UDamaris Sanchez isazi sezemvelo esikhulumela phansi esivela emagqumeni aseWestern Panama. Uhlala endaweni ebizwa ngokuthi iCerro Punta eTierras Altas, noma Ezinkangala, esifundazweni saseChiriquí. Wazalwa futhi wakhulela emaphethelweni entaba-mlilo okuwukuphela kwayo ePanama. Umndeni wakhe usulima lapha izizukulwane ngezizukulwane. Uphinde abe ngumxhumanisi we-Panama's National Network in Defense of Water.
"Umndeni wami ubulokhu uxhumene eduze neBarú Volcano National Park kusukela ngisemncane," esho Ngaphandle. “Sasinepulazi ngaleso sikhathi, ingakabi yipaki. Ubaba waqala ukusebenza endaweni futhi namanje usaxoxa izindaba zokuthi bawathuthukisa kanjani amapulazi alapha esifundeni.”
U-Sanchez uneminyaka engu-53. Izinwele ezimnyama, ezidonswe kahle. Izibuko. I sweatshi elimpunga. Ukhuluma ngokucacile nangentshiseko ngezindaba azinakekelayo: umphakathi wendawo. Izwe. Amanzi. Imvelo.
"Izingane zomndeni wami - isizukulwane sami - kudingeke ukuthi zibheke ngakolunye uhlangothi lokunakekela umhlaba, zazama ukufaka isandla ekuvikeleni imvelo," kusho yena.
U-Sanchez wayengumuntu ozwakalayo emibhikishweni emelene nezimayini eyavala izingxenye zePanama ngasekupheleni konyaka odlule, futhi yaphoqa izwe ukuthi lihoxise inkontileka yemayini yethusi enkulu kunazo zonke e-Central America ngoNovemba.
Manje, uyiswa inkantolo.
Ungomunye wabantu abangu-21 abasolwa ngobuphekula esifundazweni sasePanama esentshonalanga neChiriquí kanye nabantu ababalelwa ku-30 ezweni lonke ababhekene namacala. Amacala abhekene nezishoshovu ayingxenye yalokho abaholi benhlangano yezenhlalakahle yasePanamani abakuchaza njengegagasi lobugebengu obungakaze bubonwe, ngenxa yengcindezelo yamaphoyisa esabalele ngesikhathi kuqhubeka imibhikisho yezwe yakamuva.
“Bazama ukutshela abantu, Kulungile, kulokhu uwinile, kodwa ngokuzayo ngeke sikukhiphe ngisho emgwaqweni, ngoba sizoshushisa futhi senze icala noma ubani owenza lokho.,” kusho uSanchez.
Imibhikisho
Imibhikisho iqale ngomhla zingama-23 kuMfumfu, ezinsukwini ezintathu ngemva kokuba ingqungquthela yasePanama ivume inkontileka entsha yezimayini nenkampani yaseCanada iFirst Quantum Minerals. UMongameli Laurentino Cortizo wasisayina saba ngumthetho ngemuva kwamahora ambalwa.
Uhulumeni uyincomile inkontileka entsha wathi izodala inzuzo eshaqisayo kuhulumeni. U-Cortizo ufunge wagomela ukuthi uzosebenzisa lezi zimali ukuqinisa uhlelo lokuvikela umphakathi kanye nokwenza ngcono izinzuzo zempesheni.
"Inkontileka iqinisekisa ukukhokhwa kwesimo esingamaRandi ayizigidi ezingama-395 ngo-2022 kanye nenkokhelo encane engu-$375 million ngonyaka, iminyaka engu-20 ezayo," UNgqongqoshe Wezohwebo uFederico Alfaro utshele iphephandaba lendawo ngaleso sikhathi. "Uma ungaqhathanisa lokhu nalokho umbuso owawukuthola ngaphambilini, okwakungu-$35 million ngonyaka, kuwukuthuthuka okukhulu kunangaphambili."
I-First Quantum Minerals yaqala ukusebenza emayini yaseCobre Panama ngonyaka ka-2019, futhi isikhiphe cishe amathani ethusi angama-300,000 ngonyaka kusukela ngaleso sikhathi. Imayini ibale cishe amaphesenti angama-75 okuthunyelwa ngaphandle kwePanama kanye namaphesenti ama-5 e-GDP.
