The protesters having one last loud weekend to scream and shout. Next week will be the vote and then it is all over. PDI will be rolling by the end of the month!!
Reforms To Mining Code Generate Protests in Response
Thursday, February 03 2011 @ 04:53 PM EST
Contributed by: Don Winner
The approval in the first debate of the bill to reform the Mining Code has lit the fuse of discord and discontent among students, Indians, farmers and environmentalists, who yesterday decided to take to the streets to protest against the project. The first disturbance began at 12 noon, when students from the University of Panama (UP) decided to close Via Transístmica and burning objects on the road in rejection of the reforms to the Mining Code. After half an hour, riot police arrived to the rebels who pushed back the protesters with tear gas and rubber bullets. The university groups Thought and Action of Labor, Popular Youth Movement, and the Popular University Block barricaded themselves on the grounds of the University of Panama to avoid arrest. The road closure caused a massive traffic jam, The students threatened to continue their protests today.
PROTEST IN SANTIAGO - At that same time, indigenous people and campesinos of the region Ngäbe Bugle and farmers from the province of Veraguas staged a protest against the mining reforms which was supported by the Association of Educators Veragüenses. The demonstrators gathered on the Inter American Highway, near the vehicle overpass, where the road was partially closed for 15 minutes, and then they marched to the headquarters of the Government of Veraguas, where he held a demonstration. Bernardo Jimenez, a district leader, warned that in the coming days as the discussion advances they would call for new protests. "We want to make the government and the deputies of the National Assembly see that the indigenous and campesinos are against all reforms to the Mining Code," he said.
PICKET IN THE ASSEMBLY - Then at 4:00 pm, environmentalists, representatives of the "civil society" and students demonstrated in front of the Palacio Justo Arosemena (National Assembly) closing one lane of the road in protest against the draft bill that is being discussed. "No to mining, yes to life," were among the chants being shouted by the group. Raisa Banfield, and environmental activist, said if the deputies do not stop this reform she would present international legal complaints. The chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Aris de Icaza, yesterday presented the report of the project which was approved in the first debate, and before the full session of the National Assembly, the President of the National Assembly, José Muñoz, said the second debate would start today. (El Siglo)
Editor's Comment: No surprise, really. The environmental activists tend to be very, very vocal - shrill actually - and they garner much more attention than the numbers of people whose views they actually represent. The government should just calmly explain the math - because the numbers are huge and all good for Panama. Hey, we're only going to strip off the pristine jungle where there's copper underneath - promise. Somebody - quick - send me a "pretty" picture of an open pit copper mine (hint = there aren't any.)
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