Pulp mill protesters dismantle one roadblock on Argentina's border with Uruguay

print this

Argentine opponents of two planned pulp mills to be built near Argentina's with Uruguay, one by the Finnish company Metsä-Botnia and, the other by the Spanish company Ence, decided on Monday evening to remove barricades that they had set up on a road linking the town of Gualeguaychú in Argentina, and Fray Bentos in Uruguay.
      The barriers were removed on Tuesday afternoon, after a meeting attended by 3,000 people had voted to do so.
      Residents in the nearby town of Colón, who have kept a road to Paysandú closed for over a month, were scheduled to vote on Tuesday evening whether or not to follow the example of the Gualeguaychú protesters.
     
The protesters in Gualeguaychú set as a condition of the removal of the roadblocks that the road not be used for transport of materials for the construction of the plants. The demonstrators also said that they are ready to block the road again if construction of the factories does not come to a halt next week.
      "We will do what we can to get the presidents to sit down and talk. It is nevertheless clear that whether there are roadblocks or not, Gualeguaychú will not give in", said Gustavo Rivollier, an activist of the Asemblea Ciudadana Ambiental movement by telephone.
     
Uruguay's President Tabaré Vázquez agreed a week ago Saturday with Argentina's President Néstor Kirchner that the factories would be stopped for 90 days, and that the roadblocks would be removed. The Argentines are calling for an independent environmental impact study, claiming that there are serious shortcomings in reports by the companies in question, and the World Bank.
      Rivollier doubts whether or not Botnia and Ence will suspend the construction of the plants. He told Helsingin Sanomat that the demonstrators are not sure that Vázquez has the power to keep his word.
      There were rumours in the Uruguayan press last week, according to which the government had been in touch with Botnia and Ence. Uruguay's Foreign Minister Reinaldo Gargano said on Monday that no such contacts had been made. On Tuesday, Botnia's Uruguayan subsidiary, Botnia S.A. did not want to comment on the matter.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Up to 10,000 demonstrate in favour of Botnia pulp mill in Uruguay (17.3.2006)
  Uruguay government asks Botnia for "gesture" on controversial pulp mill issue (16.3.2006)
  Uruguay´s President backs out on deal with Argentine counterpart - paper plant construction goes ahead (15.3.2006)
  Metsä-Botnia continues construction of Uruguay pulp mill despite appeal by two presidents (13.3.2006)

Helsingin Sanomat