patrimony

Precolumbian sites at risk

GABRIEL RODRÍGUEZ/LA PRENSA

The Changuinola river962429

The hydroelectric project formerly known as Chan 75 and now called Changuinola I could cause irreversible damage to the archaeological remains known to exist in the area.

So concludes archaeologist Alvaro Brizuelas, should the project's developer, Aes Changuinola, not implement a salvage plan.

"It is extremely important that the developer consider the urgent need to implement an archaeology program at an early stage," Brizuelas noted in his study of the area. This would affect Aes Changuinola's production schedule, he added, since archaeological work tends to progress slowly and cannot be rushed.

Brizuela's report, presented in April 2007, warns that no archaeological research has been carrried out in the zone that will be directly or indirectly affected by the project. Last week, the Autoridad Nacional del Ambiente confirmed that the company had presented no salvage plan to date.

There are 13 precolumbian archaeological sites in the area, which will be inundated by the project.

Aes Changuinola, through its public relations firm, said that for the first trimester of 2008 it will continue to do studies in the area to determine if any salvage is possible or of the area can be left undistrubed.

La Alianza para la Conservación y el Desarrollo denounced the company for beginning work without having a plan.