2024-07-09 06:28:43
More than twenty social organizations and human rights defenders have spoken out against the construction of one of the two maximum security prisons proposed by President Daniel Noboa. The cornerstone of this project was laid on Friday, June 21 in Santa Elena.
The Alliance of Human Rights Organizations, which brings together these groups, announces that “this is an unnecessary and anti-technical project that, in addition to violating community and nature rights, affects the same failed solutions that have influenced the Ecuadorian prison crisis.”
Criticisms of the Project
In its statement, the Alliance assessed the construction of the recent “mega-prison” as a populist measure lacking technical rigor. “We denounce the construction of the recent ‘mega-prison’ as a populist measure lacking technical rigor,” they said.
The prison will be built in the province of Santa Elena and will have a capacity of 880 inmates. It is intended primarily for the leaders of criminal gangs, against whom President Noboa has declared “war” under the guise of an internal armed conflict. These gangs are regarded by the government as one of the main causes of the high death rate in Ecuador.
The government estimates that the construction of the prison will take about 300 days and will cost 52 million dollars.
Chanduy’s downhill terrain
The Alliance of Human Rights Organizations has expressed concern about the location of the project. According to its notification, the land on which the prison will be built belongs to “ancestral indigenous community members of Bajada de Chanduy.” On the other hand, this land is home to the La Envidia forest, a key ecosystem that houses trees over a hundred years old and an extensive flora and fauna, as well as archaeological remains of ancestral coastal cultures.
Based on these findings, the Alliance maintains that the Government should carry out a free, prior and informed consultation with the inhabitants of the Bajada de Chanduy community, as required by legislation for projects in indigenous territories.
By: Ecuador en Directo Photo Courtesy