Letters: Protest in Patagonia

Rory Carroll (Report, 22 February) appears to have missed a major point of the protest in the Ays�n region of Patagonia, which has united many of the small groups he described. This is the proposed project led by the government in Santiago, HidroAys�n (an Italian/Spanish/Chilean consortium) and the mining companies in the north of Chile to dam the Baker and Pascua rivers. It would flood 15,000 acres of amazing, pristine wild country, with all the implications this has for the local people, wildlife and flora. The economy of this least populated area of Chile relies on tourism and yet the effects of damming are far-reaching. Will this benefit people in Ays�n? I fear not. The copper mine owners in the north are demanding the power of the rivers to provide electricity. We need to support the Patagonian people against the mining and electricity giants . Having just visited the area, I have seen the beauty and wonder of both rivers and how the people are protesting to save their environment.Patricia BenzWaterloo, MerseysideChileAmericasPatagoniaguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

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