March 2010

Pintano REBUILDING NEW

Cosme Caracciolo complaint that employers and "Vultures of misery" seek to exploit the tragedy in the coves of the coastline

(Special MPST) spend the weeks and become exposed tragedies and stories by the earthquake and tsunami in dozens of small coves and towns of the coastline.

Thousands of working families, men and women engaged in artisanal fishing, collection of algae and diving, and in minutes were radically transformed the coastline and its conditions. The force of the tsunami devastated homes and schools, was fishing gear, nets, seaweed and left guard installed in uncertainty about the future. Many families have had to take shelter in tents located precariously on the hills. Children are afraid to go down to the beach for fear that angry sea again, while the effort, little by little, begins to lift back home and spirits. Since the Regional Committees of Reconstruction has organized a support network together with the fishermen's unions. To creeks as Tubul, Dichato Puertecillo, Topocalma among others, has come from people to people solidarity. To learn more of this reality talk with fellow Cosme Caracciolo, historical leader of the fishermen, who gave us the actions that your organization is doing to address the aftermath of the tsunami in the coves and makes a clarion call to stop the use that employers and "Vultures of misery" intend to do with this tragedy. "Our technical and professional," says Cosme, are building a register of the status of caches and the inhabitants located in the coastal amagado by the tsunami. We want to get the data fine for the needs of our colleagues, their families, the elderly, children and the materials and equipment losses suffered by our people since from the state and municipalities only Overall looks are about the tragedy.

There are several issues that we have to go put on alert for the future as some officials have said that in places where he spent the tsunami must not build more. In one way or another are saying that the fishermen have to go to the hills, but I'm sure in 3 or 4 years those places will be occupied by resorts or tourist centers, because the creeks are located in the best places on the coast .

There is a kind of use to free up the coastline, and could ensure that later there will be business and real estate speculation. In Topocalma Puertecillo and is a historical conflict with landowners who want to take our communities. They want to take advantage of the disaster situation but our people is clear and well oriented in place. It is a historical conflict that is by the coastal territory, and want to take this situation to drive people there. We must be very alert. In Pichilemu same thing happens. With regard to deaths in the artisanal fisheries sector, if you look at the level of disaster that occurred, we have very few deaths were reported, happily. This is because the fishermen did not expect the government notice of sea, or police or firefighters. Here we know that if an earthquake occurs, we need to gain altitude immediately.

The old people say his life is at sea. For example in the Constitution, one of the worst affected areas are picking up sticks and putting together some quarters to live in the same places were the houses. The old man, the fisherman is not attached to the house is attached to the sea and that is what the authorities do not understand. Civil society has been organized by groups and social organizations which have provided the necessary answers. If there is a lesson to take from this tragedy is that the crisis in that we only organized society works. The institutions with the technocracy and bureaucracy have been unable to respond. As shown is the support that peers have managed to get a tight corners as Topocalma and Puertecillo. Here in San Antonio that have examples Clarita. I have memory of several earthquakes in the past, we resorted to social networks of communication that were amateurs and it was I knew how people in the north or south a few hours after the quake. But now, one of the countries in Latin America has more cell phones, have been disconnected immediately. And that civil society network communications are destroyed. This will have to serve to reflect and understand that the supposed modernity, what he is doing, is increasingly isolated. One of the main concerns we have is that the resources for reconstruction can be reached by this tragedy are well used, well directed. Are not lost on the road. And flocks of vultures are turning, the "vulture of misery" professional scam artists and profiteers who have historically lived in these tragedies. Already see many of those flitting around our creeks, some prominent former officials of past governments, which did something similar 20 years in the organs of power. Are the fishermen's organizations, grassroots leaders of our creeks those who know the reality and they must be the protagonists involved in the design and implementation of solutions. There are mayors or deputies or senators, but the leaders and social groups, they have tried to destroy all these years, say they are the ones who know the territory, its people and real problems. To them must be addressed any aid. Unfortunately this is a great opportunity for profit, at government level displayed companies ... have to look at Iraq where the U.S. pose reconstruction (of what they have destroyed) and who are the displayed?. Here, obviously keeping the differences, I think it could happen to something. We must be careful. "

Emergency popular organization and reconstruction in Parral

Saturday February 27 during the early morning, an earthquake attacked over Chile, especially in the central-south of the country, namely in the sixth, seventh and eighth of the country. The earthquake and tsunami on the shores of the regions mentioned, I put part of the population and infrastructure, emotionally and physically destroyed.

face of this catastrophe, spontaneously organized a wave of citizen solidarity. While the coast has experienced a loss human and material stronger than inland areas, the latter were marginalized in some cases through the media to which the help they needed, take more time than necessary to arrive. That was the case in the district of Parral located in the Seventh Region of Chile.

is why we, people, students and professionals from various areas of the metropolitan area, we decided to offer our help in Parral, especially taking a fellow native of the commune.

