Spanish
Santiago.- Representatives from more than 70 communities nestled in the Cordillera Septentrional declared themselves this Saturday in permanent struggle against an alleged project of the Ministry of Energy and Mines which, according to their denouncements, contemplates intervening more than 142 thousand tareas in an area of high agricultural production and of great environmental value.
Community leaders say the official initiative would directly affect regional food security, as well as important water sources and forests considered ecological reserves of the Cibao.
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During a press conference held at the Mambuiche club in Gurabo, priest Ramón Niño Ramos, president of the Association of Peasant Defenders and Managers of the Cordillera Septentrional, described the alleged intervention as "terrifying" and warned that thousands of families would be at risk, as their economy depends on these fertile lands. The religious leader announced that next Monday, December 15th, starting at 9:00 in the morning, more than 500 community members will gather again to demand the immediate halt of the project. In the meeting, José Feliciano Cruz, general secretary of the Federation of Neighborhood Councils of Pedro García, and Óscar Ulloa, president of the Neighborhood Council of El Hoyazo, also participated, who criticized that the government action would affect the traditional way of life of the producing communities. Spokespersons detailed that the areas at risk include sectors of Pedro García —from its rural areas to the urban center—, as well as Yásica Arriba and Yásica Abajo, El Copey, La Escalera, Salamanca, Pescado Bobo Arriba, Gurabito de Yaroa, Tubagua and La Jagua, all characterized by their high agricultural self-sufficiency. They also warned about potential environmental impacts in Arroyo Ancho Arriba and Abajo, Arroyo Prieto, Río Abajo, Río Arriba, Los Arroyos de Salamanca and Sonador de Yaroa, where rivers originate and natural spas are found that supply communities in Santiago and Puerto Plata. The peasants warned that they will "defend their territories to the last consequences," accusing the Government of trying to "trample" the popular will and attack the flora and fauna of the Cordillera. "We are all willing to die before seeing how they destroy our habitat," they stated. The deputy for Santiago, José David Báez, from the Fuerza del Pueblo, also expressed his concern about the alleged plan and described it as a threat to nature and the way of life of the families in the area. So far, the Ministry of Energy and Mines has not offered a public response to these complaints.
