Mexico: What's in Ostula? Why do they want this land?

Roads, bridges, tourist projects and land privatization programs are some of the attacks faced by the Nahua community of Santa Maria Ostula, on the coast of the state of Michoacan. These are programs that try to enter the labor militarization and para, following the manual dispossession in Mexico.

The highway project, explain the villagers of Ostula, is part of the Sustainable Regional Plan of Michoacán, and includes the construction of a highway, hotels and residential subdivisions without consulting the community: "They say it's to promote community development, but they never called us to know our opinion. It is a project that the government is only ".

The June 29, 2009 the villagers of Ostula recovered more than a thousand hectares for 40 years were invaded by smallholders assumptions from the community of La Placita. There they founded the new village of Xayakalan, place coveted by multinational corporations, federal and local governments, organized crime groups and local caciques.

The cost of land reclamation in Ostula, Michoacán, has been very high: assassinations, forced disappearances, threats and constant harassment. "We are convinced that such a struggle is won, with lives. Something has to happen. From here we do not leave. And we took possession for the third time and this time we will not. And no, "says the group interviewed villagers.

Region greed of groups and outsiders is based on the existence of minerals, beaches, natural resources and endangered species. Paradise for the transnationals.

"We do not agree that a road is not asked goal, and we oppose. We are organizing with neighboring communities to cope. Recently we prevent them to do the road. We will not accept that perform work without explaining what it is, "they say.

As for mining, recount, "We have heard that employers want to exploit mines in our communal lands. To us not in our mining,

because we know these farms cause great damage to the ecology, a lot of pollution, loss of water holes. They're going to demolish our land, they will disrupt hills, waterholes and rivers will be dry, and these are used for irrigation.So we are not in agreement. " 

The villagers of Santa Maria Ostula warn: "Our land is not great, we like 28 000 or 30 000 hectares and we want to care for it and preserve it for future generations, our ancestors looked like. We know that if we accept, if we give our word for exploitation, we are going to take our land. We do not understand the mechanisms of their contracts and so you better not enter. We know the management and do not want to do business with people that we can cheat to do things in their favor. "

The Pacific coast of Michoacan has famous beaches in the world of surfing, so the Regional Plan includes major tourism projects. "So far there are some cabins managed by the community. We are not closed to development, but we want to be we who administer it, not outsiders, who are not members of the community, "he said.

"There are people outside the community -añaden- who wants to take over the beaches where sea turtles arrive.Two years ago, the government issued a document calling for the assembly approved a decree to build a big bridge on the beach; thereby they said people would not set foot turtles and could observe from above. But we do not accept the project because we believe that they will take over our territory. People in the community do not step on the turtles or their eggs, but with that we want to cheat the government. "

Another official programs to operate the spoil, is the must (bar program of Certification of Ejido Rights and Titling of Urban Plots), also rejected by the community of Ostula: "We have not accepted this program or accept it, because we want to continue with forms of communal organization inherited from our ancestors. With this form of organization I do not have to pay tax to the government, and why we will pay taxes if the land is ours? If we sign the program, they will become the owners of the land and then want to charge taxes. There are examples of some communities, they accepted the government's proposals and no longer exist because they were stripped. Now roam the country looking for a place to work because they took away their territory ", they say.