Ngäbe Bugle Coordinating Committee Rejects Government's Proposal on Article 5 of Bill 415


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Welcome to Panama Guide Ngäbe Bugle Coordinating Committee Rejects Government's Proposal on Article 5 of Bill 415![]() ![]() The Idea Of A Referendum On Hydroelectric Issue Gaining Momentum![]() Following Maqrtinelli's announcement, the Minister of Trade and Industry Ricardo Quijano and the Minister of Government Jorge Ricardo Fabrega, who are participating in the special committee appointed to try to seek a consensus, said if for some reason their talks fail and they cannot reach an agreement on the issue of the generation of hydro electric power, then it will fall to the Panamanian people to decide through a national referendum the fate of the hydro electric projects. "There are people who are considering the possibility of a national referendum so that all of the Panamanian people can decide what's what," said Quijano, who did not rule out the possibility of other alternatives which could also be used to address the issue. He said for now they are focused on seeing if the rewritten Article 5 is approved in order to reconcile all interests. About the proposal (for a possible referendum), the General Chieftain of the Ngäbe-Bugle region, Silvia Carrera, said her people are not willing to convene a referendum at this time. She added this is not what Martinelli promised, and what the people are asking for respect for the law that protects them. On Wednesday, February 15 at 2:00 pm, the government representatives, National Assembly Deputies, and the leaders of the indigenous Ngäbe-Buglé Indians will meet again to discuss the aspects related to hydroelectric projects in the region. At Carrera's request, the subcommittee approved a two-day recess, time when the indigenous representatives traveled to the Ngäbe-Buglé region to participate in the funeral of Jeronimo Montezuma, who died during protests in the province of Chiriqui. The subcommittee approved the wording of the first paragraph of Article 5, which now says "cancel all of the concessions granted to either individuals or companies, either foreign or domestic, for the exploration and exploitation of mineral resources in the Ngäbe-Buglé region and annexed areas ... ". March - While inside of the National Assembly the alternatives to amend Article 5 are being discussed, on the grounds outside of the Palacio Justo Arosemena, the members of the Ngäbe-Buglé ethnic group coordinated a march that ended at the Presidency of the Republic, in protests against the two people who were killed during the demonstrations. The Ngäbes and the Buglés hold the authorities responsible for the deaths of these two people. (Panama America) Editor's Comment: If no agreement can be reached on the issue of hydro electric power in Panama, then the government will hold a national referendum which will pass by a wide margin. Hydroelectric power is clean - if you're not generating power in Panama with hydro then you're burning coal or oil or some other kind of fuel. There are only about 100,000 Indians in the Ngäbe-Buglé region, who are trying to hold back the development of the entire country with a population of more than 3.3 million people. So fine - if they don't want mining or hydroelectric projects on their lands, then no problem. However they are trying to force a ban on all mining and hydroelectric projects in "annexed areas" and "adjacent areas" and "places where there are Ngäbe-Buglé communities." These are the issues that will probably not be resolved in this committee. Martinelli is signaling that, if there's no agreement, then he will hold a referendum, win it, and then he will have the backing and support of the Panamanian people to enforce their will, for them. Remember this "Chieftain" Carrera won a recent (rigged) election with only 27% of the vote - because for the most part the election was boycotted. As such she only actually represents about 27,000 people - or only 0.81% of the Panamanian people. No, she's not going to be able to enforce her will on this one. Donoso Mayor Will Have Larger Budget To Make Improvements![]() ![]() Editor's Comment: So, thanks to the activities of the Petaquilla and Inmet mines, which operate in this jurisdiction, the local municipal budget increased by 76.9% in just one year. And these are municipal taxes, above and beyond what the mining companies are paying to the central government of Panama in taxes, royalties, or whatever else. Yeah, mining is evil... In reality now the municipal government of Donoso will be able to count on increasing annual budgets every year. Eventually this area of Panama will be transformed from one of "extreme poverty" to a "great place to live." And this is an example of why I like mining activities for Panama - it works on the math, where it matters. Celio Guerra Reiterates - He Should Be A Participant In Bill 415 Talks![]() This week, Chief Silvia Carrera said she would not allow the entry of other Indians to the discussion table in the National Assembly, to which she arrived through the signing of the San Lorenzo 1 agreement (on 7 February 2012.) In the Assembly, Carrera asked the mediators of the dialogue "not to allow more outside people, who have no leadership in the region." According to the chieftain, "the Congress never consulted with the people, which has brought tragedy, grief, and there are still many missing." In this regard, Guerra said the matter is that there are two indigenous congresses. One is led by him and which was endorsed in the election of traditional authorities. And there is another one that is recognized by the Government, which was elected on September 9, 2010, headed by Edilberto Sanchez. These elections, organized by the Electoral Tribunal, took place in a tense atmosphere and with high absenteeism (low levels or voter participation.) Sanchez was elected with only 27% of the vote, because indigenous leaders called on their people, about 56,000 voters, to leave the ballot blank. For these reasons, the President of the Traditional General Congress of the Ño Kribo region, says he does not know which group the Chieftain was referring