[Lasa] In Defense of Water, Life and Dignity of People

[Marc Becker]

[Ecuatorianistas,

Following is an English translation of a statement in support of the 
march currently underway in Ecuador. For more information on the march, see

CONAIE and Social Movements Mobilize in Ecuador
http://upsidedownworld.org/main/ecuador-archives-49/3498-1-conaie-and-social-movements-mobilize-in-ecuador

Ecuador: Mandate for Water, Life and Dignity of Peoples
http://upsidedownworld.org/main/news-briefs-archives-68/3508-ecuador-mandate-for-water-life-and-dignity-of-peoples

thanks--marc.]


In Defense of Water, Life and Dignity of People

On March 8, Indian peoples, peasants, women, workers, students, teachers 
and other Ecuadorian popular sectors began a national mobilization 
against the extractive policies, the criminalization of social protest, 
and in defense of Water, Life and Dignity of the Peoples. This march 
expresses many of the historical demands of the people of Ecuador, 
including the principles and rights in the Montecristi Constitution such 
as human rights, collective rights, the rights of nature, the defense of 
the rights of unfairly dismissed workers, the protection of university 
autonomy, the rejection of FTA negotiations either open or hidden with 
the EU, as well as rejecting a FTA with the U.S. and other democratic 
achievements disregarded by the government. The march will culminate in 
Quito on March 22, the World Water Day.

One of the emblems of the March is that water is more important than 
gold, copper, and uranium.

In Peru, Bolivia, Panama, and throughout Latin America, Indian peoples, 
with the support of peasants and the popular movements, have mobilized 
to oppose open pit mining and generally extractive activities that cause 
substantial damage to surrounding villages and societies in general, for 
the benefit of multinational corporations.

Unfortunately the government of President Correa insists on such 
activities and, in fact, four days before the start of the March, he 
signed a contract with the mining company Ecua Corriente S. A. (ECSA) 
for the operation of the Mirador project.

But mining not only affects the lives of large sections of the people, 
but it also reinforces the dependence of our countries on the world 
market, weakens any effort to promote South American integration, and 
promotes the famous "Dutch disease" that converts our countries into 
massive importing enterprises that destroys all domestic development.

The CONAIE, through its leader Humberto Cholango, has been very emphatic 
in stating that they have no alliance with the right or with the 
powerful mass media. In the matter of the newspaper El Universo, CONAIE 
has been silent, because although it disapproves of the government’s 
maneuvers and defends unrestricted freedom of expression, it cannot in 
any sense favor global and national media power that is a central pillar 
of the power of multinational capital and transnational structures at 
the service of global imperial domination such as the Pentagon, NATO and 
international organizations such as the IMF. The Indian peoples and 
workers of Ecuador favor a profound democratization of information and 
communication that transfers control of those means to workers and to 
the people in general.

The undersigned writers, artists, intellectuals express our full support 
to the mobilization of Indian peoples, Afros, women, youth and workers 
women of Ecuador, and demand that instead of repression and military 
policing President Correa encourage dialogue with the protesters.

Quito, March 9, 2012
Ninmmo Basey, Nigeria, Alternative Nobel Prize

North America and Europe
Adolfo Maldonado, Spain
Aguasantas Macías, Spain
Agustin Lao Montes, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, United States
Aldo Zanchetta Fondazione Neno Zanchetta, Gragnano, Italy
Alicia Garrote Ordoñez, Spain
Any Alarcón, Sicilia Italy
Arturo Hortas, Spain
Clarita Müller-Plantenberg, Germany
Claudia Storini, Italy
David Llistar, Catalonia
Decio Machado, Spanish State
Dominique Caouette, Montreal, Canada
Francesca Casafina, Italy
Francesco Martone, Italy
Francisco Gómez Nadal, Spain
Frank Brassel, Germany
Gaia Capogna, Roma, Italy
Giuseppe De Marzo, A. Sud, Italy
Gustavo Duch, Cataluña, Spain
Hans-Ulrich Bünger, Germany
Hermann Klosius, Austria / Sweden
Javier Lázaro, Zaragoza, Spain
Jeffery R. Webber, Great Britain
Joan Martínez Alier, Catalonia, Spain
José María Tortosa, Spain
Juan B. Campos Suárez, Asturias, Spain
Juan Carlos Monedero, Spain
Juan Carlos Rois, Spain
Katu Arkonada, Basque
Koldo Unceta, Universidad del País Vasco, Spain
Kunibert Raffer, Austria
Liisa L. North, Canada
Marc Becker, United States
Marco Aparicio Wilhelmi, Catalonia, Spain
María Jesús Perales, Spain
Miguel Brieva, Spain
Naomi Klein, Canada
Nino Macrí, Sicilia Italy
Paulina de los Reyes, Chile/Sweden
Ricarda Schlittgen, Berlin, Germany
Roberto Bugliani - Italy
Rosa Bernal-Carrera, France
Teresa Velásquez, United States
Tom Kucharz, Ecologistas en Acción, Spanish State

