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dam-l LS: Laid off Pehuenche Lambast Ralco Critics
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CHIP NEWS
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Date: 9/29/99
Subject: Laid off Pehuenche Lambast Ralco Critics
sources: El Mercurio, La Tercera
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-- LAID OFF PEHUENCHE WORKERS LAMBAST RALCO CRITICS
Indigenous Pehuenche workers laid off as a result of the recent work stoppage
on the Ralco hydroelectric dam project have accused their brethren who oppose
the dam's construction of costing them their jobs. The 300 indigenous people
were laid off by the Besalco construction company after a court ruling two weeks
ago halted the project. The ruling was the result of a lawsuit brought against
Ralco by the Pehuenche Quintreman sisters who oppose the dam, which threatens
to flood their ancestral homeland in the upper Bio Bio Valley in southern Region VIII.
Approximately 100 Pehuenche met in the Quepuca-Ralco sector and condemned
the attitude of the seven Pehuenche families who actively oppose Ralco, out of
approximately 80 indigenous families living in the Bio Bio. Local Pehuenche leader
Jose Levi said the unemployed workers were considering bringing a lawsuit to counter
that of the Quintreman sisters. Levi said they planned to travel to regional capital
Concepcion to support their former bosses, who are going to appeal to Governor
Martin Zilic to provide the workers with emergency employment.
In related news, two of the women arrested during a violent confrontation between Carabineros
police and Mapuche indigenous people near Traiguen in Region IX last Friday
were released uncharged Monday. Meanwhile, forestry company Mininco said
Monday it was planning to take legal action against the radical Arauco Malleco
Mapuche group for allegedly destroying pine plantations on the Mininco-owned
Santa Rosa de Colpi estate Sunday. The charges are expected to be confirmed
Wednesday.
*Chip News*
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Monti Aguirre
Latin American Campaigns
International Rivers Network
1847 Berkeley Way
Berkeley, CA. 94703 USA
Phone: 510 . 848.11.55 and 707 . 591 .91.49
Fax: 510 . 848.10.08
e-mail: monti @irn.org
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