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| THE EMPTY CHAIRS, of the invited authorities. PHOTO: Andres Franco |
Representatives of the 67 municipalities that make up the province of Santa Elena met in a Citizen Assembly this Saturday in Montañita to discuss the Territorial Issue: Current Problems and Future Perspectives.
The absence of the Governor of the province, the Prefect, the Mayor, the mayors and several councillors, assemblymen and other public officials invited to the event was highlighted at the meeting; during several interventions, emphasis was placed on the possible meanings that coincided in "non-interest and lack of interest" in communal causes on the part of the absent authorities. Even at the end, a symbolic act was made of placing the empty chairs at the back of the main table, which meant that the people of the communes will turn their backs (in the next elections) on those who are not interested in their problems. "We try to follow the instructions of the President of the Republic, that we make our claims through dialogue; but the answer we receive is this, they (the authorities) do not come when the people call them, then if they come to want votes, we will also turn our backs on them," said Leonel del Pezo, President of the Montañita Commune, in one of the first interventions.
The session, which took place under a scorching sun, lasted about three hours, during which time several people explained the historical and legal aspects, the current situation and possible solutions to this problem.
«We will use all possible means to ensure that the population is aware of the legal aspects at national and international level that certain authorities want to ignore in order to favor businessmen. One of these ways of disseminating information will be through social networks. Santa Elena resists "said Rodrigo Pinto, one of the coordinators of this activity.
«Our people first...our dignity with them...the color of your shirt doesn't matter. What matters is what runs through your veins...and what you're worth!!!...Mediocrity is from the deceitful charlatans who want to be what they are not!!!...LONG LIVE THE ANCESTRAL COMMUNES YESTERDAY, TODAY, TOMORROW AND ALWAYS!!!», concluded Pinto.
For his part, the President of the Montañita Commune, Leonel del Pezo, mentioned what was understood as an attempt at "intimidation" that would have been given by Paul Soto, the new governor of the The governor of the Province, when he summoned them to a meeting where they were supposed to discuss the problem with Assemblywoman Vanessa Fajardo, but when they arrived at the place they also found officials from the company MASA (involved in the litigation) waiting; this, in his opinion, is a clear demonstration of which way the support of these authorities tends. According to Del Pezo, during this meeting the governor mentioned to them that "he had the eviction order on his desk," and that therefore it was better for them to leave peacefully and thus avoid the use of force. This regrettable act, according to the complainants, would have occurred in the middle of the last holiday.
This action was mentioned a couple of times by different participants and was booed by the audience, and during the participation of a Montañita community member it was clarified that such an "eviction order" was not legally possible.
Likewise, Joaquín Chiriboga (also absent) was pointed out as one of those responsible for wanting to influence the Governor's support for the company. Mr. Chiriboga was the same one who months ago, before holding the Chulluype Festival for a sea without oil stains, told us "not to get involved" in the matter of environmental contamination of the La Libertad Refinery.
Several representatives from communes such as Ayangue, Prosperidad, Villingota, Calicanto, Río Chico, among others, went one by one giving their public support to the decisions taken in the Assembly and in this particular case to Montañita.
The aforementioned speech regarding the legal part included “We reiterate before the peninsular society that the defense of the ownership of our ancestral lands is based on the Political Constitution of the Ecuadorian State, Art. 1 – “Ecuador is a Constitutional State.” The Constitution above all Laws, as the highest norm that governs our Ecuadorian State. Among others, Art. 56 – 57, lit. 1,4,5,9,11 and Art. 60 of the same constitution, guarantee the application of our collective rights. In addition to the documented studies and research, which attest to and certify our ancestry through the National Institute of Cultural Heritage; and ILO Convention 169 and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
The activity ended with a traditional community meal that was shared among all attendees.
If you want to see the photographs of the Assembly Enter Here
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If you want to read the Assembly resolutions, Enter Here
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