Article by PBI-Canada

On January 14, Servindi reported: “At least 105 local and indigenous communities in Mexico were affected by the impact of the energy industry and other projects on its territories, as revealed by the Infringed Collective Rights platform.”

“The platform [is] a digital tool powered by the Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI) with support from Amazon Conservation Team (ACT).”

“According to the platform, 14 extractive and infrastructure projects were mapped, affecting at least 105 Mexican communities. Of the total projects, 9 are from the energy sector: solar, thermal, wind and hydro-energy.”

“In addition, agribusiness, timber extraction and mining are the other industries that violate the collective rights of indigenous peoples.”

“According to the platform, the right to collective dominance over the territory and the right to a healthy environment were violated in 64.3% of cases. Prior and informed free consent was also violated in 57% of registrations. The disturbance of cultural and sacred sites – in 71.4% of cases – and the invasion of collective territory – in 64.3% of cases – were the most frequent attacks in recorded cases.”

The article highlights: “Murders and criminalization against environmental defenders were also reported. An example of this was the assassination of indigenous communicator Samir Flores, who died in February 2019, who opposed the Huexca thermoelectric plant.”

Flores was a member of the People’s Front in Defence of the Land and Water of Morelos, Puebla and Tlaxcala (FPDTA-MPT).

The Peace Brigades International-Mexico Project began to accompany the FPDTA-MPT following the murder of Flores.

The Huexca plant is part of the Morelos Integral Project (PIM) that also consists of a 171-kilometre gas pipeline that would cross the states of Morelos, Puebla and Tlaxcala and a 12-kilometre aqueduct that would divert water from the Cuautla River.

The FPDTA-MPT has also stated: “[Mexican president] Lopez Obrador [supporting the PIM] betrays the peasant and the promise of change of his government, to favour transnational corporations [including] Canadian miners like Alamos Gold.”

Toronto-based Alamos Gold has reactivated work on their Esperanza open-pit gold mine near the community of Tetlama (about 60 kilometres west of Huexca). The FPDTA-MPT statement suggests the concern that this mine could draw energy from the PIM.

The full article by Servindi can be read in Spanish at México: Alto impacto de derechos vulnerados por industria energética. Servindi is a news agency specialized in indigenous peoples, the environment, climate change, and other social issues in Peru and the world. You can find them on Twitter here.

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