Martinelli breaks silence on indigenous mining protest crisis

After a 10 day silence  over the crisis surrounding the indigenous protests over mining and hydroelectricity, President Ricardo Martinelli issued a press release on Sunday, February 26.

The release came on the eve of the resumption of talks between the government and the Ngabe Bugle, in the National Assembly.

 "As a government, we hope that the dialog will produce formulas that preserve and protect natural resources without affecting the development of the country," the President said in the statement released by the Ministry of State Communications.. The formulas, should be based on consultation, respect for the traditions of native peoples and respect for the determinations of its authorities. ” 
Meanwhile representatives of the Catholic Church of Panama taking part in an Episcopal Conference called for "a dialogue without preconditions "between the government and indigenous leaders on the issue of hydroelectric projects.

 Oscar Mario Brown, bishop of the Diocese of Veraguas, used the homily for the first Sunday of Lent service in Atalaya to urge the parties involved to ensure that a dialog does not become one where each side "has irreconcilable positions."

 "There has to be a dialog where the interests of the homeland are held above individual interests," the bishop said before thousands of people in the central plaza of the Basilica of Atalaya.