Don't argue with oil companies in Ecuador - they shoot.
heather | 25.01.2002 22:55
I have done my best to translate this from the Spanish.
When the police find any person, man, woman or child, who comes near the area of work of the oil company, the police shoot
When the police find any person, man, woman or child, who comes near the area of work of the oil company, the police shoot
In Ecuador. Children cannot attend schools from fear of the military and strongly armed police that guard the zone and that shoot when they see anyone near the facilities. Why?
TECHINT, working for WESTERN company EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION CO. . Workers have organised to demand their rights as their farms were taken over. The WESTERN EXPLORATION responded negatively and began working on the farmer’s land. Trying to stop this, the farmers got together in the morning of 9 of January to prevent the accomplishment of the works until they had a just agreement. Which didn’t happen. In fact, tens of police and the military quartered in the Province of Sucumbíos and Orellana, then repressed the farmers. The farmers were cornered, were shot at and attacked by teargas by the police. Their houses were bulldozed. According to testimonies, the police tortured more than 20 farmers, and attacked women; several children were also severely injured by teargas. The representatives of WESTERN do not recognize that they have deceived the farmers of this place and they believe they have fulfilled the requirements and exigencies of the Ecuadorian laws. The police say that they responded to the attacks of the resident people in the zone. The Committee of Human rights of the locality denounce this, saying that " the children cannot attend the schools from fear of the military and police who continue to patrol the zone strongly armed. When the police find any person, man, woman or child, who comes near the area of work of the oil company, the police shoot.
TECHINT, working for WESTERN company EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION CO. . Workers have organised to demand their rights as their farms were taken over. The WESTERN EXPLORATION responded negatively and began working on the farmer’s land. Trying to stop this, the farmers got together in the morning of 9 of January to prevent the accomplishment of the works until they had a just agreement. Which didn’t happen. In fact, tens of police and the military quartered in the Province of Sucumbíos and Orellana, then repressed the farmers. The farmers were cornered, were shot at and attacked by teargas by the police. Their houses were bulldozed. According to testimonies, the police tortured more than 20 farmers, and attacked women; several children were also severely injured by teargas. The representatives of WESTERN do not recognize that they have deceived the farmers of this place and they believe they have fulfilled the requirements and exigencies of the Ecuadorian laws. The police say that they responded to the attacks of the resident people in the zone. The Committee of Human rights of the locality denounce this, saying that " the children cannot attend the schools from fear of the military and police who continue to patrol the zone strongly armed. When the police find any person, man, woman or child, who comes near the area of work of the oil company, the police shoot.
heather