Uruguay: Though
not yet in operation, Metsa Botnia’s pulp mill already smells
rotten
It is almost certain
that the Finnish public know little or nothing about Uruguayan
history and on how this history relates to the current Metsa Botnia
pulp mill project in this country. It is therefore important to
explain that a military dictatorship ruled Uruguay from 1973 to
1984. During that period the military violated every possible
human right and torture was common practice during those years.
Thousands of Uruguayans –men and women- were tortured and imprisoned;
scores of people were killed and “disappeared” and thousands had
to live in exile during that period. A similar military dictatorship
ruthlessly governed Argentina during those same years.
For Uruguayans and
Argentinians the military are still a symbol of widespread human
rights violations. In Uruguay, many of the officers that in those
years were in charge of torture, killings and disappearances are
today’s colonels and generals. The Finnish public needs to know
that a few days ago, the forces they command have been ordered
to protect the building site of Metsa Botnia’s pulp mill and that
this is severely affecting the image of Finland itself.
This situation has
not happened by chance. The need for police –first- and military
protection –later- is the result of this Finnish company’s tactics,
that have alienated neighbouring communities, particularly in
Argentina. Instead of trying to build bridges of understanding,
the company has consistently refused to accept the need to convince
and has instead tried to impose itself. It refused to halt the
building work when requested to do so by the Uruguayan President
himself to facilitate negotiations with neighbouring Argentina.
It has had a number of confrontations with workers and trade unions,
which have been exacerbated with its decision to bring in hundreds
of workers from Eastern Europe and other foreign countries. The
company’s exaggerations regarding the level of pollution and smell
from a pulp mill doubling the size of those it operates in Finland
have resulted in a total loss in credibility about the company’s
seriousness.
The result is that
Metsa Botnia is now also responsible for the militarization of
the region and for having created a dangerous situation of confrontation
with the powerful sister Republic of Argentina. Instead of bringing
development to the country, it has brought in internal divisions
and external problems. The open support it is receiving from the
Finnish government blurs the distinction between the company and
the country and whatever the former does will impact on the latter.
The Finnish people
should demand explanations from their government, because the
image of the country itself is at stake. A country that until
recently had a positive perception is now being increasingly questioned
in both Uruguay and Argentina. The fact that the Uruguayan government
needs to back a Finnish investment with military personnel says
clearly that both the company and Finland are in big trouble.
When military presence becomes necessary it means that much has
gone wrong. Much more could go wrong if by any chance
the soldiers receive order to shoot at people. Something smells
rotten in the state of Metsa Botnia and it’s not –yet- the smell
of pulp production.
Press
communiqué of the Uruguayan Guayubira Group, December 12, 2006,
e-mail: info@guayubira.org.uy,
http://www.guayubira.org.uy
(Update:
On Monday 18th, the government announced that, following
the request of Botnia, it ordered the withdrawal of the military
troops deployed to survey the construction site of the company’s
pulp mill in Fray Bentos. Botnia, responsible
for the militarization, now argues that “the tense, worrying and
insecure conditions diminished substantially”. It remains rather
unclear to which conditions is the company referring, since the
bordering Argentinian communities still maintain the blockade
of the bi-national bridges, as well as the difficulties for a
proper dialogue between the governments of both sides of the river
persist. Why has Botnia changed its mind? Maybe the militarization’s
denounce has damaged the international image that the company
wants to give? On the other hand, the
decision brought relief to the Ministry
of Defence which admitted that “such
a display of force means a significant effort for the Uruguayan
Army”. However, it warned that the troops might be deployed again
in case it is necessary.)
