1 12 1 https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/512ee31d74e56371967a3cbb83b0c11a.pdf 911660bf48a3164e2c55c177c8202793 PDF Text Text EN VIRONMENT Hidrovia: Declaration of the Rio Paraguay The following declaration states the conclusions of participants in the Floating Seminar of the Paraguay River, organized by Sobrevivencia - Friends of the Earth Paraguay and the Coalition Rios Vivos Paraguay-Parana-Plata, who in three boats descended the Paraguay River between 17-27 July, 1996 as part of a permanent dialogue with the populations of the La Plata Basin. Along the way. they travelled through sections of the river programmed for large-scale engineering works as part of the Paraguay-Parana Hidrovla industrial waterway. currently being planned by the governments of the region. Participants included citizens of the countries of the La Plata Basin, North America, and Europe. W e, Indigenous peoples of the Paraguay basm. u:.dnional communitres. scttnt&sts, env11onm<mal expcns. and ttol<>g!Sis from various countries, COrK.'Cmtd w1th the future of our rivers, have taken p;~n '" the Floating Seminar on the Pr.raguay River. and united in our message, propose strategies for the construction of su. tainable societies in the s region. We are the Eanh. the peoples, the plants. the animals. the waters. the sun's rays, the breath of the wmds. We wJnt to honor the Eanh 3S the pl:tee of allll\•mg beings. \Vc have come to ttsufy to the depredation we have witnessed along our entire descent of the Paraguay River. from Corumbj to Asunci6n. The model of occupation established in our region bears no relation to the needs of the peoples who live along the river bank, nor with the potenllal of il$ ecosystems. indigenous peoples h3\·e been txpelled from thetr terntones and dtpm·td of their sustamabk means of 'VlSdom. of happiness. and of hie. liuge barge convoys have replaced the anetstral means of transpon and navtg.1tion adapted to the natural conditions of the river: mining and mineral loading docks contaminate their surroundings: logs pile up in the lumber mills which consume the final remains of the lush anctent for<Sl$: enormous columns of 30 smoke and JShes darken the sky in midday announcang the Imminent end of prosperity on the eonh and the tel ipse of its ongmal cultures. Signs of the inevitable collapse or this hean of Amtrica in wh- rhythm pulses and breathes the security of life in the La Plata Basin. lations. cspectally Indigenous peoples. JSSunng the sustainability, the equahty. and the respect for di\'trshy in our SOC'I· eties. Sustamable societies are based on the sell-determmation or local communities and original peoples in full "-"<rcise of their right to decide on the man- Facing this situation, and because agement and administration of the ecosystems which they are part of. paths which serve to improve the conAdministration or resources should we still have time, we wnnt to propose dition of life in the basin: paths which do no< destroy. but which restore the balance today threatened. The salvauon of the plantt and its peopks. present and future, demands the creation or a new c•v'lhzation based on an ethic which respects ils limits. di\'ersity. solidarity, equality. justice. and libeny. V..'c are alia unh In our diversily. \Vc be directed and controlled by local cornmuntttes throughout the: process. based upon cnteria or sustainabihty. defined by studtes which dettrmme their carrpng cap;~city. and the forms or processmg and commtrcialization. having as thetr basis self-sufficiency and inter-dependence. The diversity of habitats and cultures who live in them determine dif· assume the shared responsibility w fercm uses which in tum make inter· pro<ect a.nd to restore the Earth so that its natural resources m:.ty be used wise· ly, presel'\;ng ecologtcal balance and the social. economtc. and sptritual , ..J. change possible, and establish factors of inter-dependence which must be respected and made compatible. We constder that our region must be thought of as an integrated whole lor the destgn or pohCles lor management and temtonal use. The La Plata 8.1>in in ilS entirety must be the unit for all plans. projects. or activities. The restoration of ecosystems which have been damaged by the currem predatory development, is a need which can not be delayed. The balance ues which assure sUSt:unabJht)'· The txisting patterns of consumption. of producuon and dtstribution of resources. currently oratnted toward e>.:traction. concentrmion, and expro- priation, bring human societies and the ecosystems which sustain them to an inevitable disaster. All initiatives must therefore be urgently directed to meet the needs of local and tradtttonal popu- �ENVIRONMENT and integrity of ecosystems must be recuperated, especially in degraded needs of local populations and not external interests. Respecting this crite· areas of critical importance for the ria, all initiative must have as its origin structural restoration of hydrological and finality the needs and interests of systems. Proposed actions such as per- local communities. Even so. ils implemanent dredging