May 27, 2008
By Tatiana Roa Avendaño, Censat Agua Viva - Friends of the Earth Colombia
few days ago we visited spokesmen Community Aqueduct Ubaté municipalities, Fúquene, Cucunubá, among other municipalities in this region Cundinarmarca milk. Concerned about the expansion of monoculture tree plantation projects in their region and the privatization of water, came enthusiastic about the referendum, after meeting him through the Front for Life and against the Green Desert. They were interested impulsar el Referendo por el Agua y motivar una "cultura del agua", como una forma de generar conciencia sobre la gran riqueza hídrica hoy amenazada por diversos procesos productivos: mineros, forestales, ganaderos y la mercantilización del agua.
Nos propusimos una jornada de recolección de firmas en esta región, en la que participarían no sólo los acueductos comunitarios sino también escuelas y algunos parrocos. Aprovecharíamos la jornada religiosa que celebraría el día de Corpus Cristi, a la que asistirían mucha gente de las veredas. Allí estaríamos!!!
Pero sorpresa, poco a poco al ir armando la jornada, fuimos viendo como varios de nuestros compañeros y compañeras would not, other commitments to fulfill our agenda were filled, while growing enthusiasm among our friends and our friendly hosts. What could we do to not let them down? Diego was first raised by some relatives to invite, I offered to my child and was also Julie, and three but we would not be 6, we had the task of convincing other friends.
That Sunday morning was quite rainy, but even so, we are very early in El Portal del Norte, to take the route to Ubaté. There we waited for the professor Sergio already had a large team of volunteers willing to participate. Us, which we were not 6 but 7, Edwin's friend because Diego was another volunteer who joined the day. We distribute in parks and parishes, some of which the curates had motivated to participate in the referendum and the people came out of Mass, encouraged to support the cause. Our initial goal was to deploy to other municipalities was not achieved, Ubaté is so large and is therefore tourist Censat team and all the volunteers did not have the ability to disperse at this time.
The experience was motivating our escorted group of young students were talking to people, knowing their problems, their anguish against the issue of water, and the immense value they have for the natural heritage. There in these talks we heard a tractor-trailer carrying sand from a quarry in Carupa and had rolled into the river, polluting the water with diesel fuel, the same waters that go to Ubaté aqueduct. So the people had a week without water, had only had the holy water that nature gave them with heavy rain. We were impressed by the testimony of the distraught because Carupa Ubateños may disappear in the middle of the quarry that day by day they eat, and thus the water for the aqueduct will continue more and more sediment to the extent that the quarry progresses.
raging rain again and we had to finish the day, but we were satisfied, we collected over 600 signatures, but not only that, we had a day pedagogical training of volunteers who understand the dimension of the referendum and arrested the debates around it. In addition, community water systems get more than 3 will be added to the referendum, and scheduled a meeting for Planning the next few days to support the referendum, with the participation of community water systems, pastors and educators.
happy
returned to Bogota, we lit the flame of the referendum in the Plateau, where the water continues to define the life of this "people of wetlands."
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