At 10:30am on 28 March some 200 persons who are residents of the Temecapulín, Acasisco, and Palmarejo communities that would be inundated by the construction of the Zapotillo dam together with members of different groups from other states (including Chiapas) who are also organizing against the construction of dams entered the construction-site for the dam. The previous day the protestors had agreed to take this action due a court-ruling demanding that the construction of the dam be suspended–a demand that has gone unobserved by the National Commission on Water (Conagua) and the governments of the states of Jalisco and Guanajuato. It was further informed that the project lacks the necessary permits for change of land-use as well as permission from the mayor’s office for the construction of a 105-meter long curtain.
In a communiqué, the demonstrators explained that the objective of their action is to “definitively and indefinitely arrest the projects given that the authorities involved in the case do not respect judicial orders. The well-established opposition of the peoples threatened by the flooding that would follow from the project desire that there be held a dialogue between our people and the authorities in question.” They added that “It is important to show to you, the media and public opinion, that this vigorous and definitive action constitutes a high-risk response taken because of the despair felt by those communities that are affected by anti-democratic dams and mass-projects in Mexico.”
According to demonstrators, at approximately 12:30 the same day, three municipal police patrols established themselves close to their gathering. At approximately 5:30pm 54 state police agents and an official from the Public Ministry concentrated themselves in the areas surrounding the protest-site. In light of the risk of forced eviction, the Network All Rights for All launched an Urgent Action campaign of preventative logic.
For more information (in Spanish):
Boletín de prensa Urgente (MAPDER – COMITÉ SALVEMOS TEMACAPULÍN, ACASICO Y PALMAREJO, 28 March 2011)
Toman habitantes obras de presa El Zapotillo; hay un amparo, dicen afectados (La Jornada, 28 March 2011)
ALERTA PREVENTIVA“Riesgo de que integrantes del Comité Salvemos Temacapulín y organizaciones solidarias sean objeto de represión policiaca estatal” (Red Todos los Derechos para Todas y Todos, 28 March)
El plantón continúa: ¡Hasta que pare la construcción de El Zapotillo!(Comité Salvemos Temacapulín / MAPDER / OSC, 29 March)
For more information from SIPAZ:
Oaxaca: COPUDEVER mobilizes in defense of the Río Verde (20 March 2011)
Chiapas: National Meeting of the Mexican Movement of those Affected by Dams in Defense of Rivers (20 March 2011)
Posted by SIPAZ 
