NO to the construction of the Paso de la Reina Multi-use Hydroelectric Dam and Reservoir

Undersigned organizations take a unanimous stand

We, the peoples, communities and organizations gathered together in the community of Tataltepec de Valdés, Juquila, Oaxaca, on September 5, 2009, who have come from different regions of the state of Oaxaca and from other states in the country, including the organizations Sangre Chatina, the Peoples’ Council in Defense of the Land and Territory against the imposition of the Southern Toll Highway, the community of Benito Juárez Chimalapa in defense of its communal territory and property; the Teotiteco de la Cañada Civic Front, Oaxacan Voices Building Autonomy and Freedom (VOCAL), and the Peoples’ Front in Defense of the land of San Salvador Atenco (FPDT), all of whom are suffering the authoritarianism, dispossession, and looting of our natural resources imposed by the projects and mega-projects of the bad government, whether local or federal, which has used its repressive apparatus to harass, persecute and impose repression and death on our peoples because we have dared to defend our land and territories:

1.- Hereby lift our voices as one in unconditional opposition to the Paso de la Reina Multi-use Hydroelectric Dam and Reservoir. We stand in solidarity with the peoples and communities of the Coast of Oaxaca and demand respect for their decision to oppose the construction of this mega-project that would affect the municipalities of Tataltepec de Valdés, Villa de Tututepec de Melchor Ocampo, Santiago Ixtayutla, Jamiltepec,  Santa Cruz Zenzontepec and Tetepec.

2.- The peoples gathered here today understand that we have a common enemy: the government and the powerful national and transnational economic interests bent on taking our land, natural resources and territories; we also understand that our force will only be compelling when our struggles are united.

3.- We call for the solidarity of the peoples of Oaxaca, Mexico and the world and ask you to stay alert to the struggles that our peoples are waging and to support our resistance with actions.

4.- We demand an end to the harassment, threats, and intimidation ordered by the bad government against the members of the Sangre Chatina Organization.

5.- We demand immediate freedom for the political prisoners of the Peoples’ Front in Defense of the Land (FPDT).

6.- We demand an end to the harassment, militarization and para-militarization of the Zapatista territories. 

Sangre Chatina, Consejo de Pueblos en Defensa de la Tierra y el Territorio, Comunidad de Benito Juárez Chimalapa; el Frente Cívico Teotiteco, Voces Oaxaqueñas Construyendo Autonomía y Libertad (VOCAL), Frente de Pueblos en Defensa de la Tierra de San Salvador Atenco (FPDT)