ASSAULT ON
PARADISE:
Oil Companies Threaten Costa Rica's
Caribbean
Assault on Paradise by Tatiana Lobo is
one of the best Costa Rican novels ever
written. It describes the beauty of our
Caribbean coast and lowlands, the
relationship of the local indigenous
peoples with their environment, and the
discovery of this equilibrium by a Spanish
visitor in the 16th century. The novel also
describes how the newcomers - Spanish
colonizers and English pirates - ravaged
the nature in this area due to their 'quick
profits at any price' mentality. It also
tells of the resistance waged by indigenous
peoples and the black community brought as
slaves to Costa Rica.
Today, once again, buccaneers are in
sight. This time they are oil buccaneers,
and their galleons are called MKJ
Xploration, San Antonio Gas and Oil, and
Mallon Oil.
They have come in response to our
government's cries: "Costa Rica is for
sale! Reserve your block of land for oil
exploration right now, the bazaar is open!
You can choose a parcel of 2,000 square
kilometres in one of 27 different
terrestrial or marine locations in this
beautiful country of 51,000 square
kilometres. What do you prefer: near the
coral reefs? Close to the tropical lowlands
where the manatees live? Or in the forests
inhabited by indigenous peoples for
thousands of years? If you prefer to buy
inland, we can offer you a block that
includes the Caño Negro Ramsar site, one of
the country's most important areas for
migratory birds. And if you prefer the
Pacific to the Caribbean, why not choose
the Gulf of Nicoya, where Costa Rica's most
important fisheries are located? Or even
the Golfo Dulce, one of the only four
tropical fjords in the world, sanctuary of
dolphins and now again of whales? Oh, are
you feeling guilty about climate change? Do
not worry! We can also offer you carbon
permits and joint implementation
projects."
Resistance!
Once again today, as in the past, the
local communities, the indigenous peoples
and we, the environmentalists, are saying
NO! We do not accept these offers and we
will resist! We, the victims of climate
change and the creditors of the ecological
debt, are saying: Stop running up the huge
carbon debt! Respect our rights!
United in the
Oil Resistance Network
against Climate Change
, which brings
together militant environmentalists from
different organizations and is affiliated
with Oilwatch International, we have
started campaigning to stop this new wave
of oil exploration.
And we are confident that we will
succeed.
Gabriel Rivas-Ducca, FoE Costa
Rica
This article is dedicated to Ivonne
Yanez.
