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dam-l CHIP News for October 26, 1998



>SOURCE:  EL MERCURIO
>SOURCE:  LA TERCERA

>        --  PEHUENCHE SIGN AGREEMENT WITH ENDESA.
>Representatives of 184 Pehuenche families not directly affected by
>the construction of Endesa's US$500 million Ralco dam signed an
>agreement Sunday with the electric company to initiate a US$2.1
>million plan to improve the quality of life for the families.  The
>company held a ceremony for these communities, located in Quepuca
>Ralco and Ralco Lepoy, with the attendance of National Indigenous
>Development Board (Conadi) Director Rodrigo Gonzalez, 500
>Pehuenches and Governor of the Bio Bio province, Juan Carlos
>Coronata.
>        Some Pehuenche interfered with the PA system when Gonzalez
>began to speak, and others banged on doors in opposition to the
>event and a rejection of the Ralco dam project.  When Nicolasa and
>Berta Quintreman tried to speak to the crowd by walking onto the
>stage, Gonzalez would not pass the microphone.  At this point, the
>ceremony was brought to an abrupt halt and the Endesa authorities
>left quickly.  Police posted outside the building made sure that no
>major outbreaks of violence occurred.
>        The agreement with Endesa, which forms part of the Upper Bio
>Bio Indigenous Development Area, will be carried out by the
>company, Conadi and some state organisms.  Over the next three
>years, Endesa will work with these communities to protect their soil,
>rural housing subsidies, electricity and the improvement of rural
>education.
>        Ralco General Manager Ignacio Sweet said this agreement will
>fortify Endesa's relocation of 91 Pehuenche families, whose lands
>would be flooded by the dam.  Eight of these families adamantly
>reject the dam, saying there is no price that can be put on their land.
>Ecologist Cristian Opazo said this agreement is cruel, because Ralco is
>not yet definitely going to be constructed, and the agreement is being
>used to pressure the eight families.

Chile Information Project

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Aleta Brown
Campaign Associate
International Rivers Network
1847 Berkeley Way
Berkeley, CA 94703 USA
Phone: 1.510.848.1155
Fax: 1.510.848.1008
email: aleta@irn.org
http://www.irn.org