Renowned Uruguayan writer, Eduardo Galeano, author of “Open Veins of Latin America”, also celebrated this day and dedicated an award in Argentina to “the water activists”.

The World Water Day was also celebrated by social activists of different countries. Uruguay was the first country to declare water as a “fundamental human right” in its Constitution, through a national consultation carried out in 2004. This reform established, for instance, that drinking water and sanitation in the country should be provided by state companies.

The National Commission in Defense of Water and Life, that promoted the constitutional reform in 2004 and is made up by trade-unions, environmentalists and local groups, issued a press release where they raised the need to have 100 per cent of water services be provided by the state, to create basin committees and to establish people’s participation tools for water management, in agreement with the Constitution.

The Commission also requested that the University of the Republic studies the environmental impacts of the “new crops promoted in the past decades” (such as GM soy) and “the use of agrochemicals banned in other regions and continents.”

It also expressed its concern over the open pit mining project by company Aritiri, in Valentines, in the central region of the country.
Aratiri is planning to invest 2 billion dollars in an open pit iron mine, which will occupy 10 thousand hectares and will export 18 million iron tons per year to China. The company has already started exploration works in the area. “This project will use 12 million cubic meters of water to transport the iron”, highlighted the Uruguayan water commission.

The Guaybira Group, made up by environmentalist organizations focused on forestation, issued a statement where it expressed its “concern over the impact of tree monocultures on our water sources”. Uruguay has around 1 million hectares planted with eucalyptus and pine trees for the world cellulose industry.

This group has been conducting studies on the countryside for the past ten years, and has shown how tree monocultures deplete water wells of small producers and affect their lands. The activists submitted their studies to the different national governments aiming to end forestation, but they haven’t been heard much.

“So far, forest plantations continue expanding, and even a new cellulose plant will be installed in the country, owned by Montes del Plata, which will make matters worse”, regretted the Guayubira Group.

Meanwhile, Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano was named “doctor honoris causa” by the Cuyo National University of Mendoza province, Argentina, and he dedicated this recognition to the “water activists”. According to EFE news agency, Galeano recognized “those who are capable of confronting mining companies that poison water, or forestry companies that dry lands, that commit an unforgivable crime against nature by taking over water and turning it into a business for a few people.”

“The protection of nature isn’t a popular subject most of the times (…) And defending our natural resources is a crucial part of defending our cultural identity”, said Galeano.

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