and the conStruction mentation must adapt ilself to natural of dams for water regulation or for sed- conditions, avoiding negative social iment retention do not constitute solu- and environmental impacts. The govtions, but rather threats. They do I\Ot ernmental project for the Paraguaylook at the true causes of problems of Paron~ industrial waterway does not sedimentation of river beds and deteri- respond to either of these criteria. This oration of hydrological systems, but project, designed behind the back of rather the maintenance or the predatO· populations of the region, will not ry system which only seeks economic bring any benefits nor solutions for the benefits for large corporations, while needs of the peoples of the Basin, but financial and environmental costs are rather will increase even more their paid by populations and by nature. problems. generating greater impacts The infrastructure to be implanted and increasing social and environmenin the region must be in function of the tal costs, ""'ny of them irreversible. The existing resources destined for mega-projects promoted by, interllational financial institutions and entities of cooperation must be re-directed toward the tn•e needs of local populations, moving away from their current orientation to promote unsustainable projects which only benefit those small groups in whose hands ~wer and resources are concentrated. '1t From dtt curves of the Paragt,ay River. july 27, 1996 For more information: Glenn Swithes, Dircccor of the lAtin America Progmm at Ihe International Rivers Neiwoth, 1847 IJtrheley IVa)j B<rkeley, CA, 94703; Tel: 510/848·1 155; Fax: 5J0/8i8-J008 us Argentineans, they don't respect us. They cd to p<acefully takeover tl~t lands arcnmd don't recogni<e this latJd as ours. They play the bridge on lite 25 of August. \Ve will occu· land. Jn 1994, d~ey made their first trip Old- around, saying '"\Vait jusr a liule bit more... py the laml uruil the: g<wernmeru of Salta side their land to spcah at the United Bur whllt we walt, they ntO\'t ahead with give,.'$ a concrer.: n.ospon.se in regards to our Narions about dttir plight. In conrimradon. their projws: They seule Oltr latJd, lay down requests. This is an act of hop<. wt ttptoduet the latest attempt by the \Vicl1l their roads, d1eir lxlrb·wi~ ftnccs, aml dteir to secure rheir territory. towns. And rtOw thc:y a~ lmilding a bridge in IVe ash that you collaborate, by sending peo· La Paz and they that we have to paGh up and plt who belit\'t in our cause to accompany us For the Titling of Our Land: T<•keover of the gil't them space. and assure: that there be no acts of violence lnttnlational Bridge Over the Pilcomayo against our families. River (l.a Pav \V are 1101 animals n.mning loose. \Ve are e not dogs to be driven away at the whims of E\·trl aftet d1e taheo"e'; you can support our Many years have passed sinGe we requested their owner. \Ve are the flowers of the Earth, cause by sending leuers to: the go\'trnmtnt of Salta province, Argentirta, platJted by God Himself 10 and duive in to officially gmnt ItS title to the land that we these lands. Sr. Gobemador de Ia Provincia de Salta, D.& ha\·e always irdtabited. \Ve have stru ltlltrs. juan Carlos Pomero, Casa de Gobietno, Meetir1gs take place. new laws and decrees \Ve have asked the autJ1oritles to suurc: the Gra.n urg 4400, Salta, Argentina are passed, ar1d yet more topographic stud. titles 10 thestlatJdS befort: undertaking these ies... \Ve are nqw irt the fourth administra· large projeCts in rht places when: we live. Sr. Prcsideme de Ia RepUbliGa Argentina, Dr. tion. Yet they ha"e not rtSl){)ndcd to our These are fiscal lands and the Ia"~ therefore Carlos S. Mencm, Casa Rosada, Capital demands. Years pass and our lands become recognize our right of OW>ltrslt!p. Amlds1 all Federal, Argentina; Fax: 54 J 343 2249 or impoverislted, btt"m'se the people 'vho have this tall: of Mercosur. we see a more secure 54 1331 7976 come from the outside to occupy dtem Know future simply in the ownersltip of out land. not how to manage them. Years pass and we Asociaci6n de Comunidades Aborlge,les btcome poorer. Faced with no response and the upcoming Lahlta Honhat, San luis, Sta. Victoria Este, inauguration of the bridge, dtt 35 communi· Rh·adavla B. Norte, CP i58J, Pcia. Salta, Even thougl1 we lzm•e official papers making ties belonging to our QSSO(iation ha\'t decid· A~entina Continued from page 1!2 li•·• Voi.10No. 2 31 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 10, no. 2 (Summer 1996) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Declaration of the Rio Paraguay Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Summer 1996 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title Declaration of the Rio Paraguay Item Type Journal Article Volume 10 Issue 2 Pages 30-31 Publication Title Abya Yala News ISSN 1071-3182 Date Summer 1996 Language English Abstract Note This declaration states the end of the Floating Rivers Seminar, in which indigenous peoples went down the river to protest for more sustainable measures to be taken in the construction of industrial waterways. Rio Paraguay