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Date: Tue, 06 Aug 2002 17:59:22 +0100
To: rts@gn.apc.org
From: allsorts@gn.apc.org
Subject: -ALLSORTS-mixed news 6th August

Stop Itoiz (Spain) - 28th-31st August 2002

Date: Sun, 4 Aug 2002 09:51:02 +0100 (BST)
From: stopitoiz@yahoo.co.uk

PLEASE DISTRIBUTE WIDELY!!! -----

MOUNTAIN TREK TO VILLAGES THREATENED BY THE RESERVOIR

As we already stated in the last newsletter, the international protest camp that we celebrate every year will, this year be transformed into a 4 day trek (28,29,30,31 August) which will pass some of the villages threatened by the reservoir.

28 Aug - trek begins in Agoitz, will visit the squatted village of 'Rala' then on to another squatted village 'Aritzkuren' for the night.

29 Aug - Leave Aritzkuren then on to the 'Caserio de Aristu' continuing on to 'Azparren'and on to 'Oroz-Betelu' for the night.

30 Aug - Leave Oroz-Betelu towards the village of Gorraiz, and from there to the squatted village of 'Lakabe'with the possibility of visiting 'Artozki'

31 Aug - From Lakabe to 'Nagore and on to Itoitz and from Itoitz forming a human chain all the way to Agoitz the starting point of the trek.

Support vehicle - throughout the trek there will be a van to transport backpacks etc.food will also be availablethrough the purchase of tokens.

Activities - although it is still not specified, there will be Informative, festive, and protestive activities.

Forthcoming newsletters will include any further information.

Equipment - everyone should bring the necessary equipment for camping in the mountains, e.g. tent, sleeping bag, bed mat etc.

This summer we await you in Itoitz.

NO TO THE FILLING OF THE RESERVOIR, NOR THE EVICTION OF THE VILLAGES!!!
TOTAL PARALISATION OF THE DAM OF ITOITZ NOW!!!

***

INFORMATION ON THE FIGHT AGAINST THE ITOITZ RESERVOIR AND DAM PROJECT

JUNE 2002 - THE 'AUDIENCIA NACIONAL' (provincial high court) GIVES THE GREEN LIGHT TO THE FILLING OF THE RESERVOIR OF ITOITZ.

After seven years of repeated court hearings in the 'audiencia nacional' and supreme tribunal which prevented the filling of the reservoir for its obvious ilegality(that it would flood the protected areas of 3 nature reserves) the 'audiencia nacional' declared a new hearing in which it approved the filling of the reservoir.

In their shameful argument it declares as positive the modification of protected areas in the nature reserves which were carried out by the Navarran government to avoid the ilegality of the reservoir project. In this way, being that which we feared they have converted what they declared as ilegal in legal. With this declaration it demonstrates the total submission of judicial power against that of the 'Economic-politics' of the spanish state, setting a dangerous precedent against future protests in defence of the land and environment.

S.O.S. RED ALERT ITOIZ

The aforementioned declaration in the 'Audiencia nacional' will speed up the destructive plans of the institutions with the filling trials scheduled for spring 2003, it looks like they want to bring it forward to Autumn of this year. This will mean the imminent eviction of villages in the flood areas and the mass felling of nearly one million trees. These trials will take some 3 years and with them the institutions will put the reservoir banks to the test. The stability of the banks has been seriously doubted by different independent engineers and geologists.According to them in the event of the reservoir being filled there is a grave risk that it could produce a catastrophe of incalculable consequences.

Meanwhile the 'Canal de Navarra'(canal of navarra) which begins at the Itoitz dam is also under construction, causing more ecological destruction in it's wake, that is not all, the project of a new road between 'Nagore' and 'Oroz-Betelu'(the old road being flooded if the reservoir is filled)has also been approved, this new road will result in the destruction of a large part of the 'Iñarbe' nature reserve.

IÑAKI - ONE YEAR IN PRISON.

Our colleague Iñaki Garcia Koch has now completed one year in prison, after being arrested in June last year. During this time he has been unjustly held under the special F.I.E.S catagory of prisoner, this being the catagory applied to prisoners who are supposedly linked to armed groups. Recently he has been re-classified as a normal catagory prisoner due to applications from his lawyer.

If you wish to offer your solidarity to Iñaki you can write to him at this address -

Iñaki Garcia Koch,
Carcel de Iruña
C/San Roque s/n, 31011 Iruña
Euskal Herria (Spanish State)


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