San Juan.– With the slogan “San Juan defends its water; water is not negotiated. It is defended”, the United Southwest Movement for Water and Life will hold the peaceful march this Sunday, May 3, in rejection of mining exploitation in the province of San Juan.
According to the organizers, the demonstration will start at 2:00 p.m. from the Entrance Arch of Las Matas de Farfán (Las Maguanas), will go through the parking lot of the Sabaneta play and will culminate at the dam wall, in a day that seeks to draw attention to the protection of the water resources of the area.
In recent days, various protests have taken place in this demarcation of the southwest of the country, in opposition to the possible carrying out of mining activities in areas considered key for water production in the Central Mountain Range, which supplies both the north and south regions.
President Luis Abinader recently referred to the project, indicating that it still does not have studies to determine its viability. “I cannot comment because I still do not have any documentation, any study that says whether it is feasible or not,” he expressed.
For his part, the Minister of Environment, Paíno Henríquez, clarified that the GoldQuest company’s project does not have an exploitation authorization and is in the environmental evaluation phase to determine if it meets scientific, national and international standards.
Meanwhile, the senator for the province, Félix Bautista, warned that the tributaries of the area feed important reservoirs such as Sabaneta, Palomino, Sabana Yegua and Monte Grande, used for agricultural production, energy generation and human consumption, also pointing out the risk that mining waste may be dumped into these dams.
The legislator argued that, instead of promoting mining, the province should move towards a development model based on clean energy.
The Dominican Episcopate Confederation, through its National Commission for Ecology and Environment Pastoral, joined this position, urging the protection of ecological areas against extractive activities.
Various social sectors have also expressed their support for the communities that defend the preservation of the Cordillera Septentrional and other mountainous areas of the country.
