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Published Monday,
April 27, 2020
Cabécar territories
have access to drinking water for the first timeBy the
A.M. Costa Rica staff
The Cabécar people have inhabited Costa Rica since before the arrival of the Spanish on the continent in the year 1492, and until now they have access to potable drinking water for the first time in their communities. According to the Ministry of Education, the Cabécar people have inhabited the national territory of Costa Rica for at least 3,000 years. Nearly 200 inhabitants of three indigenous Cabécar communities have access to drinking water for the first time, the Institute of Aqueducts announced Friday. About $326,600 was invested in the construction of two new aqueducts built in the communities in Talamanca of Alto Bley and Beckbätä and Kuchey, according to the institute. "We are making great efforts to guarantee this human right to the indigenous peoples of Costa Rica," said Yamileth Astorga, president of the institute. During this year, the institute has built 13 pipelines aqueducts in 7 territories with a total investment of $2,168,331, Astorga said. According to the institute, to carry out these aqueduct projects, international agreements were signed that protect the culture, environmental, and linguistic conditions of indigenous communities. Due to the complexity of the access, it was necessary to transport all the materials on several helicopter trips, including pipes, storage tanks, concrete, tools such as sticks and picks, as well as Spanish-cabécar officials and interpreters. The institute is programmed to build two more aqueducts in the indigenous area of Telire Alta Talamanca. "Currently, there are more than 50 aqueducts in indigenous territories," the institute said. This is the second development project in indigenous communities that the government has announced this month.  On April 1, the Ministry of Technology announced the beginning of the plan for the installation of telephone lines and internet in 14 indigenous territories located in the Atlantic and Southern regions of the country. According to the ministry, $47.9 million will be used to build telecommunications infrastructure within indigenous reserve territories. "We are more than assured that this event in the country's telecommunications history will bring progress and development to thousands of residents of these indigenous territories," said Federico Chacón Loaiza, president of the Intendency of Telecommunications. "In addition to this population, the internet will be installed in 57 schools in the Atlantic zone and 62 in the South Zone.” The investment in the Atlantic Zone is $27.6 million to develop the infrastructure and provide telecommunications services in the communities of Cabécar Tayní, Talamanca, Bajo de Chirripó, Altos de Chirripó, and the Bribrí communities of Talamanca and Keköldi. In the South Zone the investment is $20.2 million to provide services in the territories of Guaymí de Conteburica, Altos De San Antonio, Abrojos-Montezuma, Brunka de Curre, Rey Curre, Térraba, Cabécar de Ujarrás, Bribrí de Salitre and Cabagra. "This project achieves a historical debt that the country has had with indigenous peoples," said Luis Adrián Salazar, minister of Technology and Telecommunications. "These services will provide equal opportunities and development for the citizens of those communities." It is expected that seven more indigenous territories will be included in other telecommunication installation projects. According to the ministry, the goal is to have installed telephone and internet services in 20 indigenous territories by 2021. ---------------------- Besides drinking water, what other basic needs should the government provide in the indigenous territories? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com |
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