Meeting in San Dionisio del Mar, September 2012 (@Centro PRODH)
On 14 and 15 September, there was held a national meeting with the Ikojts nation that is resisting the “San Dionisio” megawind project, financed by Mareña Wind Energy (backed by Japanese, Australian, and Dutch capital) in their land. More than 300 persons–indigenous people, activists of 25 civil and social organizations from 6 states–participated at the meeting. In this way, the imposition of the wind megaproject in San Dionisio was denounced, with the claim that it had been done so by means of trickery, aggression, and corruption, provoking divisions and conflicts within the peoples of the region. During the event, a plan of action was drawn up to include mobilizations and actions of denunciation directed at the transnational firms that, with their energy megaprojects, “are destroying and looting local residents throughout the country.” For this reason, they demanded that the Inter-American Bank for Development and international firms to cancel funding for the project immediately. It was also agreed that they will demand that all levels of the government respect the autonomy of the communities to decide on the use of their territory, using public consultation that is free for all indigenous people who are affected by the construction of these megaprojects in their communities.
The Assembly of Indigenous Peoples of the Tehuantepec Isthmus in Defense of Land and Territory (Apitdtt) denounced that on 18 September, “strongly armed individuals, seemingly from the municipal police” arrived at the municipal palace (which has been occupied since February by residents of San Dionisio del Mar who oppose the wind project) to intimidate and threaten the residents who demand the cancellation of the project. They indicate furthermore that “these acts were carried out with the same manner of impunity and violence as is lived in our state and throughout the whole country. We see this strategy applied against our comrades from San José del Progreso who oppose a Canadian mine in their territory, to the communards of Cherán in Michoacán who defend their forests, and the communards of Chicomusuelo, Chiapas, who also oppose mining.”
For more information (in Spanish):
Declaración final de San Dionisio del Mar.(15 de septiembre de 2012)
Frente contra megaproyecto eólico en Oaxaca (La Jornada, 14 de septiembre de 2012)
Llevarán a Europa protesta contra proyecto eólico en Oaxaca (Proceso, 17 de septiembre de 2012)
AU: Intimidación, amedrentamiento y hostigamiento por individuos armados a comuneros indígenas en contra del proyecto eólico San Dionisio (Asamblea de Pueblos Indígenas del Istmo de Tehuantepec en Defensa de la Tierra y el Territorio, 19 de septiembre de 2012)
Amenazan presuntos paramilitares a opositores a parque eólico en Oaxaca (La Jornada, 19 de septiembre de 2012)
For more information from SIPAZ (in English):
Oaxaca: Ikoots community denounces invasion by private firm and “rigged” assembly in San Dionisio del Mar; invitation to a Meeting for Resistance (19 September 2012)
Oaxaca: Detention and subsequent release of rights-defender Bettina Cruz Velázquez (7 March 2012)
Oaxaca: Communards of San Dionisio del Mar revoke contract for wind-farm (9 February 2012)
Oaxaca: Death-threats against human-rights defenders (4 November 2011)
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