Ralco transformer delivery sparks violent protest

March 7, 2002

The government said Wednesday that European tourists have joined violent protests of Pehuenche Indians who hope to keep a 225-meteric-ton transformer from reaching the Ralco hydroelectric plant, which is under construction in Region VIII.

The protests began Tuesday when demonstrators overpowered the drivers of three trucks in the convoy. They then used the vehicles to block the highway between the community of Ralco Lepoy and Concepcion, the port city where the transformer arrived. The takeover involved 100 Pehuenche residents from Ralco Lepoy. Environmental experts say part of the town will be flooded when the dam is inaugurated.

Carabineros police cleared the road, fighting off resistance from protesters armed with slings and sticks. The demonstrators stopped the convoy's advance with two additional road blocks. By Wednesday evening, the trucks were still unable to reach the destination.

So far, five people have been injured in clashes between protesters and police. Carabineros have arrested 50 demonstrators, just 25 of which were local Pehuenche. The remaining arrests were non-indigenous Chileans. Interior Undersecretary Jorge Correa Sutil confirmed Wednesday that foreign nationals were involved in the clashes, but authorities said no foreigners were arrested. Correa said in a radio interview that Europeans visiting the country on tourist visas were offering "international solidarity" to the Pehuenche in the upper Bio Bio. He said there was no evidence that the foreigners were providing funding to activists.

The official criticized the foreign nationals' participation, saying that they do not understand the complexities of Chilean politics. "These are people whose countries have also had to make difficult decisions about environmental conservation and development," he said.

The transformer is the first of two that will be used for the hydro-electric project in southern central Chile's Bio Bio River. The convoy was placed under police protection because of a threat issued by Pehuenche activists, Nicolasa and Berta Quintraman. The two women, who live in the dam's future reservoir, said in mid-February that they would use every means possible to keep the transformer from reaching its final destination.

The Quintraman sisters have led a group of six families that oppose the Ralco project. They insist the dam will not only flood Pehuenche property, but will also cause serious damage to the group's culture. The hydroelectric plant will lead to the destruction of tribal burial grounds and impede the natural flow of the river, which holds cultural and spiritual significance for the Pehuenche.

Chile's Indigenous Law requires Endesa, the Spanish- Chilean electric company that is building the dam, to obtain permission from all the families affected by the dam before it is inaugurated. The law gives indigenous families property rights to their ancestral land. More than 90 Pehuenche families living in the area have accepted relocation packages offered by the electric company.

Endesa said that the transformer will be installed as scheduled and that the dam will begin producing 285 megawatts (MW) of electricity by the end of 2003. Enersis President Alfredo Llorente, whose company controls Endesa, said the recent protests will not delay the project's inauguration. "There is no delay. We are following the projected course," he said.

Llorente said the project could be negatively affected if the government does not prevent further violent incidents, such as Wednesday's protest.

"I don't want to criticize nor praise the government. For Ralco to keep moving forward we must maintain public order. This, however, is not the responsibility of Endesa Chile," the executive said.

Source: CHIP NEWS

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