Chileans Rise Up Against Privatization of Nation's Water Supply

[Judi Lynn]

Chileans Rise Up Against Privatization of Nation's Water Supply
By Jacob Chamberlain
Source: Common Dreams
Wednesday, May 01, 2013

Major water shortages in Chile are a direct result of the free reign given to mining and logging companies by the Chilean government over the country's dwindling water supplies, more than 100 environmental, social and indigenous organizations and over 6,000 protesters warned at a rally in Santiago this week.

On Monday the groups demanded that the state regain control of the country's privatized system of water management, Marianela Jarroud reports for Inter Press Service and the Guardian, and delivered a letter to President Sebastián Piñera.

The letter slams the current water code, adopted by Augusto Pinochet in 1981, which, Jarroud reports, "made water private property by granting the state the right to grant water use rights to companies free of charge and in perpetuity. The code allows water use rights to be bought, sold or leased, without taking into consideration local priorities for water use, the organizations complain."

"We have discovered that there is water in Chile, but that the wall that separates it from us is called 'profit' and was built by the (1981) water code, the constitution, international agreements like the binational mining treaty [with Argentina] and, fundamentally, the imposition of a culture where it is seen as normal for the water that falls from the sky to have owners," the letter says.

More:
http://www.zcommunications.org/chileans-rise-up-against-privatization-of-nations-water-supply-by-jacob-chamberlain

[Catherina]

1. Water is a human right.

Last edited Wed May 1, 2013, 12:27 PM - Edit history (1)

Only the sickest, greediest bastards would seek to deprive their own brothers and sisters of a God-given resource to make money off it. Privatization is the worst crime against humanity and only the lowest sort of vulture thinks the people are going to let them get away with this.

[polly7]

3. +1000. nt.

[polly7]

2. Horrible, sad, and criminal.

These mining companies have been getting away with this for decades and the whole industry needs a complete overhaul before it's too late. Kudos to these protesters ... I wish them every luck in the world.

[ocpagu]

4. Privatization of water is as sick as it gets.

Good to know Chileans are not willing to accept such a attack against their rights. They really shouldn't.

[msongs]

5. the USA is not the only nation where governments favor corporations over human rights nt

[freshwest]

6. Haven't heard anything more about the indigenous tribe protesting the mining, though.

Chile will go down the road of New Guinea and others despite their rich heritage that is loved by many in the USA.

[idwiyo]

7. K&R