ASOQUIMBO Comunicado (english, español abajo)

Comunicado ASOQUIMBO

January 10, 2021

The Departmental Government on January 10^th issued an official memo that reveals the commitment of the Ministry of Environment to issue an Administrative Act convoking an Environmental Public Assembly for January 13^th. ASOQUIMBO convoked a general assembly for 5pm today where an official decision was to be given to Minister Frank Pearl. None the less at 5:30pm the Minister communicated with the president of ASOQUIMBO to inform that the issuing of the Act would only be done after the lifting of the strike breaking the Minister´s agreement with the Governor of Huila.

Knowing that the position of the Ministry was frustrating the solution to the problem, ASOQUIMBO convoked a new general assembly in Puerto Seco on January 11^th at 10am to evaluate the critical situation and solicit the presence of the Governor of Huila to explain the reasons why the agreement was not kept.

ASOQUIMBO is aware of pressures that have attempted to use the police and military against the peaceful mobilization that has been in process for 7 days in the area known as the Paso del Colegio Bridge. Any act against the legitimate Right to Protest will be considered as an act of repression against the affected communities who are claiming their rights in what the Departmental Government considers “just”.

ASOQUIMBO solicits that the President of the Commission of Human Rights of the House of Representatives and the Second Vice President of the Senate intervene on behalf of the National Government on to guarantee the protection of Constitutional Human Rights.

The Regional Movement for the Defense of the Territory and ASOQUIMBO express indignation at the Ministry of Environment´s position and reiterate and demanding the immediate suspension of the environmental license for the Hydroelectric Project el Quimbo. Equally we also demand that environmental license for Emerald Energy be suspended, the immediate construction of a new bridge at Paso del Colegio by Emgesa and to hasten the “preliminary investigations” to be down of the Comptroller´s Office of the Nation.

MOVIMIENTO REGIONAL POR LA DEFENSA DEL TERRITORIO

ASOQUIMBO

Cordially,

ELSA ARDILA MUÑOZ

Legal Representative

President ASOQUIMBO

MILLER ARMÍN DUSSÁN CALDERÓN
Professor and Investigator of the Universidad Surcolombiana.
Doctor in Education and Society Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona.
Investigator ASOQUIMBO
http://millerdussan.blogia.com