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28 March 2011 | News | Human rights | Climate Justice and Energy
Make it final
Peaceful takeover of El Zapotillo Dam in Mexico
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On Sunday March 27, the bells of the Virgin of the Remedies church tolled in the Mexican town of Temacapulin. It was the call, after the meeting where the decision was taken, made by hundreds of local residents that will be affected by the works and decided to takeover the curtain of El Zapotillo dam which, they claim, is being built illegally.
“We call a group of citizens, institutions and international organizations to monitor and make sure that we are not victims of harassment or police repression by the riot police, paramilitaries, or any armed group”, reads a press release issued this morning by the organizations that are taking part in the peaceful takeover.
Local activists and neighboring states aim to “finally and indefinitely” stop the works, and accuse the authorities involved, more precisely the Jalisco and Guanajuato governments of failing to comply with the court rulings favorable to the people who are under threat of flooding by the mega project, and who refuse to be relocated.
Tiredness and despair. Those are the main feelings that the residents describe when explaining the reasons for the action taken this weekend.
“We have stuck to the law, we have appeared before local, state and federal authorities and we have tried to talk with the promoters of the project, we expressed our rejection after gathering information and investigating what kind of project they want to build”.
