Ahead with the bill presented in the Neuquén State Legislature, pushing for the creation of a company “Nequino Hydrological Resources” (RE-HIDRONEU S.A.), for the study, exploration, registering and exploitation of reservoirs, streams, mineral water aquifers and sources of natural water that exist in state-owned lands of the province, in order to divide the resource, and to market, transport and distribute it”

We ask:

• We have one of the most important hydrological basins in whole  Argentina, which was born in, and feeds itself on the Andean snows and glaciers and which irrigates the most arid zones of the country. However in many cases the water doesn’t even make it to our houses.

With this State that can not meet the people’s basic needs- like health, education, and essential services; can it guarantee drinking water for everyone?

• What reserves would the province have at the time of regulating the sale and concession of the water to third parties, when a survey hasn’t even been completed on the hydrological drainage basins, streams, springs and aquifers in the whole province?

• Will we continue to allow our natural resources to be removed and consumed outside of our region?

• What will happen to indigenous small farmers (crianceros),- Mapuche and Creole- who live on public lands in the province, and need the water resource –which is becoming more scarce all the time- to sustain them, their animals and their irrigated vegetable gardens and orchards…?

As a result…

We renounce this attempt at privatisation because it views water as a commodity. Water is a basic human right, an inalienable right, and a vital resource for human life.

We reject the indiscriminate exploitation of public natural resources by commercial interests.

This privatisation will cause the loss of accessibility to water for all beings, with the consequences of its scarcity in the future creating serious hazards to surrounding ecosystems.

This plan favours the appropriation and exploitation of a resource that belongs to everybody, for the benefit of a few. What is currently a vital public resource will become a commodity accessible only to those who can afford to pay for it.

Water is an essential human right!

We defend our natural resources!

We work for life, against exploitation and pollution!

Contact Telephone numbers:

Oscar Ragni:             0299 4466100

Carlos Camargo: 02942 15553214

Andrés Rabassa: 0299 156359937

Alicia Ferrari: 0299 156351750

Agreed by:

Foro Permanente por el Medio Ambiente –FOPERMA-(Neuquén)

(Permanent Forum for the Environment)

AVAL (Asamblea de Vecinos Autoconvocados de Loncopué)

(The Neighbourhood Convention of Loncopué)

AVACAM (Asamblea de Vecinos Autoconv. de Campana Mahuida)

(The Neighbourhood Assembly of Campana Mahuida)

AFR HUECU CO

COMUNIDAD MELLAO MORALES (Mellao Morales Community)

MESA CAMPESINA ZONA LONCOPUE (The Loncopue Countryfolks Table)

CORRIENTE DE MILITANTES POR LOS DERECHOS HUMANOS (Fighting for Human Rights)

ASOCIACION AMBIENTALISTA RINCON LIMAY (Plottier) (Rincon Limay Environmental Association)

FAVEA (Familiares, amigos, vecinos y enfermos agrupados) (Relatives, Friends, Neighbours and Patients’ Groups)

Grupo Moreno

ECOSUR (Filial Patagonia Norte)

ORGANIZACIÓN ECOLOGISTA PIUKE (Bariloche)