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When we put energy into what we make
all of Panama progresses.
With our electrics, AES has been delivering energy
to Panama for 14 years
in order to continue growing.
With the inauguration of our new
Changuinola hydroelectric plant
the most important energy project of the century,
we continue producing the cleanest
and cheapest energy for Panama
because in order to achieve victory
we work with the best team:
all Panamanians.
AES Panama:
Making Panama great with all our energy.
Without the knowledge of the people
the company closed the gates
and started the filling.
Never have they consulted us
never have they informed us
and also, for their part,
they offered many things
that at this moment they have not fulfilled.
And on top of everything
my house is completely flooded
and the other is at risk
for that I am making a claim
because I see it is in total danger
because it is under the reservoir
and as for the other that is higher up
they were not able to fix all those damages.
The company is running away
and has not wanted to listen to me.
So when they said they were going to inaugurate
the project, it was never inaugurated
at the time they said.
They waited months and months
they didn’t arrive.
Then they inaugurated without
knowing the affected families
and without repairing the damages.
I worked barefoot
the ants biting, the insects biting
I worked for four daughters and four sons
I didn’t work for the company to ruin everything
I arrived there working
in the year 1966 on June 21st
So this boy was born there
another boy there and another there
and we lived there for 42 years.
Charco had many lands
each one of my family had their own farm.
AES destroyed everything
and after they said that I had already left
they said that they gave me a lot of money
and everything is a lie.
They lied to me a lot.
The first time I arrived here
I was very bad, very bad
They destroyed all my property
and made me very sad
for the life I can no longer make
Yes, they destroyed all my property.
Still, I have a little piece of land
where I have some crops
and I have my humble little cottage
but I want to try to return to live there again.
They say one benefit for the affected
when the project is done
each one of the family
will have some resources to maintain themselves
but no.
Neither a miserable little bit of money
because we consume
we cannot live with empty stomachs
we always need to consume food and drink
we need money
but up there in the mountains
we cultivated what we ate
we didn’t buy it at the store
but here, yes
200 or 500 dollars goes to the store.
For a long time up there we didn’t buy anything
we fished and hunted
we worked and cultivated bananas to eat every day
we lived in peace and we didn’t buy those things
but here, yes.
So here, our family can go hungry for two days
two days… almost a week
and if there’s nothing, if there’s no money
where are we going to get bananas?
where are we going to get something
without buying it?
We have to buy with it money in the store.
Meanwhile the company has what it wants
and isn’t doing anything.
In the social aspect, AES Changuinola
executed a resettlement programme
meaning the construction of new communities
with new homes
that can boast access to public services
new schools
health centres
sports areas
roads
and new water systems.
Prior to the creation of the reservoir
the families were transferred and relocated
ensuring the physical safety of each one
a process that was the responsibility
of the organised community.
This action was verified by
the local and national authorities.
We have already placed people
in the houses that the company has built
what we are missing is to finish
all the houses and place all the people
but when the land and construction are ready
the people can move into their new homes at once
and that is what is they are waiting for right now
With an agreement of the communities
located downstream from the dam
and with the participation of the health ministry
there will be the installation and repair
of 14 rural aqueducts
Today, what they once thought
was a far-away dream is now a reality.
Thanks to the project, I have water in my house
I don’t have to go to the river
I don’t have to go to the creek.
If it wasn’t for this
I would have to go the river or creek to wash.
With respect to responsibility
the company certainly was not responsible.
It was very irresponsible
with regards to the environment, security,
and the community.
We have not seen the reality of which they speak.
It is completely false
what they have said to the media.
Here, the fact is we are suffering
but at the international level
they say that everything is good
however, it’s not like that.
They built a resettlement, right?
If we go to the resettlement we will find
two or three houses
of only the people who support them
and these are not people who lost their land
they selected them that way to support AES
they support the people who support them
but it’s not like that for everyone else.
There are like 69 houses and out of those 69
no more than three or four
have their new house.
In the four communities one can talk
about health centres, schools, aqueducts
but for me, in all the communities you can visit
like Charco la Pava, Valle del Rey,
Changuinola Arriba, Guayabal and Quisori
not one good aqueduct exists.
Yes, a health centre exists,
but like my other companion mentioned
there is only a structure installed
without any type of personnel
to work in the health centre
Aqueducts?
Those are constructed
voluntarily by the communities
Schools?
Those have existed in the
three communities for many years
Before the company came
we relied upon an aqueduct
because it is vital liquid
for all the children that live in our population
and also for us.
The highway came
and they went with big machines
to move the earth
and they went into the road
and started to destroy
the aqueduct that we had built.
And the community counted on this aqueduct
24 hours a day.
And when the company entered
they destroyed the source of water that we had
and practically buried it under the ground.