Kodwa amaPanamani awazange abe nandaba. Bathe inkontileka iwumnikelo wenkampani yakwamanye amazwe kanye nokuhlaselwa kobukhosi basePanama. Leyo yinkinga enkulu ePanama, eyalwela ingxenye enkulu yekhulu lama-20 ukususa i-United States ekulawuleni kwayo indawo yasePanama Canal Zone.
Abantu basePanamani baphinde bathi besaba umthelela wezimayini endaweni ezungezile yezwe nasezindaweni zamanzi, phakathi nesomiso esikhulayo.
"Sizolwela ukufa kwemvelo yethu, ngoba ngaphandle kwendawo yethu, lapha ePanama, asilutho," kusho umfundi oneminyaka engu-20 uYuleysi Vargas etshela. Ngaphandle. Ujoyine izinkulungwane emigwaqweni yasePanama City.
Izinyunyana, abafundi, othisha namaqembu aboMdabu bamasha ezweni lonke. Umbutho omelene nezimayini wezwe "I-Panama Ibaluleke Kakhulu Ngaphandle Kwezimayini,” eyakhiwa amaqembu angaphezu kuka-30 ezenhlalo nezemvelo asePanama, ahola phambili. Basola uhulumeni ngokunikeza inkampani yakwamanye amazwe ingxenye yePanama. Bathembise ukuthi bazohlala emigwaqweni kuze kunqanyulwe ukuxhumana nabo. Baligcina izwi labo.
Ababhikishi bavala izivimbamgwaqo ezweni lonke. Bavala izingxenye ezinkulu zomgwaqo iPan-American Highway - umgwaqo omkhulu wezwe ogijima empumalanga nasentshonalanga. Imigoqo ivimbe ukuthunyelwa kwemikhiqizo nezimpahla. EPanama City, imifino nemikhiqizo kwanyamalala emashalofini. Ezifundeni zaseBocas del Toro naseChiriquí, iziteshi zikaphethiloli zoma, kwase kuba i-propane. Amashalofu egrosa aphelile. Amakilasi esikole akhanseliwe, noma axhumeke ku-inthanethi.
Ababhikishi endaweni kaDamaris Sanchez eTierra Altas, eChiriquí, babambe ngamandla. Benqaba ukuvumela wonke ama-ambulensi nabezimo eziphuthumayo ukuba badlule esivimbeni somgwaqo isikhathi esingaphezu kwenyanga.
“Kungasho ukuthini ukuthi uma le nkampani yamazwe ngamazwe ikwazile ukuzuza zonke lezi zinzuzo nemihlomulo evela kuhulumeni? Ngeke ibe khona indlela yokumisa enye inkampani yamazwe ngamazwe enentshisekelo yokufaka imali yezimayini eBarú Volcano National Park nanoma iyiphi enye indawo ezweni,” kusho uSanchez. “Sithe, uma singakuyeki lokhu manje, ngeke kube khona indlela esikhathini esizayo yokumisa noma yiziphi ezinye izithakazelo zezimayini zensimbi ePanama. Yingakho sithathe izinyathelo.”
Ekugcineni aphakamise isivimbamgwaqo emva a Isinqumo seNkantolo Ephakeme sangoNovemba 28 okwathi ukuxhumana okusha kwezimayini kuphambene nomthethosisekelo.
Amabhizinisi Ashaya Kakhulu
Amalungu omkhakha wamabhizinisi ePanama athi izivimbamgwaqo zibiza izwe $ 1.7 billion, emasontweni amane nje okuqala emibhikisho. Izindawo zokudlela zasendaweni, amahhotela namabhizinisi kushaywe kanzima.
"Isimo sinzima kakhulu kithina bantu basePanamani, ngenxa yezivimbamgwaqo ezweni lonke," kusho usomabhizinisi omncane uJavier Antonio Pinzón etshela. Ngaphandle maphakathi noNovemba, amasonto ambalwa emibhikisho. Unendawo yokudlela nehhotela edolobheni lase-Chiriquí elisentabeni yase-Boquete. Bekufanele kube yisiqalo sesikhathi esiphezulu sezivakashi lapho, kodwa ngenxa yemibhikisho nokuvalwa kwemigwaqo, babeyidlanzana labathengi usuku ngalunye. Azikho izihambeli zehhotela. Akukho ukubhuka.
