PASCUA LAMA : presentation and arguments

Hello, my name is Juan Carlos Rodriguez.

I live on my family farm in the North-East of Chile. My ancestors have lived and work on this land for more than 150 years. The father of my grand father used to work for the family Lopez who were the owners of the land. My great grand-father almost succeeded in becoming the legal owner of the land because of Salvador Allende’s reforms. Salvador Allende was a socialist president that governed Chile for 5 years. He wanted to do a hugh agrarian reform to help the farmers, but he was murdered by Pinochet. My family has owned our farm since 1988, after Pinochet’s destitution. Pinochet was a dictator that took the power to restrain the communist movement. After Pinochet’s departure the country became more democratic and we were able to own our farm.

All my uncles and aunts have lived on the farm too. Today, my two brothers and my sister’s family live on the farm with me and my family. We share the work and the land. We have. I’m the legal owner of the land because I’m the oldest. I have four kids, 2 sons and two daughters, and 12 nephews.

I studied for 6 years when I was a child, but I was forced to leave school because my father needed help to work on the Lopez farm. I can read and write, but it’s difficult to be fluent. My son is now in grade 8 and I’m really happy that he’s going to have a better education then I had. He may even reach university. My other children don’t seem to like school that much and it’s sad, but I will need help myself to accomplish all the work some day; I’m getting older.

A few years ago, we heard that a mining company wanted to displace us. We were choked. This is our land, It’s our history; the history of my family. All my ancestors are here. I won’t spit on their memories.

Arguments

1- I’m a socialist. I don’t want a capitalist mining company to take advantage of the natural resources of my country. The resources should belong to the «pueblo».

2- It’s the land of my ancestors so I don’t want to lose it. I don’t want to be impolite to their memories.

3- Being the owner of a farm helps me to provide food to my family. We don’t have money, but we produce our own food. I could not buy another piece of land because the prices are really too high these days. I would have to work on someone else’s business and get a miserable salary!