Wayús indigenous people from the township of Cabo de la Vela, in Alta Guajira, show their concern about the intention of a Spanish company to build a wind farm on its coasts, which could affect their sacred sites, fishing activities and tourism.
The park called Astrolabio has projected the installation of 55 wind towers each 261 meters high, from the Musichi sector passing through the Carrizal township until reaching the tip of Cabo.
(Also: Former presidents Juan Manuel Santos and Felipe González will talk about peace in Cartagena)
For which, the permission to install a wind measurement antenna in the Caribbean Sea, in the block called FX-4, is being processed before the Regional Autonomous Corporation of La Guajira (Corpoguajira).
It would affect the sacred sites,
tourism and artisanal fishing
Latin America has potential for the development of non-conventional renewable energies (solar, wind, biomass, geothermal). La Guajira has enormous opportunities in Colombia.
It is the place where we will live the life of the dead, that is why we do many rituals with them, we facilitate the path to the last resting place, which also extends to the sea area.
Faced with these projects, indigenous leaders from the region have asked the national government to declare the roadmap for offshore wind projects as unconstitutional and prevent its application.
At the same time, they request the competent entity, either before Corpoguajira or Dimar, to refrain from giving the wind resource measurement permit to the company BlueFloat Energy for the Astrolabio wind farm.
(Worth reading: Towns of the Sierra Nevada, cut off by landslides left by winter)
This paradisiacal area is the biggest tourist attraction in the department of La Guajira and receives dozens of national and international tourists every day due to the tranquility of its beaches, the ethnic cultural richness and the exuberant landscapes with little intervention, where the best sunsets and starry skies.
In addition, there is an intrinsic connection with Palaa (the sea), according to their beliefs and spirituality. For the Wayús, there is the most sacred place for this ethnic group, the Jepira, where all the souls of the dead end up.
“It is the place where we will live the life of the dead, that is why we do many rituals with them, and we facilitate the path to their last resting place, which also extends to the sea area,” they indicated in a letter sent to President Gustavo Petro.
It generates uncertainties for the community
that would cover the entire artisanal fishing area
this decision was not consulted, the sea represents our
sustenance and is part of our spirituality, a project of such dimensions should not even be contemplating
The project has not been publicized by national entities, nor by the company BlueFloat Energy.
It also generates uncertainties for the community since it would cover the entire area of artisanal fishing in the territory of Apalaanchis (Wayu fishermen) and other communities that also live from the sea.
(Also: Heavy rains leave more than 200 victims in the last hours in Pereira)
“It fell to us to make the inquiries and we found the information that a Spanish company called BlueFloat had the intention of putting a wind farm on our coast, less than 3 kilometers from the shore, bordering the seagrass area,” they indicated. .
For the Wayús – who have been giving in to the development of wind energy projects in the continental zone, despite all the internal disputes that this has generated – now the situation is quite delicate.
“We, as the caretakers of the Palaa Mar, can assure that this decision was not consulted and that since the situation is so delicate, the sea represents our
sustenance and is part of our spirituality, a project of such dimensions should not even be contemplating”, they affirm in the official letter that is also addressed to the ministers of Mines and Energy and of the Environment.
They ask that their rights to prior consultation be respected, but above all to free, prior and informed consent in all acts and works that alter their way of life in accordance with Colombian regulations and international treaties.
The main large-scale solar and wind projects that want to enter the electricity market, dominated by hydroelectric generators, are concentrating in La Guajira.
Installation of this park would affect
landscape by the size of the towers
If the fishermen are limited in their fishing area, then what are we going to offer the tourist in the restaurant service? and for our own food
On the subject, Elida Sánchez, director of the Association of restaurants and lodgings of Cabo de la Vela, Acocabo, indicated that “we have a productive chain that revolves around the development of tourist activity, if fishermen are limited in their fishing area, so what are we going to offer the tourist in the restaurant service? and for our own food.
(You may be interested in: They denounce discrimination against musical groups from Nariño in Europe)
He also explains that the installation of this park would affect the landscape due to the size of the towers and tourists would no longer get to see something natural and unique.
It should be noted that the inhabitants of this area live off the sea, while the countrymen who live further from the coast are shepherds and live off their goats and sheep.
They also recall that this area is home to one of the most important ecosystems for climate change, “they say it is a carbon dioxide (CO2) capture sponge, it is the largest protected area of seagrass in the country, they called it Sawairú and is the home of three species of sea turtles and the salacuna of the fish that we consume, the snail and the lobster”.
Eliana Mejia Ospino
Special for The Weather
riohacha
Wayús ask to declare offshore wind energy projects unconstitutional