Darien highway closing protests land ruling

THE INTER AMERICAN HIGHWAY in Pinogana, Darien will be closed from 4 am Monday, June 17 as indigenous residents protest a court decision awarding land titles to 11 “invaders”.

Glibardo Membache, chief of communal land in Darien, said the closure isto protest the a Joint Circuit judge’s final ruling to grant 2000 hectares of their collective lands to 11 "invaders" who are within their region.

Membache said the ruling in favor of invaders in the Arimae community was a flagrant violation of its territory because they knew that the property owners located in the center of the communal land would significantly affect the indigenous population.
He said that the National Authority of Land Management (Anati) was awaiting the decision of the Joint Circuit Judge, to start the process of collective land limitations of Arimae and so end a problem that has existed for years and have because the people inside the area are intruders.
The indigenous leader apologized to the public for closing the road, but said it would be opened once they meet officials of the Ministry of Agriculture, Anati, and prosecutors to appeal the decision.
Meanwhile, La Prensa quotes an official source as saying that Anati will abide by the decision despite protests because they cannot ignore the dictates of a judge.