Representatives of 42 communities in the coastal region of Oaxaca who oppose the construction of the Paso de la Reina hydroelectric dam have met with the Ombudsman of the Office for the Human Rights of the People of Oaxaca (DDHPO) in Puerto Escondido.
The purpose of the meeting was to inform him of the harassment and intimidation from the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) against the people and communities who are opposed to the construction of the dam.
Although the hydroelectric project is a federal one, community representatives consider that municipal and state governments should get involved to promote, protect, and ensure the human rights of the population that could be affected. They have denounced that the communities have been deceived by the CFE since the latter has concealed the consequences the construction of the dam might have, among them forced displacement, disruption of the water supply, damage to the Lagunas de Chacahua National Park, and so on. All this would jeopardize the lives of Mixteco, Zapoteco, Chatino and Afro-mestizo groups in the region.
Meanwhile, the DDHPO committed himself to follow up on the complaints and to take up actions to protect the rights of the people and communities who would be affected.
For more information (in Spanish):
Preocupa a Consejo de la DDHPO, proyecto de la presa Paso de la Reina (NSS Oaxaca, 15 de junio de 2014)
CFE intimida a comunidades opositoras a Presa Hidroeléctrica (Voces Oaxaca, 16 de junio de 2014)
Preocupan a Consejo Ciudadano de la Defensoría comunidades afectadas por presa Paso de la Reina (Noticias, 16 de junio de 2014)
Hostiga CFE a comunidades por oponerse a la presa Paso de la Reina, denuncian ante DDHPO (Entidad, 16 de junio de 2014)
For more information from SIPAZ (in English):
Oaxaca: The Diocese of Puerto Escondido expresses its full support to the communities in resistance to hydro project Paso de la Reina (June 13, 2014)
National: National Program on Infrastructure presents projects with possible effects for the populace (May 16, 2014)
Oaxaca/National: Peaceful protest by COPUDEVER to mark “International Day of Action against Dams and for Rivers, Water, and Life” (March 28, 2014)
Oaxaca: COPUDEVER and EDUCA present report on “Paso de la Reina” (July 19, 2013)
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