5 July 2011 | Special reports | Resisting neoliberalism
Colonial Urbanization
Violent evictions and environmental destruction in the Tigre Delta, Buenos Aires
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The city of Buenos Aires continues to host huge real estate projects that take over the scarce green reserves that still stand in the outskirts of the city, such as the Tigre Delta.
On July 1st, local residents, scientists, social organizations and employees from the Tigre municipalities, San Fernando and San Isidro expressed their unanimous rejection and condemnation to the real estate project Colony Park, which since 2008 has caused the destruction of the Anguilas Creek and has taken over houses and plantations of the community living in that island.
The nullity of the hearing is based on the fact that it was made after the works had been finished.
Over 60 speakers from social organizations reported the nullity of the hearing called by the Provincial Agency on Sustainable Development, while the representative of Colony Park undermined the locals’ way of life.
In August of 2008, the company Colony Park had invaded the property of nearly 20 local families by the Anguilas creek, demolishing their homes and forestry plantations with bulldozers. Only three years later the community and the local authorities were called for a public hearing.
Laura Janeiro spoke on behalf of the company. She was not embarrassed to show pictures of the humble houses and to say that life cannot be defended in such precarious conditions. She claimed the Delta is deteriorated and environmentally damaged, making reference to the hunting and fishing activities of the locals, so Colony Park would not be much different from what is already there.
She acknowledged that the company destroyed local houses and the environment but she justified it by saying that after all the plantations destroyed were of exotic species and that they have a project for a greenhouse of native plants.
The spokespeople of the municipalities of Tigre and San Fernando expressed their rejection to the real estate project only two years after the works began.
Julio Zamora, chair of El Tigre Deliberating Council even said that he would seek the responsible in the municipal government who allowed the works to be carried out and that it is “impossible that Colony is implemented. We want the Delta to keep its identity”.
Renowned wetland scientists such as Patricia Kandus and Fabio Kalesnik expressed the technical reasons why this project and other similar ones planned there, destroyed the Delta’s ecosystem.
Some of the organizations expressing their rejection to the project included: Cooperativa Isla Esperanza, Movimiento Nacional Campesino Indígena, Asamblea Delta y Río de la Plata, Ala Plástica de la Red Delta del Paraná, Asamblea de Béccar, Friends of the Earth Argentina, Fundación ECOSUR, Equipo Ambiente Sano del Obispado de San Isidro, Asociación Ambientalista del Partido de Escobar, Movimiento en Defensa de la Pacha, Espacio Intercuencas RRR, Fundación Metropolitana, Colegio de Arquitectos de la pcia. de Bs. As., ADECAVI, Club San Fernando, Foro de RR.NN. de la FCEN.
