On June 26th, Mixtec communities from Puebla and Oaxaca came together in San José Chichihualtepec, Chazumba, Oaxaca and declared that they “live in a critical moment for the defense of Life and the Territories”.
The participants decry that contrary to promises made by Mexico’s governing party, neoliberal legal frames still favor extraction companies over indigenous rights and environmental protection. This allows for huge profits, which in turn are used to influence public opinion and political decisions.
The status quo is upheld by structures criminalizing those who try to defend the environment, unpunished violence against communities and authorities contributing directly or by inaction.
Negotiations with the state officials have failed, on multiple occasions, to guarantee true consideration of their collective rights, and therefore, the communities state that they will combat these issues using their own systems of organization and pronounce the following:
The communities demand immediate revocation of all mining-permits that threaten their territories, as well as the stop of grand projects like the “Corredor Zapoteco” and the new ammoniac plant in Sinaloa, that benefit national and international companies while grievously harming the environment. They demand to be consulted and asked for consent prior to future concessions.
They denounce displacement and violence enacted against supporters of the Zapatistas and other autonomous villages that occur due to the presence of criminal groups and the militarization of the territories. They demand justice for those who have disappeared and those who have been murdered. In light of the ongoing threat, they call for solidarity between all who resist. They acknowledge that there are many different ways to support the movement, and emphasize that now is the time to act.
The forum calls all communities, organizations and movements to join the Global Day Against Mega Mining on July 22nd as well as the National Rally of Resistance, happening 22-23/08 in Tehuacán, Puebla. View the entire declaration (in spanish) here: Sexto Foro Informativo: por la defensa del agua, el territorio y la vida. Por la autodeterminación de los pueblos: ¡Territorios Libres de Minería!
