Evo and ENDE are asked to reflect on the collapse of hydroelectric plants in Laos and Colombia

On July 25, 2018, several indigeneous communities who will be impacted by the planned mega-dams issued a proclamation regarding the megadam collapses in Laos and Colombia. You can read a copy of the proclamation here.

According to the Spanish-language blog post by the Fundacion Solon that describes the proclamation, “The collapse of the Xepian-Xe Namnoy mega hydroelectric plant in Laos has left more than a hundred dead and missing and thousands of people displaced. This tragedy, the product of the Laos government's ambition to export electricity at all costs, occurs a few months after the Hidroituango hydroelectric disaster in Colombia where tens of thousands of people have been displaced and the 5,000 million dollar project has been paralyzed to avoid a major tragedy…in light of these tragic events, the communities affected by the Rositas, El Bala and Chepete hydroelectric projects are asking the Government of Evo Morales and ENDE not to play with the destiny of the Bolivians and make public the final design studies including geological, hydrological, economic and social and environmental impact assessments of the Rositas, El Bala, Chepete, Ivirizu and Cachuela Esperanza hydroelectric plants so that independent and comprehensive audits and reviews can be conducted by specialists at universities, professional colleges and other institutions…companies that conducted the Environmental Impact Assessment Studies of the Rositas, El Bala, Chepete and Ivirizu hydroelectric plants are not independent and are linked to ENDE (Rositas case) or are the same companies that prepared the final designs of the dams (El Bala and Chepete case)… communities affected by these mega hydroelectric plants in Bolivia demand that those who carry out the Environmental Impact Assessment Studies of these hydroelectric plants…should be…independent..and have no interest in construction from the same… more economic alternatives are available that would provide much less social and environmental impact such as wind, solar and small hydroelectric projects…. all Bolivians will have to pay the large external debt that is contracted to build them, and will suffer the impacts of catastrophes such as those currently being suffered in Laos and Colombia.”