Today, we have built a broader network linking the previously mentioned social leaders of the parralinas populations.

When we showed up there, 4 days after the quake, no help had arrived and the communal authorities seemed overwhelmed by the situation and unable to meet the basic needs of the humblest of the population.

If part of the working class in the district has not suffered structural damage to your home, all were affected by the interruption of economic activity, structured around the fruit industry, whose working conditions are very poor (temporary work only half of the year and daily wages are the characteristics of this condition) can not save money to deal with such crises.

We are thus faced with a situation of strong food needs. To confront it, we manage to bring from Santiago truckloads of essential food for the family and making baskets and distribute them in the towns (neighborhoods) of Parral. We went to these sectors, because it was clear to us that the face of this catastrophe exist prioritization criteria: the most vulnerable sectors of the population would suffer far more intensely affected by the earthquake.

Contrary to the myth of the current national unity in times of natural disaster, social inequalities are not suspended for this type of event.

However, contrary to the mainstream, for us it was not humanitarian action. Our purpose was to make the bet that the same people in those neighborhoods, through their organizations, especially neighborhood council, and community leaders, could be organized. Through this food aid, we wanted to build or strengthen, as appropriate, a process based organization from within populations. So, we decided work with community leaders, rather than the municipality. Gradually, we come to the development of an organizational model in the delivery of aid.

It was contact with social leaders ask people to carry out a census, which had to register the food needs of families that made up the neighborhood. The model was very successful, as we are with leaders enthusiastic about this way of working. In less than a day, walked her neighborhood and searched the needs of their neighbors.

Beyond the practical aspect, this method allowed work to generate instances of discussion and debate among neighbors. We had to go to a town to deliver food aid. Upon arrival, the headquarters of the neighborhood council was full of people. According to the chairman, that had not been since many years.

Today, the food situation seems improved, but there are still a few families in need, to which we must not forget.

However, the road to reconstruction is long. Thereafter, the priority of people injured is to find a solution for the winter warm and indoors, in a shack. Here we want to replicate the organizational model we developed maintenance support. It is then, to work with the same social leaders, they are key actors in the rebuilding of their neighborhoods because they know better than the municipal authority, what are the needs of their neighbors. We also know that in many cases, municipalities operate as patronage criteria, namely that aid is directed towards those who have contacts within the municipal administration. We have learned among other things, that in certain populations of Concepción, when aid distributions, the absentees were definitely out of the distribution and dispatchers received their share of aid.

Besides the issue of water means, tomorrow is another fight, the actual reconstruction of houses. We believe that no organization is fighting to stop out of state subsidies to many people. Therefore, we have the desire to create a business network in Parral able to make their voices heard and be respected by local and national authorities.

If spontaneous solidarity and self-management has appeared to be necessary in future that it will not have the capacity to meet the needs of reconstruction. As the fight will to be against the state. Therefore, in the process of organization we want to generate at least among other objectives, to train community leaders, especially in legal matters, to know the duties of the authorities in such circumstances and what rights citizens. In this struggle, as in all, access to information and knowledge of the situation are essential weapons. We know that the reconstruction is likely to accompany a new territory, territorial marginalizing the poor even more, so we must also be organized and informed. It would have us believe certain statements like the Chilevision journalist, John Eichholz: "It is not only to rebuild but also to reform." (Sentence pronounced on 03.07.2010, Zero Tolerance )

Ultimately, we hope to make the tragedy consists of the earthquake an opportunity to rebuild the country and not play. Reconstruction from local organizations, building bridges between them so they can enrich each other and put pressure on authorities. This is already being developed through a letter written and signed by "the social leaders and lonkos" President of the Republic of Chile, Sebastián Piñera, asking for an interview to discuss and find solutions to the situation of the popular sectors of the Chilean population especially precarious after the earthquake or also through the organization of a meeting between community leaders and Parral Santiago sponsored by the organization "SUR." Also rebuild or strengthen instances generating discussion and debate among neighbors. Finally, rebuild creating awareness among the popular sectors of the Chilean population of the need to organize to exist and demand respect for the human person, in dignity and rights.