“Asihambisani nale mayini yomgodi ovulekile, futhi asihambisani nale nkontileka okwaxoxwa ngayo. Kodwa asizisekeli lezi zivimbamgwaqo,” usho kanje. “Okwamanje, isifundazwe saseChiriquí siphelile. Ngaphandle kwe-propane. Ngaphandle kokufaka isandla emkhakheni wezolimo. Ukulahlekelwa kwemboni yezolimo akunakubalwa. Futhi lokhu kuzoba nemiphumela emikhulu kwezokuvakasha, ngokwesibonelo, ngenxa yokulimala kwesithunzi esidalwa yile mibhikisho emazweni omhlaba.”
I-Chamber of Commerce yase-Tierras Altas, e-Chiriquí, yibhizinisi elifake isikhalazo sobugebengu ngokumelene no-Damaris Sanchez kanye nabanye abantu abangu-20 esifundazweni sase-Chiriquí.
"Ngokusuka esimeni sethu esiqinile ekuvikeleni amalungelo kanye nasekufuneni izixazululo ezinobulungiswa, ngicela zonke izinkampani, amabhizinisi kanye nosomabhizinisi base-Tierras Altas ukuthi bahlanganyele nathi kulo mzamo obalulekile," kusho uMengameli weChamber of Commerce uMaru Gálvez. “Sisonke singaqinisa umthetho futhi sigcine ukuhleleka ezweni lethu, okubalulekile ekuchumeni nasekuzinzeni kwemiphakathi yethu kanye nomnotho wethu.”
Basola izishoshovu ngobugebengu obubhekene nempahla yezomnotho, umonakalo, ubugebengu obubhekene nokuphepha okuhlangene, ubuphekula kanye nokuhlangana okungekho emthethweni.
Ngaphandle ibuyekeze ikhophi yesikhalo sobugebengu. Kuyo, abameli be-Tierras Altas Chamber of Commerce babhala, “Ngendlela ehlelekile, benza itulo lokuphazamisa ukuthula komphakathi nokusabisa umphakathi waseTierras Altas ngezinsongo,” ukuze baphoqe uhulumeni ukuba ahoxise inkontileka nemayini.
Ochwepheshe bezomthetho basePanamani bathi lobu bugebengu “bokuhlangana okungekho emthethweni,” ikakhulukazi, bukwenzile ngokomlando ibisetshenziswa ohulumeni esifundeni sonke ukuze enze imibhikisho ibe yisigebengu emphakathini.
Umbhikisho Wobugebengu
"Ubugebengu kuyimizamo yezwe lasePanama yokuzama ukujezisa ababhikishi," kusho Celia Sanjur, isazi sezokuhlalisana kwabantu, intatheli kanye nesishoshovu sesikhathi eside samalungelo abantu sasePanama. “Bafuna izindlela zokujezisa abantu, ukubajezisa futhi ngaphezu kwakho konke, ukubesabisa ukuze bangaphinde bakwenze. Kodwa ngeke baphumelele. Abantu bayakuqonda lokho abakufunayo.”
U-Sanjur uthi, ikakhulukazi e-Chiriquí, abanikazi bamabhizinisi kanye nombuso bafuna “ukwenza uphawu olucacile lokuthi imibhikisho efana nalokhu kuvalwa kwemigwaqo ngeke ibekezelelwe. Kuyoba khona isijeziso.”
“Futhi yingakho sidinga ukubathumela bonke ubumbano lwethu,” kusho yena.
Amaqembu alulalele lolobizo. Inhlangano yePanama Ibaluleke Kakhulu Ngaphandle Kwezimayini ikugxekile ubugebengu futhi yasiza ukusabalalisa igama ngokungabi nabulungisa kwamacala. Iphinde yeseka ngokuvikela okusemthethweni kwamanye amalungu ayo asolwayo.
Lilian Guevara uyilungu lenhlangano emelene nezimayini ePanama kanye nomqondisi omkhulu we I-Panama Environmental Advocacy Center, i-NGO ezinze eDolobheni lasePanama esebenza ngezindaba zemvelo ezweni lonke. Uthi izwe “alikaze likubone ukuqokwa kwabaholi bezenhlalakahle njengobugebengu” kusukela ngesikhathi sobushiqela buka-Omar Torrijos kanye noManuel Noriega ngeminyaka yawo-1980.
