MOVUS Press Release:
Beyond their differences, all the
environmental referents of the political parties that participated in
the round table convened last week by the Movement for a Sustainable
Uruguay (Movus), in the Auditorium of the University, questioned the
contract signed by the national government with the multinational UPM
and rejected the projected cellulose plant or demanded an independent
evaluation.
The invitation of the Movus was
addressed to all the political parties authorized to compete in the
next national elections of October of this year: Frente
Amplio, Partido Nacional, Partido Colorado, Partido Independiente,
Unidad Popular, Cabildo Abierto, Partido de la Gente, Partido Verde
Animalista, Partido Ecologista Radical Intransigente, Partido Digital
y Partido de los Trabajadores (Broad Front, National
Party, Colorado Party, Independent Party, Popular Unity, Open
Cabildo, People's Party, Green Party Animalist, Intransigent Radical
Ecologist Party, Digital Party and Workers Party).
The Movus is an autonomous social
movement independent of political parties and ideological or
religious sectors, as well as any governmental or non-governmental
institution, whether national or international. The purpose of this
round table was to make a contribution to public information and
democratic debate about an investment project with high economic,
social and environmental impacts.
In the election year the government of
the country is usually decided for the next five years, but this year
there is something else that is being decided. The project of a new
pulp mill of the Finnish multinational
UPM can change the life of all
and all not for five years but for several decades and much more as
well. That is why it is essential that this issue forms part of the
electoral political debate.
We summon environmental referents, who
are not necessarily representatives of the whole party to which they
belong, to demonstrate the novel political fact in the country that
environmental issues are present throughout the political system.
This is a consequence of a growing awareness in our society about the
seriousness of the environmental problems in progress and those that
may come.
As a general summary of the round table
held, the participation of virtually all of the political parties
convened was counted. In the case of the Frente Amplio, we received a
note with a declaration from Espacio 567 (PVP), which was read at the
beginning of the interventions in the Paraninfo of the University. We
just did not have an answer to the invitation from the novel Digital
Party.
We highlight the following facts as a
result of the presentations made:
None of the present panelists had
expressions of support for the UPM project and, even less, for the
contract signed between the government and the Finnish company.
In the case of Space 567, the note
sent expressed its rejection of the UPM project and its proposal to
the Frente Amplio is to take a position and dialogue in this regard.
Cabildo Abierto did not express
itself in favor or against the project, it demanded an independent
evaluation and the disclosure of all the signed documents.
In short, this round table was an
initiative free of partisanship and a contribution to the information and
public discussion of a project that involves and concerns the entire
Uruguayan society. We hope and will continue to struggle so that it
becomes one of the central themes of the ongoing electoral campaign
this year.
You can see the speeches of all the
participants in the MOVUS facebook in:
Movement for a Sustainable Uruguay
(Movus)
July 15, 2019
