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FOREIGN
The Mapuche Indians have shown that the Norwegian company should build more hydroelectric plants in an area they consider sacred.
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Tuesday morning, local time, 27 people entered the offices of the Norwegian electricity company in Osorno, a hundred kilometers south of Santiago, the capital of Chile.
– The seven employees were forced to leave the building. The shareholders then explained why they had occupied the office and called for a demonstration the same evening, said Communication Manager Torbjørn Steen. Statkraft at VG.
Ba police intervene
The busy office was an old house, used for meetings between the public company and representatives of the local community.
Statkraft asked police to intervene against protesters at the request of local and national authorities on Tuesday night.
"They were worried the situation would escalate if we waited in. The 27 people were arrested, detained and released 12 hours later," said Steen.
In the video, one of the protesters holds a call at Statkraft's premises in Osorno. Here, among other things, the Norwegian ambassador to Chile is accused of not having heard the objections to the company's plans:
Holy Land
The reason for the occupation and the protest is a disagreement over three energy projects along the Pilmaiquén River.
"Statkraft has been in Chile for many years, and in 2015 we acquired the rights to the Rucatayo hydropower plant in Pilmaquien, and we bought the rights and projects of two other projects," Los Lagos "and" Osorno ". ", located in the same watershed, explains Steen.
professional body Alianza Mapuche Williche Toki Kalfvllikan claiming the rights to the development of the projects have not been acquired in a fair way and that the areas discussed are sacred to them.
"The plan was originally that the" Osorno "project be developed and built in the first place, but we concluded that the proper consultations had not been conducted and the dialogue with the community was was not enough to understand their needs and concerns, and make adjustments later.
Waiting to build
Statkraft has been working on the revision of this project in recent years, explains Steen.
"We have indicated that the new design of the project will not affect the holy zone and that we will restore the rights of the community." It has been well received, we have also conducted extensive extensive consultation, improved dialogue with the community. and develop a long-term plan to strengthen development in the region.Our team is also working with measures to reduce social turbulence around the project, says Steen.
"We chose to wait for the building or to build" Los Lagos "first.
– Why did people choose to protest?
"There are many different groups that make up the community, and while the changes have been welcomed in many parts of the community, some groups are extremely negative, which is not uncommon. such projects, whether it is wind energy in Trøndelag or hydropower in Turkey.
"I am pleased that the demonstration and the arrest took place without violence and that no one was injured." The situation was well managed by everyone involved, says Steen.
– Normally there was a lot of conflict
The Fivas organization, which is working to map and disseminate information on water-related issues, to protect the rights of people and to protect the environment, engaged in the subject.
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They consider that Statkraft's purchases in Chile pose significant problems, underlining that Mapuches' rights are protected by international conventions and legal principles that "require that investments made in their territory require a consultation process in line with international standards. ILO Convention 169, a declaration ".
– Chile is committed to follow them, but there is no adequate consultation mechanism. This particularly concerns local communities, organizations and individuals of indigenous peoples who oppose these projects, "said Miguel Utreras, board member of Fiva, an expert on the rights of indigenous peoples.
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"We warned Statkraft of this project because we had followed similar projects in the past and there is usually a big conflict that makes it difficult to actually implement the actual process," he continues.
Utreras believes that Statkraft has not investigated the infamous conflict that exists between the Mapuche and the Chilean state, particularly with respect to their territory – including water – and their culture.
– They do not feel heard. Not only by Statkraft, but also by the Chilean State. This major political conflict means that governance in their regions is problematic.
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Statkraft's Torbjørn Steen, for his part, says that he complies with international standards in projects of this type and is fully aware of the underlying conflicts.
"That's precisely why we take the consultation process seriously – in the consultation process, the important thing is to create a dialogue, build relationships and trust, provide information and define the framework for neighbors and local communities to participate in the process.
Statkraft Attorney for manipulation
Miguel Utreras de Fivas points out that it is important to find a way to obtain consent without manipulating the local community and that the great poverty prevailing in the region is pushing somebody to be tempted to support the local community. project because of the promise of support measures.
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"Normally, companies promise to take social measures in the region before the project is underway," says Utreras. According to the list of indigenous peoples, this division creates within the local population, and these divisions create major problems for the population.
"When they are offered in advance, they seem to want to be manipulated," said Utreras, who believes that promises must be negotiated and form a secure part of trading.
Torbjørn Steen from Statkraft rejects the manipulation of local communities.
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– Such a project takes a lot of time to develop. During this process, one gets an idea of the measures that it makes sense to implement in addition to the corrective measures and the compensation of the disadvantages. Measures to support local development may include water supply, electrification, health services, school offerings, or better infrastructure, depending on where it is located, he says.
According to Steen, further progress will depend on their ability to create a sustainable project that is accepted by the local population. FIFA's in-depth dialogue with Miguel Utreras is a step in the right direction.
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"In the short term, it is important not to aggravate the conflict in the region, but for the long term, I think it's important that they look more clearly at the cultural consequences this project could have on Mapuche culture, they must continue to engage with more people in the community, "he said.
The public specialists also stated that they would continue to follow the case and that the organizations and communities that were organized organized themselves into a common organization called Alianza Mapuche Williche Toki Kallfulikan.
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