to when she made these statements. This Saturday the dialog between the indigenous people, representatives from the government, and the National Assembly will continue. (Prensa) Editor's Comment: Yesterday Celio Guerra's supporters closed the bridge over the Changuinola river, demanding he be allowed to participate in the talks. I've spoken to some people who were going to try to develop a large tourist project located inside of the Indian region in the Chiriqui province. They spent years trying to negotiate a deal that would be a "win-win" for everyone involved. They said every time they thought they had a deal, then someone else would come along and claim they were the "true" representatives of the local indigenous people, and whatever had been negotiated with that other group was void, invalid, and would not be honored. Despite the fact that this multi million dollar project would have provided good jobs and opportunities for the people in the region, as well as direct payments from the profits, the deal died. In addition, this was going to be an environmentally based business - built with as light a footprint as possible, designed to give tourists a taste of the natural environment without harming it. Anyway, the bottom line was the developers basically threw their hands in the air and walked away, disgusted and frustrated. It's unfortunate, because it truly was going to be a "good deal" for the people living in the region, and they apparently either didn't want it, or couldn't make it happen, no matter what. Agreed - No Mining In The Ngäbe Bugle Region![]() ![]() A Proposal To Discuss Mining And Hydro Power Separately![]() ![]() CONTENT - The Indian leader's proposal also includes the creation of an intergovernmental commission, where these issues will be discussed. However, Palacio said the implementation or otherwise of this proposal will depend on the agreements arrived upon this Thursday. Today there are plans to establish the methodology that will be used during the dialog to be conducted with the indigenous representatives. Inside the Blue Hall of the Assembly are the ministers Ricardo Quijano (Trade and Industry) and Jorge Ricardo Fabrega (Government). Before the meeting in the Assembly, the Indians stayed together outside in the Park of the Legislature to establish the proposal they would submit. (Prensa) Talks Over Article 5 and Bill 415 (Mining Law) Resume in the National Assembly![]() ![]() Editor's Comment: Hmmm. It's going to be interesting to see how this turns out. Some very rich and powerful friends of president Ricardo Martinelli are behind at least one of these hydroelectric projects currently being built inside of the Ngäbe Bugle region. If Article 5 is included as written, then those concessions would have to be cancelled immediately and work on the project stopped. I expect there will be some sort of an attempt to "grandfather in" those projects that have already been granted concessions, and I doubt the Ngäbe Bugle people will accept that proposal. Let's see how this works out in the coming days. As far as the Indians are concerned, they are wondering "what's the hold up" and they want Article 5 included in Bill 415, whole and complete, as written, with no modifications. Indian Chief Carrera Says Martinelli Disrespected Her![]() ![]() Discussions On Article 5 of Bill 415 Start This Afternoon In The National Assembly![]() REVIEW - According to Hernandez, they will start today - once again - the discussions of that article. It had been deleted from Bill 415 which had already been approved in the first debate. However, Hernandez explained that, since Bill 415 had not been passed to the General Secretary for discussion by the full body of the National Assembly, it can be debated again at the committee level. In fact, he said the wording of the document can be improved. The important thing is that it will come up for discussion, he said. 'PROTESTS WERE UNNECESSARY' - Hernandez said he regretted everything that happened during the week-long indigenous protest calling for the inclusion of Article five. The deputy said all this was "unnecessary," since they could have met earlier. However, he stressed that "it's never too late if happiness is good." He said he has good expectations for this new dialogue. The agreement San Lorenzo 1, signed yesterday, February 7, in the province of Chiriqui, put an end to the indigenous demonstration that left at least one dead, dozens injured, 119 arrested and economic losses. (Prensa) Henríquez: The Government Is Not Pushing Mining In The Ngäbe Buglé Comarca![]() ARGUMENTS - Following the agreement reached in San Felix, after the riots of February 2011, the Indians decided to introduce another (new) text in which they proposed the cancellation of existing concessions that have already been granted to both domestic and foreign companies for the exploration and exploitation of mineral resources, and for the construction of hydroelectric projects in the region, the surrounding areas, and in other ngäbes communities (that are not part of the comarca) said the chancellor while speaking on the channel 13 Telemetro Report morning news broadcast. In that sense, Henriquez said that text is much more extensive than what had been agreed previously. Today, there is a new attempt at dialogue which they hope, according to Henriquez, to put an end to the conflict. One person has been reported killed, dozens injured, and more than 100 people were arrested as the result of the clashes that occurred between riot control police officers and the protesting Indians in the region on Sunday. The conflicts and clashes have been ongoing since Sunday morning, and have extended to other areas of the country in solidarity with the protesters, and against the actions of force that were used to reopen the Inter American Highway. The Foreign Minister said they hope to move forward because obviously the indigenous people and the Government do not share the same vision with regards to hydroelectric development. We must find a balance that allows us to live in peace, he said. Government Minister, Jorge Ricardo Fabrega, traveled to Chiriqui this morning to try to establish a