Andean Countries
Alberto Chirif, Peru
Ana Zambrano, Colombia
Aníbal Quijano, Peru
Carmen Blanco Valer, Peru
Carolina Ortiz Fernández, Universidad San Marcos, Lima, Peru
Cesar Germana Cavero, Peru
Danilo Quijano, Peru
Edgardo Lander, Venezuela
Edilberto Kinin Inchipish - Peru
Emmanuel Rozental, Colombia
Ernesto Mirt, Venezuela
Felipe Cortez Zeballos, Conacami, Peru
Freddy Álvarez González, Colombia
Haroldo Andrés Salazar Rossi, Peru
Hugo Blanco, Peru
Irene Roca Ortiz, Bolivia
Jaime Coronado del Valle, Peru
Jorge Tacuri Aragon, Peru
Jose De Echave, Peru
Jürgen Schuldt, Peru
Marco Arana Zegarra, Peru
María Elena Rodríguez Sánchez, Colombia
María Ponce Mariños, Peru
Miguel Eduardo Cárdenas Rivera, Revista Lanzas y Letras, Neiva, Colombia
Nora Melchor Cohaila, Tacna, Peru
Pablo Salas Charca, Peru
Pedro García Hierro, Peru
Rafael Uzcátegui, Venezuela
Raúl Prada, Bolivia
Roperto Noningo Sesen, Peru
Silvia Rivera Cusicanqui, Bolivia
Virginia Vargas, Peru
Vivian Iveth Vivas Albán, Colombia
Cono Sur
Aldalice Otterloo, FAOR - Fórum da Amazônia Oriental - Brazil
Alejandro Olmos Gaona, Argentina
Antonio Elizalde Hevia, Chile
Bernardo Mançano Fernandes, Brazil
Beverly Keene, Argentina
Carlos Walter Porto-Gonçalves, Brazil
Cristina Tejedor, Argentina
Danilo de Assis Clímaco, Brazil
Dion Monteiro - Coordenador Institucional do Instituto Amazônia 
Solidária e Sustentável (IAMAS) - Brazil
Eduardo Gudynas, Uruguay
Elder Andrade de Paula - Amazönia - Brazil
Emilio Taddei, Grupo Estudios América Latina y el Caribe, Argentina
Enrique Barilari, Chile
Enrique Viale (Argentina)
Eraldo da Silva Ramos Filho, Brazil
Gaudencio Frigotto, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Gerardo Honty, Uruguay
Gerhard Dilger, Brazil
Héctor Alimonda, Argentina
Hernán Scandizzo, Observatorio Petrolero Sur, Argentina
Horacio Machado Aráoz, Catamarca, Argentina
Hortensia Robles, Artista Visual, Chile
José R. Bessa Freire, Universidad del Estado de Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
José Seoane, Argentina
Juan Wahren, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
Lucrecia Wagner, Argentina
Marcelo Giraud, U.N. Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
Marian Sola Álvarez, Argentina
Maristella Svampa, Argentina
Marta Sahores, Esquel, Argentina
Michel A. Lapierre, Chile
Mirta Antonelli, Argentina
Pablo Bergel, Argentina
Pablo Bertinat, Argentina
Raúl Zibechi, Uruguay
Ricardo Canese, Paraguay
Roberto Colmán, Paraguay
Sara Larrain, Chile
Sarah Zevaco, Asunción, Paraguay
Sergio Dino-Guida, Argentina
Walter Mignolo, Argentina / United States.

Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean
Alberto Arroyo Picard, Mexico
Alicia Girón, Mexico
Ana Esther Ceceña, Mexico
Ana María Vera Smith, Mexico
Andrés Barreda, Mexico
Boris Marañón Pimentel, Mexico
Camille Chalmers, Directeur Exécutif de la PAPDA, Haiti
Carlos Castro, Chiapas / Mexico
Carlos Marichal, Mexico
Carlos Taibo, Spain
Catalina Eibenschutz, UAM Xochimilco, Mexico
David Barkin, UAM Xochimilco, Mexico
Enrique Rivera Sierra, Mexico
Gilberto López y Rivas, Morelos, Mexico
Gloria Campos, Mexico.
Gustavo Castro, Chiapas, Mexico
Gustavo Esteva, Mexico
Ivette Lacaba, Mexico
Juan Carlos Ruiz, Guadalajara, Mexico
Juan Olmedo Daza, Mexico
Lázaro Bofill, Cuba
Lázaro Hernández, Cuba
Lorena Gil Barba, Mexico
Lucinda Ruiz Posada, Mexico
Mariflor Aguilar Rivero, Mexico
Marín Velázquez, Mexico
Mario Sosa, Guatemala
Martha Rivera Sierra, Mexico
Miguel Ruiz, Mexico
Perla Ferreira, Mexico
Raquel Gutiérrez Aguilar, Universidad de Puebla, Mexico
Ricardo Loewe / Plataforma México / Austria

