As accompaniers of the Caravan of Human Rights Observation in Oaxaca, Mexico, we visited the municipality of Tataltepec de Valdez on September 5^th and 6^th, 2009.  This is one of thirty communities in the four municipalities that would be affected if the hydroelectric dam and reservoir, “Paso de la Reyna”, were constructed.

This indigenous community pertains to the Chatino peoples and is governed by traditional uses and customs. 

According to the testimonies of municipal authorities and participants at the forum, there was an overwhelming rejection of the hydroelectric dam and reservoir “Paso de la Reyna”.  In other assemblies, an opposition was decided to the construction of the hydroelectric dam and reservoir.  The general assembly made their decision unanimously. 

The Federal Commission of Electricity (CFE in Spanish) attempted to deceive the community over supposed benefits of the hydroelectric dam and reservoir.  Likewise, the CFE did not adhere to the community’s traditional uses and customs.  This act violates convention 169 of the International Organization of Labor (OIT in Spanish) of which Mexico is a signatory. 

According to a community-based and community-led investigation, both the CFE and Luz y Fuerza del Centro (Light and Power from the Center) have informed a 20 and 10 percent of generation reserve, of which the excuse of an energy deficit falls short of weight. 

In the case of the hydroelectric dam and reservoir, “Paso de la Reyna”, we are not only facing a case of dispossession of land.  The hydroelectric dam and reservoir would also drown a history, culture, common customs, and sacred sites of the communities.  Not only would the hydroelectric dam and reservoir violate economic rights, but also social and cultural rights of the community. 

In the case of environmental rights, given the size of the project, and based on other similar cases, an attack on the environment of this magnitude would have unpredictable consequences.  Many communities’ livelihoods would be affected, whether it’s fishing or farming, including the putrefaction of the water system that would provoke flooding of an area with vegetation. 

Because the assembly’s decision has not been respected by those responsible for the megaproject, the community has begun organizing to defend their lands. 

We have been notified of diverse cases of harassment of community members who have opposed to the megaproject.  Such is the case of the teacher Juan Gomez Gomez, who has received various threatening phone calls made to him and his family. 

In other cases, the state police have attacked family members that are opposed to the construction of the hydroelectric dam and reservoir.  The family members say that these attacks are related to their activism in defense of their lands. 

Again, the CFE is directly linked with cases of human rights violations and criminalization of protest as has been done in Guerrero, Mexico with the dam “La Parota”, and in Candelaria, Campache, where the fabrication of crimes were made to criminalize protests against high tariffs of electricity. 

Given what we have heard in this community, the statements of representatives of various participants in this caravan, and regarding the information that we have received from similar cases in Mexico, we have reached the conclusion that “Paso de la Reyna” is not an isolated case, but that is a part of a series of neoliberal megaprojects.  Even when presented as “development”, these projects constitute forced removal of lands from the hands of communities.