PBI-Mexico accompanies Codigo DH at 8th anniversary of the stopping of a wind power mega-project in San Dionisio del Mar

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The Peace Brigades International-Mexico Project has posted, “On January 29th we accompanied Codigo DH in their participation in the celebration of the 8th anniversary of the Assembly of San Dionisio del Mar.”

San Dionisio del Mar is located in the state of Oaxaca in south-western Mexico. It is situated in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec region.

PBI-Mexico adds, “This Assembly was created in 2012 in response to the presence in its territory of foreign wind [a consortium that included the Australian investment bank Macquarie, the Japanese company Mitsubishi and the Dutch pension fund PGGM]. The Anniversary celebrates the achievements defending the earth so far.”

In April 2014, New Internationalist reported, “For the past two years, members of the small town San Dionisio del Mar … have campaigned against the construction of a wind farm on more than 600 hectares of communally owned land.”

“They have demanded the cancellation of land permits issued by the local council in 2004 [that lacked free, prior and informed consent].”

“The Ikoots, or Huave, are a fishing society. The proposed wind farm would include the installation of more than 100 wind turbines on a thin spit of land in San Dionisio del Mar, which locals fear would disrupt the aquatic life they rely on for their livelihoods.”

New Internationalist also noted, “Heavy trucks used in the construction of the wind parks have already caused damage to local highways. There are also concerns that the turbines would disturb bird migration patterns.”

This Clean Energy Wire article adds, “In the months that followed, even women and teenagers defended barricades to stop the police forces sent to clear the area for the construction of the wind park.”

The Mexico Daily News adds that the Mareña Renovables wind power project (whose chief customer was to be Coca-Cola bottler Femsa) was cancelled in early 2014.

The PBI-Mexico briefing paper Wind Farms and Concerns about Human Rights Violations in Oaxaca has highlighted that:

“Throughout 2013, PBI observed with concern an increase in the level of violence in the context of wind farms, particularly against [human rights defenders] and community leaders whose work involves the defence of those affected by these developments.”

That paper adds, “PBI believes that [human rights defenders] are essential actors in promoting environmental and social justice, highlighting the importance of respecting human rights norms in the context of large scale economic projects.”

You can read more in the Codigo DH article San Dionisio de Mar commemorates eight years of struggle against extractive projects.

PBI-Mexico has accompanied Codigo DH since its creation in 2011.


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