Territorial Committee for Reconstruction of Parral

That People Send!

Letter from Villa Lagos of Chile, Chigwell

On March 5, 2010 all residents from the area had scheduled a protest at the lack of water, electricity and food and that the mayor did this, did not go as planned, so we met to talk with Councilman Antonio Rivas, who vainly tried call for calm and patience of neighbors, because people were very upset about the situation where we were, we knew nosotrasn and in other places were worse, but it was not acceptable that our own Mayor Tomas Solis Novoa, labeling them to wash their hands of thieves looting and Chigwell saying that everything was alright.

What happened next is a true reflection of how to take advantage of public officials. The fact is that the meeting has passed no avail, enter a city van (Patent VS 7485) with two men inside, one of the men's pair of a neighbor in our town, leaving food at home. This further inflamed the minds of our neighbors, so in a spontaneous action they decide to close access to the gates that our town has. The goal set at that moment was that there would leave there until they reach the mayor or the press.

Councilman, who still remained in the villa- tried to convince us that we stopped going to these crooks, but we were more firm with the decision. So expect a good time and to the surprise of few, confirming the impression that he had most, our beloved mayor sent us a mobile checkpoint (Pat Z 3713) and two tanks of milicos to repress our action: So we sent the authorities instead of food and water. After a "nice" conversation with police stopped the truck out and "kindly" the driver of that threatened us saying that he would ensure that did not reach any help to our industry and the threat occurred in the presence of police who needed several stitches. We were very upset, but finally came and went Bío Bío radio air denouncing everything that happened.

Such acts are an example of how municipalities and authorities in general are secured them and theirs and the crumbs are for the rest of us which, moreover, every 4 years we vote for them . As noted solidarity interested because they get paid for our needs, and shows how corrupt and thieves they are. We a complaint about what happened, but most likely not be in anything, so only the organization and solidarity between neighbors is essential to address the crisis that comes ahead.

Territorial Committee for Reconstruction of Chigwell.

Fishermen Tubul, preparing to return to the sea.

During four hours of journey, roads cracked, dusty landscapes

between beautiful and devastating result of the earthquake that affected us twelve days ago, we Tubul, a creek that even before the ground motion and fury of sea \u200b\u200bwas beautiful, colorful and houses looking the coast. The path from Arauco requires a detour through a long gravel road through the valley of tubular.

The cove is not even a shadow of what it was, the long access bridge totally destroyed, along with the camps is the first thing is obvious, the sea swept the first three blocks in and by the side, just inside the creek is relatively spared, because it was not the sea, threw the earthquake. Fishermen lost or damaged in 50% of the boats with their respective teams, part of which is beyond repair.

We met with Daniel Navarro head of the association of fishermen and seaweed on the cove. He told us that their major equipment needs are stationary compressor engines, which are used to transmit air to divers and accessories such as air compressors and special hoses. Also engines for the boats that were damaged, although they far exceed the price of diving equipment.

As Tubul fishermen support the mayor's decision to reject the middle of water, they ask for materials to rebuild their homes or the provision of decent housing. His desire is to resettle in the place where they had their homes, they told us that the destruction caused by sea could have prevented the construction of a wall facing the sea, request in any case that arises from the earthquake and tsunami, is a request that had been doing for quite some time. It is for this reason I do not want to settle in the area where temporary dwelling, and acknowledge the willingness of the owner.

The landscape is pretty bleak, but the strength of the fishermen not stop and want to build your stash with the effort of his work, which is why diving equipment requested to be the same fishermen who rebuild their country and bring food to their families.

The day people to be heard and work and solve real needs, taking into account their views, we can speak of a true and fair exchange, one that is built from and the people.

territorial committees were established neighborhood reconstruction Franklin

neighbors and neighboring Franklin neighborhood sector are organizing a committee through territorial reconstruction (CTR) for solving the reconstruction or repair their homes and their neighborhood, the images are of a meeting held on 12 March.