|
Panamanians
Natives
Demand
Closure
of
Hydropower
Station
Panama's
Ngobe
bugle
indigenous
people,
who
are
taking
part
in a
dialogue
on
mining
with
government,
demanded
the
closing
of
the
hydroelectric
project
of
Barro
Blanco
and
the
compensation
of
Genisa
firm,
its
owner.
Government
Minister
Jorge
Ricardo
Fabrega,
wo
heads
the
official
commission
along
with
his
colleague
of
Trade
and
Industry
Ricardo
Quijano,
said
that
the
indigenous
people
have
gone
beyond
what
they
had
been
asking
for
so
far.
Meanwhile,
the
Bishop
of
Chiriqui,
Monsignor
Jose
Luis
Lacunza,
a
mediator
in
the
talks,
agreed
to a
recess
in
the
discussion,
though
Fabrega
said
that
in
one
or
two
hours
they
would
not
be
able
to
give
a
concrete,
reliable
answer
because
what
they
are
demanding
is
very
serious.
However,
Alberto
Montezuma,
attorney
of
the
Indigenous
Farmers
Coordinating
Office,
said
that
what
they
put
forward
today
is
not
new,
and
reaffirmed
that
the
Barro
Blanco
project
affects
areas
close
to
the
region.
General
tribal
leader
Silvia
Carrera
urged
the
government
to
reach
an
agreement
today;
otherwise,
the
situation
in
the
region
will
get
out
of
control.
What
representatives
of
Genisa
firm
said
yesterday
failed
to
meet
expectations;
nor
did
they
explain
the
alleged
benefits
of
the
project
or
the
protection
of
the
regionâ�Ös
water
resources,
she
said. |