“Manje laba bantu banamacala obugebengu ababhekene nawo, izinsolo noma izikhalo. Futhi bangabantu abavelele kakhulu abanemisebenzi yomzabalazo wezenhlalo, abavikeli bamalungelo abantu, abavikeli bemvelo. Othisha. Abakwazanga ukumelana nobushokobezi kanye nenhlangano yobugebengu obungekho emthethweni,” kusho yena.
Lolu daba selunakwe. Maphakathi no-December, abameli abambalwa basePanamani kanye noprofesa bezomthetho bahlangana neHhovisi Lommeli Omkhulu wasePanama ukuze baveze ukukhathazeka kwabo ezingeni lobugebengu, phakathi kwezinye izindaba. Usolwazi wezomthetho womthethosisekelo ovelele, UMiguel Antonio Bernal, uthi uphume emhlanganweni ekhathazeke kakhulu kunakuqala.
“Iqiniso liwukuthi sibhekene neqembu lezikhulu, kokubili endikimbeni yezokwahlulela nasenkonzweni yomphakathi, ezijabulela ukungazi okungenakuthethelelwa mayelana nokuthi amalungelo abantu ayini kanye nesibopho sazo njengeziphathimandla futhi ikakhulukazi endabeni yoMnyango Womphakathi. , ukuhlonipha nokungashushisi,” UBernal utshele isitolo sendawo sikamabonakude. "Ngeke sikwazi ukuqhubeka nokuhlala emphakathini lapho labo ababamba iqhaza emibhikishweni nemibhikisho benziwa ubugebengu."
Umkhakha wezamabhizinisi wasePanama usole uMongameli uCortizo ngokuvumela imibhikisho nokuvinjwa ukuthi kuqhubeke ezweni lonke nokungathathi isandla esinzima ukubasusa emigwaqweni. Kepha ePanama City nasezindaweni ezizungezile, amabutho ombuso ahlasele kanzima kulabo abasemigwaqweni.
Ukucindezelwa Kwamaphoyisa
Abantu abangaphezu kwenkulungwane baboshwa - abanye ngokucekela phansi - emasontweni ambalwa okuqala emibhikisho.
“Kwakunengcindezi nsuku zonke,” kusho uGuevara, “ikakhulukazi emashumini ezinkulungwane zentsha enhloko-dolobha. ENyuvesi yasePanama, inhlangano yabafundi yayivinjezelwe ngaphandle kokwehluleka nsuku zonke. Eminye imiphakathi esempumalanga yePanama, njengePacora, umphakathi wavinjezelwa futhi wahlaselwa ngamabhomu esisi esikhalisa unyembezi. Impendulo yamaphoyisa ibingalingani.”
Izinkundla zokuxhumana eziningi videos kwanda kakhulu emasontweni okuqala emibhikisho emelene nokumbiwa kwezimayini ekhombisa inqwaba yezisi esikhalisa unyembezi zidutshulwa ezixukwini ngesikhathi kuqubuka umlilo osheshayo kanti amaphoyisa edudula ababhikishi ngezinhlamvu zenjoloba.
U-Aubrey Baxter ungumthwebuli wezithombe kanye nesishoshovu sezemvelo owalahlekelwa iso ngemuva kokuba iphoyisa lidubule kuye amahlandla amaningi ngezinhlamvu zenjoloba komunye wemibhikisho ngo-Okthoba. Akuyena yedwa odutshulwe ekhanda yinhlamvu yenjoloba ngesikhathi kuqhubeka imibhikisho.
Kuvidiyo yangemva kokuhlaselwa, uhlezi phansi, ubuso bakhe nehembe kugcwele igazi.
Ngahlangana noBaxter epaki yePanama City ngoDisemba. Namuhla, ugqoke isiqeshana samehlo. Uhlinzwe, wabona odokotela kanye nabelaphi. Usazama ukubhekana neqiniso lempilo yakhe entsha ngeso elilodwa kuphela.
“Ngingazama ukukubeka ngamazwi. Kodwa akunakwenzeka. Ukuzizwa kungokunye,” kusho yena. “Kuwukucwiywa kwezitho.”
UBaxter uthi uzizwa exhumene kakhulu nale mayini okwasiza ababhikishi ukuthi bayimise.
