Activists have locked themselves inside mines in order to stop tunnelling1st of July, 2010

Last night four people locked themselves inside the shafts of the
old Itsasondo mines in the Basque Country (on the Spanish
side of the border)
in order to
"stop the construction
of the High-Speed Railway (HSR)” and to denounce the "social model
of which these construction sites are just the outer mask".
They are demanding the "immediate cessation" of the tunnelling
work taking place in that same area.


"We know that the risks are high.
We've gone deep down underground in order to strengthen
with our bodies this very earth. We are locked inside the mines so as to defend
our ideas and denounce the lack of sense of those who hold power.
Our bodies are our weapons and direct action is our path".

This is what the four people who have locked themselves inside the mines of Itsasondo
had to say about their act of "resistance" to the HSR. The statement was communicated
to the press by fellow opponents of the mega infrastructure in a press conference
in which they also warned of the dangers of the Ordizia-Itsasondo tunnel.

They reported that of the 37 surveys and test drillings that were meant to be done before
the construction project, only one actually took place.

From inside the mines, the activists who have locked themselves in explained that the construction
work is taking place in Mariaratz, Olaberria, San Martin, Berostegi and Itsasondo.
"Near here, in the Mariaratz construction site,
there are daily explosions... explosions which destroy the earth and everything on top of it.
It's highly possible that the mines will collapse if the explosions and drillings continue,
threatening the lives of these four people. Therefore, we demand the immediate
stop of the works taking place".

The protesters have called on people to participate in the meetings
that will take
place every day at 19.30 in Itsasondo and in the demonstrations
called for this Friday in various places and also
in the protest march which will take place on Sunday, departing at 17.00
from the square of the town of Ordizia.

Anyone able to spread information and to express solidarity with
this protest action in
other parts of the world is asked to do so as soon as possible!
The action of these four comrades must not remain isolated!


http://www.sindominio.net/ahtez/?q=es

http://www.avatartherevolution.com/en/gal


(Brief update: the construction company, the Basque Railway Service and the police
have all refused to stop the explosions of the tunnel excavations, thereby
endangering the lives of the four activists who are currently underground)