Maya people in Yucatan say NO to the Maya Train Project
Mérida, Yucatán, (June 24, 2021).- The Maya assembly Múuch ‘Xíinbal ruled in favor of the definitive suspension of the Maya train project and that the approved budget, which is around 170 billion pesos, be allocated to the construction of hospitals and the purchase of medicines to attend the Covid-19 pandemic in the region.
In a manifesto, they claimed that to date the federal government has ignored four suspensions issued by Federal Judges against the approval of the Environmental Impact Statement approved by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) for Section 3.
This, they said, shows a frontal challenge from Fonatur and the federal government to the determinations of the Federal Judicial Power.
They pointed out that the execution of the work was never consulted or discussed with the affected communities, who lack complete information to make decisions about this project that is being imposed under a blanket of non-existent democracy, clearly illegal.
They ask for a report on found vestiges
Also, the Maya assembly asked for a transparent report on the 10,000 archaeological remains found on the route where the train tracks are built and that the pre-Hispanic pieces be returned to the legitimate owners and heirs, that is, the indigenous communities.
The protesters denounced that Fonatur segregates the groups and organizations that promote community tourism intending to establish the idea of progress and development so that the communities accept the project misnamed Maya Train (most Maya people do not want this project).
“We demand that the federal government respect our territory and the natural resources that comprise it, that the destruction of the forests not continue by displacing animals from their habitat under the pretext of developing the south of the country”.
“We demand that the project, misnamed the Maya Train, be canceled since real estate speculation and misinformation cause direct effects that translate into common land conflicts,” they warned.
Source: Sipse
