Chile: Marches and legal action to oppose HidroAysén dams
Thursday, May 12th, 2011
- La Tercera photo
[Translation of an article from El Mostrador of Santiago for May 10. See original here. The Aysén region, in Chilean Patagonia, is the least populated and most inaccessible in the country and its most pristine. Plans to construct hydroelectric plants there and long transmission lines to supply power to more populous regions have been met with strong protests by area residents, environmentalists and others.]
Social and environmental movements and opposition parliamentary groups announced on Tuesday plans for marches and legal actions, in both domestic and international courts, to halt the construction of five dams in Patagonia.
Opponents of the project have also denounced police represson aginst demonstrations held yesterday after the approval of an environmental impact study on HidroAysén, as well as alleged conflicts of interest on the part of officials involved in the project. (more…)