On June 20, the body of Andres Arroyo Segura was found close to the site of the Baba Dam project. Segura had recently received death threats because he headed the bi-province committee of farmers' organisations opposing the dam. Before his overthrow earlier this year, President Lucio Gutierrez had declared the construction of the hydroelectric dam, which will also involve the diversion of two rivers to where they will irrigate lands controlled by agribusiness, a "national priority". The bi-province committee, supported by international environment groups, claims the dam will harm native forests and wetlands, and impact adversely on local indigenous and farming communities, affecting around 12,000 people. For more information, visit the Ecuadorian Human Rights Observatory at <http://www.cedhu.org>.
From Green Left Weekly, July 6, 2005.
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