Several organizations and communities have been organizing and positioning themselves againts the Trans-Isthmus Corridor. On July 1, the Union of Indigenous Communities of the Northern Zone of the Isthmus of Oaxaca (UCIZONI) published a statement in which it announced the creation of a front in defense of the rights of peoples, women and workers of the region, born out of necessity due to the violation of the rights of the population of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in relation to the works of the Trans-Isthmus Train.
In the statement, UCIZONI reported that a work meeting was held on June 30. It was attended by municipal and agrarian authorities from 14 villages in the municipalities of Santa María Petapa, Matías Romero, San Juan Guichicovi, Barrio de la Soledad, as well as representatives of women’s groups, health committees, and leaders of the “Demetrio Vallejo Vive” railway movement. The aim was to exchange information and build an alliance in the face of the violation of the rights of the population in relation to the Interoceanic Corridor.
The statement was endorsed by the section 22 of the CNTE (teachers’ union), which demanded the “cancellation of all death and annihilation projects that seek to satisfy the ambitions of those who claim to have control of our lands,” including the cancellation of this specific megaproject.
On July 1, the Assembly of Peoples of the Isthmus in Defense of Land and Territory (APIIDTT) launched a statement showing concern “in the face of the wave of violence that is plaguing our region linked to the imposition of mega-projects and the Mexican government’s extractive policies”. It indicated that the Assembly considers the Trans-Isthmus Train project as a danger due to the social and environmental consequences that it will entail.
In a report by Avispa published on July 15, it is observed that the project is only in the first stage of seven, which will involve installations of industrial parks, rehabilitation of refineries, attraction of industrial companies and the creation of a free zone, among other aspects.
Mario Quintero, member of the APIIDTT, expressed in the article that “it is very dangerous because they are going to be able, they are able to move forward now, and they think they have it fixed, but no. The peoples, when they see the size of these works and the risks, are going to react collectively and massively. Because if the peoples of the Isthmus have and know something, it is that when they see that their territory – that gives them life – is in danger, they defend it to death, collectively. This in the end is a war for the territory, a fight for life. “
For more information in Spanish:
Resistencia indígena contra el Corredor Transístmico y foro sobre el T-MEC(Educa Oaxaca, 16 de julio)
Se fortalece frente de resistencia indígena contra construcción de Tren Transístmico(Avispa, 15 de julio)
Comunidades indígenas crean frente contra tren transístmico(La Jornada, 5 de julio)
Sección 22 se solidariza con comunidades indígenas que se oponen al Transístimico (El Universal, 5 de julio)
For more information in English:
Oaxaca: AMLO Inaugurates Trans-Isthmus Corridor; Civil Organizations Say “He’s Taking Advantage of Pandemic”(June 11, 2020)
Oaxaca: Organizations, Communities and Movements Demand Suspension of Trans-Isthmus Project (May 2, 2020)
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