region. Of the 19,911 people who participated, 91% rejected both developments. But of course, there is little hope that the government will listen to the people. All in the region remember only too well the Rio Negro massacres of 1982 where over 400 people were killed when they refused to leave their homes to allow the development of the Chixoy Dam. Today, the survivors are still awaiting promised reperations from INDE and the World Bank (who financed the project) and, with bitter irony, the communites next to this giant power plant are still without electricity. While the genocide that occurred in the 80s may be over, the future of those in the vicinty of the proposed Xalala dam doesnt look bright. On October, 29th, 2005 Maynor López of, Gran Alianza Nacional (one of Guatemala’s main politcal parties) said, “Where we plan to build the dam, there is only the jungle, inhabited by wild animals…We hope, when the construction starts no NGO comes to save the animals.” In May 2006, the former President of Guatemala Oscar Berger also denied the communities’ existence, stating in a national newspaper that the area was well suited for dam development because it was so sparsely populated. When the communites and NGOs have contacted government officials for information, none has been forthcoming. With growing frequency helicopters fly over the region and armed men threaten the people. Over the past few years, the local Mayor and his office, who oppose the development, have been subject to regular atacks, including attempted kinappings, burning of municipal buildings and attacks on workers. These events are reported to the justice authorities but no action has ever been taken. The 31st of July is the final date for offers from companies wishing to construct and operate the Xalala dam and the winner will be announced on the 1st September. While it is unlikely the project will be halted through official channels, the development is not yet a fait acompli for corporate interests. Following the indigenous communities return to the region after the civil war, the area has the highest level of community organisation in the country. There are numerous agricultural cooperatives, human rights organisations and womens groups and these groups are working together to oppose both the Xalala dam and other PPP developments. The coalition is impressive and as the communities prepare for the long haul to protect their land, homes and resources it seems unlikely they will be defeated easily. * To keep up with this and other Latin American news see www.narconews.com
 
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