Ecuador
Alberto Acosta, Ecuador
Alejandra Santillana, Ecuador
Alejandro Aguirre, Ecuador
Alejandro Moreano, Ecuador
Alex Remache G., Ecuador
Alex Zapatta, Ecuador
Alexandra Almeida, Ecuador
Alfredo Chum, Ecuador
Álvaro Campuzano Arteta, Ecuador
Amalia Ospina, Ecuador
Amaranta Carvajal Campos, Ecuador
Andrea Miniguano, Ecuador
Andrés Vallejo Espinosa, Ecuador
Antonio Gaybor, Ecuador
Arturo Muyulema, Ecuador
Aurora Donoso, Ecuador
Benito Bonilla, Ecuador
Bolívar Beltrán Ecuador
Carlos Arias, Ecuador
Carlos Castro Riera, Ecuador
Carlos Figueroa, Ecuador
Carlos Pérez, Ecuador
Carlos Zorrilla, Intag Ecuador
Catalina Álvarez, Ecuador
Catherine Walsh, Ecuador
Cecilia Chérrez, Ecuador
Cecilia Villacís, Ecuador
César Pilataxi, Ecuador
Coca Ponce, Ecuador
Daniela Oña, Ecuador
David Alejandro Suárez, Ecuador
David Reyes, Ecuador
Delfa Mantilla Pacheco, Ecuador
Diego Oña Almeida, Ecuador
Edgar Isch López, Ecuador
Eduardo Delgado, Ecuador
Elizabeth Bravo, Ecuador
Elizabeth Rivera, Ecuador
Eloy Alfaro, Ecuador
Elsie Monge, Ecuador
Enith Flores Chamba, Ecuador
Erika Arteaga Cruz, Ecuador
Esperanza Martínez, Ecuador
Esperanza Martínez, Ecuador
Esteban Ayala, Ecuador
Esthela Camacho, Ecuador
Eva Peñafiel, Ecuador
Fernanda Vallejo, Ecuador
Fernando Cerón, Ecuador
Fernando Muñoz Miño, Ecuador
Fernando Villavicencio Valencia, Ecuador
Fidel Viteri, Ecuador
Floresmilo Simbaña, Ecuador
Francisco Hidalgo, Ecuador
Francisco Muñoz, Ecuador
Gabriela Alemán, Ecuador
Gabriela Bernal, Ecuador
Gabriela Ruales, Ecuador
Galo Cabezas Espinoza, Presidente Tierra y Vida, Ecuador
Gardenia Chávez Núñez, Ecuador
Gerard Coffey, Ecuador
Gina Benavides Llerena, Ecuador
Gloria Chicaiza, Ecuador
Guillermo Gómez, Ecuador
Gustavo Abad, Ecuador
Gustavo Larrea, Ecuador
Gustavo Olmedo León, Cotacachi, Ecuador
Hugo Noboa, Ecuador
Ileana Almeida, Ecuador
Iván Carvajal, Ecuador
Ivanova Nieto, Ecuador
Ivonne Ramos, Ecuador
Ivonne Yánez, Ecuador
Javier Valencia, Ecuador
Jenny Sánchez, Ecuador
Jhoel Escudero, Ecuador
Jorge Corral F., Ecuador
José Ron, Ecuador
Juan Cajas, Ecuador
Juan Cuvi, Ecuador
Julio César Trujillo V., Ecuador
Julio Charro Morales, Ecuador
Julio Enríquez, Ecuador
Lenin Morales Pozo, Ecuador
Lenin Oña, Ecuador
Lina Cahuasquí, Ecuador
Lisset Coba, Ecuador
Lizardo Herrera, Ecuador
Lorena Campo, Ecuador
Lorena Salcedo Carrión-Loja
Lucas Achig Subía, Cuenca, Ecuador
Luis Ángel Saavedra, Ecuador
Luis E. Maldonado Ruiz, Ecuador
Luis Fernando Sarango, Ecuador
Luis Herrera, Ecuador
Luis López López, Ecuador
Ma. Gabriela Vintimilla S., Ecuador
Manuel Salgado, Ecuador
Manuela Sánchez Noriega, Ecuador
Marcela Moreno, Ecuador
Marcelo Larrea, Ecuador
Marco Antonio Torres, Ecuador
Margarita Aguinaga, Ecuador
María Aguinaga, Ecuador
María Arboleda, Ecuador
María Belem Del Toro, Ecuador
María Belén Cevallos, Ecuador
Maria Isabel Altamirano, Ecuador
María José Breilh, Ecuador
Mario Unda, Ecuador
Mateo Martínez Abarca, Ecuador
Michelle Báez, Ecuador
Miguel López Torres, Ecuador
Nadesha Montalvo, Ecuador
Nadia Ribadeneira, Ecuador
Napoleón Saltos, Ecuador
Natalia Bonilla, Ecuador
Natalia Landívar, Ecuador
Natalia Sierra, Ecuador
Nathalie Weemaels, Ecuador
Pablo A. de la Vega M., Ecuador
Pablo Duque, Ecuador
Pablo Ospina Peralta, Ecuador
Pablo Velasco Andrade, Ecuador
Paco Moncayo, Ecuador
Pamela Coloma, Ecuador
Paola Sánchez, Ecuador
Pascale Laso, Ecuador
Patricio Chavez, Ecuador
Paulina Muñoz, Ecuador
Pedro Coloma, Ecuador
Pocho Álvarez, Ecuador
Ramiro Avila Santamaría, Ecuador
René Báez, Ecuador
Ricardo Buitrón, Ecuador
Ricardo Ramírez, Ecuador
Rosa Elena de la Torre, Ecuador
Rosa López, Ecuador
Rossi Godoy, Ecuador
Ruth Gordillo Rodríguez, Ecuador
Sergio Salvador Brazzero, Ecuador
Silvana Sánchez Pinto, Ecuador
Silvia Méndez, Ecuador
Sofía Ortega Fernández, Ecuador
Soledad Varea, Ecuador
Stalin Herrera, Ecuador
Tania De la Torre, Ecuador
Tatiana Salazar, Ecuador
Tomás Quevedo, Ecuador
Txarli Azcona, Ecuador
Valeria Andrade, Ecuador
Verónica Durán, Ecuador
William Sacher, Ecuador
Xavier Guachamín, Ecuador
Ximena Gudiño, Ecuador
Yadira Larco, Ecuador
Ylonka Tillería, Ecuador
Yvonne Zúñiga, Ecuador