The Environmental Assessment Commission of Aysen, made up by 11 people, will have to vote in favour or against the HidroAysen project –a consortium between Spanish company Endesa and the state company Colbun, from Chile, by May 16th.

The goal of the mobilization was to submit to President Sebastian Piñera –who strongly supports the project- a letter signed by over five thousand people demanding him to listen to the people who have confirmed by 61 per cent that they don’t want dams in Patagonia because they want other uses for that territory, according to Patricio Rodrigo, Executive Secretary of the Council in Defense of Patagonia.

On Tuesday, Piñera was opening a public work in Valdivia city when 500 people protesting against the mega-project arrived, although a strong security operation prevented the demonstrators to meet the authorities.

In Coyhaique, home to the communities that will be affected by the five dams, several organizations gathered to express their rejection. There were similar activities in Santiago, Talca, Concepcion, Temuco, Valdivia and Puerto Mont.

Recent national polls show that over 60 per cent of the Chilean people reject the building of dams in Patagonia and the effects on over thirty protected natural areas.

The rejection to the project is supported by different social sectors. Even the Catholic Bishop of Aysen expressed his opposition.

“As shareholder, I would like to request Colbun to suspend their decision to build mega-dams in Patagonia, since this would generate serious and irreparable damage”, said Bishop Luis Infanti.

In addition, he demanded Colbun to participate actively in the creation of state energy policies to “promote a process in Chile to end water privatization and commodification”, according to the Chilean media after the protests.

Meanwhile, an action against the privatization of the Patagonian territory held in Santiago resulted in 29 demonstrators arrested, out of the 1000 people present.

Photo: www.patagoniasinrepresas.cl
Video: EPD Comunicaciones