It was a benefit of the community
so what did we say?
I will say it again
we had to take action
closing the road
so that they would comply with us
with the 20 thousand gallons
that we asked from AES.
Nevertheless
we also lost the same aqueduct
in order to the benefit the relocation.
They relocated some people
that were from the area of the reservoir
in order to separate
the benefit of that aqueduct.
Practically speaking
the water cannot be divided
between communities
Proof of this?
One hour there’s water, the next there isn’t.
So it is a very worrying situation
and when the company
puts information on the internet
that yes they have complied with us
this is not correct.
Regarding the construction of the school
the same.
We had to take action
closing the road for five days
for them to comply with us.
However, they put information on the internet
that the company
has totally fulfilled everything 100%
and that’s a negative.
The earth has been very unstable
it has not been of good stability for growing
and it has provoked a big issue in those areas
where the crops have generated
diminished quantities.
Before the soils were more fertile than now
which has been caused by
the warming of the soils
and also
by other types of trees in those communities
We can’t rely on transport.
Neither the path that we walked previously
It’s under the water
so we have to locate
and contract someone else’s boat
and pay for that, right
the most expensive service
in order to be able to reach our farm.
Sincerely, we were accustomed
to the Changuinola river for a long time
we were accustomed to washing in the river
fishing in the river
we consumed fish, we drank a lot
we sold fish in Almirante
to buy other things to consume
there we were by the river
there we took them out.
However, the dam was
constructed and everything changed
because the river is dry
the fish and the shrimps that were there
have totally disappeared
we can no longer rely on the same river.
Yes, the river runs
but it’s too dirty, it’s not the same river
we are very worried
about the children especially
because when they go to the river
it seems to be contaminated.
But anyhow
we have given the account
that it is quite diminished
and this has delivered
a particularly negative impact
to us in the communities.
Where the land is affected
I have lots of land.
After the lake, high up.
And those colonists
that don’t live there say that
we are also going to lose it on top of everything.
They tell us that is for the state
and the state is going to manage it
that is according to the company.
But when they came the first time
they put it this way
that they want the lake, nothing more
and we can use the land.
Now with the laws that they are making
we do not have rights to that land.
And I have a lot of land there.
The impact is loss of housing
the loss of everything we would work
In total
the part of our family was 67 hectares.
that we lost there
Our farm, cacao, oranges
everything we had to eat, to sell
all of that was lost in that place
Life changed completely
because of the company.
They’ve damaged the farms, the crops
we have completely lost everything
we have completely lost our liberty
to live on that land.
We can’t plant
we can’t live
we can’t transport ourselves.
The company has promised many things
to the people in every area of every community.
They promised cars
helicopters
houses
furniture
electricity
aqueduct
that we could do whatever type of activity
like ranching
- houses
houses
and completely, that is not going to be.
The company
has not done anything good in the community.
There is no benefit, there is no development.
The only thing that they came to do
is to make a fight in the population
that lives nearby.
They have done nothing good
and like that they finish their work.
There is division
there are problems in every area
of every farm
where there are people
who have completely lost their land
they force them to work land that isn’t theirs
that belongs to neighbours
they force them to work in those areas
on farms that aren’t theirs
there have been various types of problems
there are fights over farms, over produce
and they are living in complete disorder
in Charco la Pava.
Here, the company generated
an immense division in the communities.
They used certain people
to promote and propel negotiations individually,
when we in this moment
are part of the community,
as well as the companions that I have mentioned,
the people who made the negotiations
are not from the communities,
they are the same people
that are in favour of the theme of reforestation
and are seeking its implementation.
And the community is divided
because of all of that
and I consider that the company
and the state are responsible
for all the types of divisions that exist
in the communities
They only came
to create problems and divisions
and there exists
a type of relation that did not previously exist.
The way of life before the company
for us and our family was
to sell cattle, to sell pork, to sell cacao
this was the way of life before.
They did not educate us
but now we have lost it
and they promised
three hectares of restored farm land for my father
but I don’t see that this place has been made.
I was living in my way, to maintain my land
but the company came
and took it from my hands
and now they don’t want to compensate.
They talked about restoration of farm land
they changed what they offered
nothing has been done.
The land where I was growing maize
where I was growing rice is gone
it went beneath the water.
Now I don’t have a place to plant
and I’m still waiting
on the promise of farm restoration
and at this moment I haven’t seen anything.
They told me it is paid for
but it is paid poorly.
For this reason, I want to charge more.
Now the 67 hectares
how much are they worth?
Now we are claiming
for labouring the land and working 67 hectares
that was not for one day
that was not for one day
it would have always maintained grandchildren
great grandchildren
every day, every year, all the children.
So, they remove me
and there’s no thanks, there’s no thanks
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