15 March, 2001
Communique #14: Press Release from surviving victims of the Chixoy
Dam / Rio Negro massacres
CHIXOY DAM AFFECTED PEOPLE -- SEEK REPARATIONS On the international
day of action, for rivers, peoples and life
CONTACT:
Cristóbal Osorio Sánchez,
President Carlos Chén Osorio,
Antonia Osorio Sáncez
Eliodoro Osorio Sánchez
Rosa Iboy Osorio
Tel: (502) 979-7820 [in Guatemala]
Rights Action T: 416-654-2074
E: info@rightsaction.org
W: www.rightsaction.org
Please copy and re-distribute or publish this information
[VERSION EN ESPAÑOL]
Campesino Association Río Negro, Rabinal Achí (ASCRA)
Tuesday, March 13th, 2000
Pacux, March 14, 2001 - Today, on the occasion of the "International
Day of Action for Rivers, Peoples and Life", we would like to express
our solidarity with the more of 60 million affected peoples by large
dams.
We, the Maya-Achí community of Río Negro, Rabinal, Baja Verapaz
were affected by the Chixoy Dam, when our lands were flooded. We
seek reparations for the damages and losses incurred by dam construction
from the National Institute of Electricity (INDE), the World Bank
and the Inter-American Development Bank.
Of the flooded lands, we have received only a third of the lands
we lost. We have been in extreme poverty for 18 years, and our community
has been divided up in several places. We used to live well. We
had our roots in our lands, and our life was peaceful. The Chixoy
River valley was fertile, and we harvested corn, peanuts, beans,
tomatoes, sorghum, and we had fruit trees. Fishing was abundant
and of high quality.
We had large amount of lands where our animals grazed free. We
used forest resources -- such as firewood, hardwoods, palms, pine
resins --, and hunting was good. We celebrated in The Encuentros,
a sacred site of our ancestors, the meeting of many surrounding
communities.
All of this, we lost when the reservoir was flooded.
When we expressed our right to remain in our lands, we were threatened.
Taking advantage of the violence that permeated the country, INDE
and the Government forced us to leave our place, and more than 400
people from our community were massacred.
The Chixoy Dam has not benefited us in any way. On
the contrary the company demands that we pay high electricity rates,
even though they have not complied with compensation for the damages
and losses caused by dam construction.
In 1999, we presented our case before the World Commission
on Dams (WCD) at the Latin American Public Consultation in São Paulo,
Brasil. The WCD's final report delivered in London, November 2000,
recommends to financing agencies, dam builders and governments the
need for reparations for dam affected peoples. The mission of the
WCD, comprised of 12 commissioners from the industry, government
and NGO sectors was to analize the dam performance and the social
and environmental impacts of dams.
Before were able to take care of our families, because we had everything
on the Rio Negro valley; we worked communally and fished in the
river. It is there where our old people want to die. Now we don't
have sacred sites to ask for God's permission.
We haven't forgotten our land. Why did the government authorize
that dam that caused us so much damage?
We have formed ASCRA, the Campesino Association Thirteen of March
- Río Negro Rabinal Achí, to work for the development of the survivors
of the Río Negro massacres, and for seeking reparations for the
damages caused by the dam.
VERSION EN ESPAÑOL
PLEASE SEND
letters, faxes, emails to the World Bank and the Inter-American
Development Bank, asking them to accept responsibility for their
contributory role in the Chixoy Dam / Rio Negro massacres, and to
make full compensation and reparations to the surviving Rio Negro
community members.
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Here are copies of 2 letters that were sent by Campaign supporters:
Mr. James Wolfenshon
President, The World Bank
1818 H Street NW
Washington DD,20433
Dear Mr. Wolfenshon:
I am writing to express my outrage at the World Bank and the Inter-American
Development Banks refusal to acknowledge any responsibility for
the massacres that occurred in Guatemala around the Chixoy Dam project.
During my recent visit to Guatemala, which included a meeting with
your representative Eduardo Somensatto, it was obvious that these
massacres would not have occurred if not for World Bank and IDB
financing which moved this Dam project forward.
The people of the Rio Negro community have suffered long enough.
It is time to accept responsibility for this tragedy and begin the
process of compensating survivors for land, and personal and commuity
property lost to the dam. Victims must be compensated for the loss
of their loved ones, suffering related to ongoing repression, psychological
damage, lost family income over the past 17 years due to the lack
of access to land among other things.
The Guatemalan Truth Commission has directly implicated the Chixoy
Dam Project as a cause of the Rio Negro massacres.
I am calling on you to take immediate action to settle all claims
related to this matter.
I would appreciate being informed of the World Banks position with
respect to bringing closure to the survivors of the Rio Negro Massacre.
Sincerely,
Wayne Mundle, National Director
Canadian Union of Postal Workers.
cc
Donna Dowsett, Director, Central America Coutry Management Unit
Mario Marroquin, World Bank, Guatemala City Enrique V. Iglesias,
President, Inter-American Development Bank Jairo Sanchez, Deputy
Manager, Regional Operations - Department 11 Peter Bate, Media Liason
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Another supporter wrote:
When you do business with repressive governments you shouldn't
be surprised when atrocities occur.
When you do business with repressive governments and atrocities
do occur you should be ready to take responsibility.
The following Campaign demands of the survivors of Rio Negro and
Rights Action seem justified.
Demands:
- compensation for land, personal and community property lost
to the dam;
- reparations for land and personal and community property stolen
or destroyed;
- reparations for loss of life and suffering related to the repression;
- reparations for 17 years of lost income due to lack of access
to land and personal and communal property;
- reparations for lost family support due to murdered heads of
household;
- reparations for psychological damages.
Shame on you if you believe that development projects are more
important than human rights. Shame on you if you do not take responsibility
for the harm you have helped cause.
Signed _
***
WHO TO CONTACT:
-- WORLD BANK
James Wolfensohn
President
The World Bank
1818 H Street NW
Washington DC, 20433
Attention to:
Minneh M. Kane
[Asst. to the President]
F: 202-522-1677
E: mkane@worldbank.org
Donna Dowsett
Director, Central America Country Management Unit
E: ddowsettcoirolo@worldbank.org
T: (202)473-0121 F: (202)676-1464
Mario Marroquin
The World Bank, Guatemala City
E: mmarroquin@worldbank.org
-- INTER-AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK
Enrique V. Iglesias
President
Inter-American Development Bank
1300 New York Ave., NW
Washington DC, 20577
Jairo Sánchez
Deputy Manager, Regional Operations - Department II
E: jairos@iadb.org
Peter Bate, Media Liaison
E: peterb@iadb.org
***
INTERVIEWS
For interviews concerning the Chixoy Dam/ Rio Negro massacres Reparations
Campaign, contact Rights Action: Annie Bird in Guatemala. Tel: 011
[502] 251-9803, partners@guate.net
Grahame Russell. Tel: (416) 654-2074,
info@rightsaction.org ***
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