“Njalo lapho ngibona isithombe esiyingcaca somgodi ovulekile phansi,” esho, “ngizibona ngingenaso iso lami.”
Umbutho wamaphoyisa ukhiphe umyalezo othi wona awathinteki ngomthelela okhiphe iso likaBaxter kunalokho wasola ababhikishi abanodlame. UBaxter ufake icala lobugebengu embuthweni.
“Sithungatha ubulungiswa. Ukuze leli cala lingaphumi. Ukuze amanye amacala afana nelami angajeziswa,” usho kanje. "Ukuze senze isibonelo sokuhlonipha amalungelo abantu."
“Ngilahlekelwe iso. Kodwa izwe seliwavule amehlo,” usho kanje. Futhi nginomuzwa wokuthi ngandlela-thile icala lami liye lasiza ekuhlanganiseni abantu ngomqondo wokungavumeli ukulimala komunye nomunye.
Kule mibhikisho kushone abantu abane. Ababili badutshulwe umshayeli obethukuthele efuna ukudlula lapho bekuvinjwe khona umgwaqo. Omunye kwaba ugibele endaweni evimbe umgwaqo u-Pan-American Highway eChiriquí, isifunda lapho uDamaris Sanchez nabanye bavala khona umgwaqo.
Naphezu kwesinqumo emigwaqweni, kanye nesinqumo seNkantolo Ephakeme esimemezela inkontileka yezimayini ngokuphambene nomthethosisekelo, i-First Quantum Minerals kanye nezinkampani zangaphandle ezihilelekile ohlelweni lwezimayini ukwenza iPanama ikhokhe. IFirst Quantum Minerals kanye nezinye izinkampani ezimbili zakwamanye amazwe - ifemu yezimayini yaseNingizimu Korea eyayibambe iqhaza kulo msebenzi kanye nenye inkampani yaseCanada, eyayinesivumelwano sokusakazwa kwezinsimbi eziyigugu nemayini - ziye. zithunyelwe izaziso ukuyisa iPanama ezinqubweni zokulamula phezu kokukhanselwa kwemayini.
Izinsongo ezinjalo zokulamula ziyithuluzi elikhulu amafemu ezimayini phezulu naphansi enkabazwe njalo elisebenzisa ukugcina amazwe ehlola futhi abe nomthelela kuzinqubomgomo zendawo kanye nokuthathwa kwezinqumo. Lezi zingxoxo zokulamula zingaphoqa izwe lasePanamani ukuthi likhokhe izigidi zamarandi kulezi zinkampani zakwamanye amazwe ukuze zikhokhele inzuzo okuthiwa ilahlekile. Kodwa ukulamula kuyinqubo engathatha iminyaka. Kunqunywa ngaphandle kweminyango evaliwe, ngaphandle kwePanama futhi kungekho lungelo lokufaka isicelo sokudlulisa icala esizweni sasePanamani.
"Izivumelwano 'zohwebo' zanamuhla zinikeza amalungelo amasha ezinkampanini zamazwe ngamazwe ukuthi zimangalele ohulumeni phambi kwephaneli yabameli abathathu bezinkampani," kubhala iqembu lokumela abathengi I-Public Citizen mayelana nezinqubo zokuqulwa kwecala ezifana nalezi. "Laba bameli banganika izinkampani izimali ezingenamkhawulo okumele zikhokhwe ngabakhokhi bentela, okuhlanganisa nokulahlekelwa yinzuzo elindelekile yesikhathi esizayo, ngezimangalo zokuthi umgomo wezwe wephula amalungelo azo."
Ngamanye amazwi, kunzima kakhulu ukulwa. Izishoshovu ezimelene nezimayini ePanama zizama ukunquma ukuthi yini engenziwa. Khona manjalo, izishoshovu ezifana noSanchez, zithi zizokwenza okufanele ukulwa nalezi zinsolo ezibhekiswe kuzo.
"Hhayi kuphela ezingeni lePanama, kodwa kulo lonke elaseLatin America, izinkampani zamazwe ngamazwe zinethonya elinamandla kakhulu," kusho uSanchez. "Udaba lwezimayini lapha ePanama luthathe igxathu elikhulu ngoba akekho owayelindele ukuthi izwe elincane kangaka lingathola ukunqoba kwalolu hlobo."
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