The Movement in Defense of Life and Territory (Modevite) denounced the violation of their rights as indigenous peoples in Chiapas by the imposition of the highway project known as “Highway of Cultures,” which “does not represent a benefit” for the communities.
In a statement, Modevite accused “the path of imposition and false consultations” on the highway, which goes from San Cristóbal de las Casas to Palenque, as they pointed out that the people were not consulted in a prior, free and informed manner, nor has there been transparency about the environmental and cultural impact of the project or the origin of its financing.
“The project has been sold as progress for the people, however, for us who travel daily from our cornfield to our community it does not represent a benefit,” said the defenders of the Movement.
On February 22, the governor of Chiapas, Eduardo Ramírez Aguilar, organized an event in Bachajón, in the municipality of Chilón, to carry out a “public consultation” on the project, in which not all affected communities participated nor were international standards on consultations with indigenous peoples met.
“No to rigged consultations, consultations by show of hands when the population does not have the necessary information,” denounced the communities of the Movement.
They added that the announcement of the reactivation of the construction of the highway in April 2024 was “under threat” and with a “message to those who opposed” the project, which “hides the same old thing: colonialism, racism and favoring the interests of large transnationals, extractive companies, drug trafficking and the government.”
Attempts to build the highway have continued for 20 years. In her election campaign, the now president Claudia Sheinbaum promised to complete the works for the “benefit of indigenous communities,” even though the affected peoples were not consulted.
“We are not against progress, we are against the violation of our rights, against imposition and authoritarianism,” said Modevite, which reiterated its position against the “destruction of Mother Earth,” its territory and its culture.
Source: desinformemonos.org
