PHA-Exch> Don't let Bechtel off the hook in Ecuador!

[Claudio Schuftan]

From: David Legge <D.Legge at latrobe.edu.au>

*From:* Sara Grusky [mailto:sgrusky at fwwatch.org]


      Bechtel At It Again

Raw sewage. Hepatitis A. Discrimination. No running water. San
Francisco-based corporation Bechtel is misbehaving in Ecuador.

Tell CEO Riley Bechtel enough is
enough!<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=A7uZ52VmevEsAUK%2BkNyVGYqUHzyme9Y6>

Bechtel's at it again.


The same corporation that spurred the infamous "Water Wars" in my home
country Bolivia in 2000 thinks that it can get away with the same
irresponsible tactics, this time in the neighboring country of Ecuador. We
say, no way.<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=Ao000yPBnjIYqarc92SBf4qUHzyme9Y6>




I lived through Bechtel's water management in Cochabamba in 2000, and I'm
watching history repeat itself. Bechtel, a U.S. corporation based in San
Francisco, has cut off water services from poor people, dumped raw sewage
into rivers, and provided residents with contaminated water, leading to an
outbreak of Hepatitis A in 2005. Now, realizing that the privatization
scheme has failed, Bechtel is trying to sell-out to another private
corporation, flee the country with the profits and leave its debts and
contractual promises behind.


But Ecuadorians are saying, "Enough!" They will not permit Bechtel to flee
without taking responsibility for this disaster. And we can help. The
Ecuadorian regulatory agency recently fined Bechtel's water company $1.5
million for violating its contract. And more than 10,000 people have signed
a petition demanding the cancellation of their debt to the water company.


Can you add your voice by sending a letter to Bechtel's CEO, Riley Bechtel?

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1185/t/741/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=21855<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=CzB7r0LsV83oeJWaUaJ5b4qUHzyme9Y6>


He needs to know that the world supports Ecuadorians defending their right
to clean, affordable water.


When Bechtel tripled water rates for poor Bolivians and criminalized the
catching of rainwater, the world responded. Thousands of people from dozens
of countries sent letters to the corporation and rallied outside its San
Francisco headquarters. In 2000, Bechtel left Bolivia under pressure.


Now history seems to be repeating itself in Ecuador. Tell CEO Riley Bechtel
not to make the same mistake twice.

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1185/t/741/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=21855<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=jr9ilYjRU%2FiTliw%2FI5zu5YqUHzyme9Y6>



In solidarity,
Marcela Olivera
Food & Water Watch's Latin American Coordinator
water(at)fwwatch.org <water%28at%29fwwatch.org?subject=Bechtel%2C%20Ecuador>



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