dialogue with the leaders from the comarca, who kept the Inter American highway closed for six days, leading to clashes and economic losses. (Prensa) Editor's Comment: The government doesn't need the copper mining project in Cerro Colorado anymore, because they have the massive Inmet copper project. So, there's no need whatsoever for the government to grant mining concessions within the comarca. The problem has arisen because the protesting indigenous Ngäbe Buglé Indians are trying to expand the original agreement to include hydro-electrical projects, and the agreement reached in San Felix last year didn't mention those types of projects. The Indians are also trying to greatly expand the scope - to include a prohibition and cancellation of all mining concessions that have been granted, everywhere (read: Inmet and Petaquilla). And that's where the environmentalists and activists come in. They don't want this copper mine project to go forward, and they are willing to do anything whatsoever to stop it. The other opposition politicians are piling on, because they won't pass up a quick and easy opportunity to score points. All of this was designed to drag the administration into a fight and force them to use force to clear the highway, so they could claim "repression." Manipulative bullshit political games. In fact, the guys who are forming all of these problems want to be in charge (so they can steal the money) when the Inmet mine starts producing, in about four years or so. And in order to do that, they first have to beat the CD in 2014. Yup, I see the political angle in everything, because that's what's happening. National Assembly Returns Controversial Bill 415 To Committee (Mining in Ngäbe Bugle Region)![]() ![]() Editor's Comment: Blink. This is the Bill the Indians are protesting about, because they insist on the inclusion of their "Article 5". Now with this announcement the National Assembly is saying they committee can meet with and negotiate with the protesting Indians, to try to find a solution to the problem. Customs Director Says Indians Are "Intransigent" and "Protesting Violently"![]() Truckers Threaten To Close Paso Canoas International Border Crossing (Panama - Costa Rica)![]() ![]() Editor's Comment: If Paso Canoas was closed, then nothing could get to David from the other side, either. See what the sign in the photo above says? "Mining and Hydroelectric Projects Get Out." There are no mining projects in the comarca. So, what projects are they talking about? Petaquilla and Inmet, even though they are not in the comarca. Nor were they included in the San Felix agreement negotiated last year. This is a politically motivated show, nothing more. Article 5 "Goes Well Beyond What Was Agreed Last Year in San Felix"![]() This does not say anywhere - argued Fabrega - that they would prohibit the exploitation of water resources, and the agreement is signed by the spokesman for the Coordinator, the Catholic Church and the representative of the national government. The Bill - The Government Minister also referred to Article 5 of Bill 415 which was presented by representatives of the Coordinating Committee to the Commerce Commission. Article 5 says that they would "cancel all concessions granted and in force, to domestic or foreign companies for the exploration and exploitation of mineral resources and the construction of hydropower projects within the Ngabe Bugle region, surrounding areas, territories, and Ngäbe-Bugle communities outside the area and immediately suspend all work being carried out by such companies." Put another way, Fabrega said, this wording has two proposals that go well beyond what was agreed in San Felix. "One, including the prohibition on water resources, which was not included in item number two of the agreement, and two, that the application of Article 5 goes beyond the borders and boundaries of the district, which exceeds in an extraordinary way the commitment agreed in San Felix," he reiterated. Fabrega said the bill approved in the first debate in the Assembly last week has two articles that do adhere to the spirit and letter of the agreement reached in San Felix. "Article number 3 says: prohibits the granting of concessions for the exploration, exploitation and extraction of metal mining, non-metallic and its derivatives in the Ngäbe-Bugle region, and Article number 4 prohibits the alteration of water courses, river heads and private ownership of water sources within the Ngabe Bugle region and its areas, and so on." he said. (Prensa) Editor's Comment: Ah, OK. So this Article 5 was not included in the negotiations last year, and it was only submitted to the Committee in the National Assembly well after. So, the government never agreed to include this Article 5, anywhere. Got it. More bullshit... Petaquilla Gold Mine Burns 5,000 Gallons Of Fuel Per Day![]() Editor's Comment: They might have a couple of days reserve fuel in tanks or something, but if they're burning 5,000 gallons a day it won't take long before they would have to shut down operations. Obviously, not a good thing. And do the math. At $3.50 per gallon that's $17,500 per day in fuel, $542,500 per month, or more than $6.3 million dollars per year. The people who sell them the fuel are making money on that activity, as well as the workers who are delivering it, and those who are running the machinery burning the fuel. All of this economic activity is paid for by the gold that's coming out of the ground. Petaquilla's operating expenses for the last three months in their most recent economic report was more than $10 million dollars. The vast majority of that money is staying right here in Panama. Economically speaking, mining is a very good thing for the country. And Petaquilla is peanuts compared to what's going to be happening with the Inmet copper mine. In the entire country there are only about 100,000 Ngöbe-Bugle Indians, compared to more than 3.3 million Panamanians total, which means they represent less than 3% of the people in this country. Why do they think they can dictate national policies for the exploitation of mining and hydro-electrical resources? |
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