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NGABE COMMUNITIES AFFECTED BY THE CHAN 75 PROJECT |
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Monday, 22 June 2009 |
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PRESS RELEASE NGABE COMMUNITIES AFFECTED BY THE CHAN 75 PROJECT We the Ngabe people from the communities affected by the CHAN 75 Project, make a call of attention to the government of Panama, to execute the precautionary measure adopted on June 17, 2009 by the Interamerican Court of Human Rights which consists of "suspending the construction and other activities related to the concession given tothe company AES Changuinola throughout the Changuinola River, until the organs of the Interamerican System of Human Rights adopt a definite on the current subject". The Commission also requests the State Party "to adopt the necessary measures to guarantee the free movement , life and personal integrity of the members of the Ngabe community with the purpose to avoid actions of violence or additional intimidatory". We request to the government of Panama to protect the rights of all the peoples affected by this project, we repeat that we the Ngabe people have occupied this area since ancient times; and at the same time we convey that we are not against the development of politics of the state of Panama, but the rights of the indigenous people affected must be guaranteed since we live in this country characterized for being a state of rights and in this project, the state has abandoned us to favor a transnational company. Both the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Peoples Rights, James Anaya in his recent visit, and the Interamerican Commission on Human Rights have pointed out the need to adopt measures to protect our rights in this case of the hydroelectric project CHAN 75, which has affected our human rights and is a threat against the environment. The Ngabe families will fight and defend with our lives so that our country- Panama- can execute this precautionary measure immediately. We call upon all our Ngabe brothers and sisters wherever they may be to be alert and ready for both this project and others which intend to threat our natural resources and urge the state to execute this measure. In the event of not following this measure, we would be forced to call upon all the organized social organizations across the country to accompany us in this fight. For our lives and land we are willing to give our blood if needed, because ithout land or rivers, we are nothing. Given in Changuinola, on the 19th June 2009
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