For almost a week, the people of Tabasco have suffered the effects of
the worst natural disaster in more than 50 years. As a result of the
rains and of the opening of the Las Peñitas hydroelectric dam (located
on the Tabasco-Chiapas border), the main rivers that cross the state
overflowed, causing the flooding of most of the state and the
disappearance, in fact, under the waters, of Villahermosa, the state
capital. More than a million inhabitants of Tabasco were affected and
are even more exposed to the misery and poverty caused by the state
and federal government. The working people of Mexico see the tragic
pictures of their brothers from Tabasco, pictures that have already
crossed the world, trying to use the scarce resources they have (a
result of the government’s negligence and corruption) to contain the
rising waters, and many of them trying to escape by swimming or
climbing up to their roofs.

Today the city is practically cut off, and the first death as a result
of the floods has already been reported. This situation, which is now
being compared to the effects of Katrina on Louisiana, USA, in August
2005, could worsen in the next few hours, since the federal
authorities increased the opening of the Peñitas dam, which adds 2,000
cubic meters per second to the flow of rivers in Tabasco, and because
new rainfall has been forecast. It is feared that new dams will break;
22 towns in Chiapas have been added to the state of emergency.

"Stay the whole night!"

This was what someone who lived in Villahermosa demanded of Calderón,
when he was "posing for a photo," with a shovel in his hands. With the
usual cynicism and authoritarianism that characterizes him, the PAN
politician demanded of the inhabitants, scolding them, "Do you lack
shovels, or what?" so he could leave the work quickly, mentioning that
he had to accompany the Governor. In fact, if anyone is responsible
for this, it is the federal administrations and a series of state
administrations, since the effects of overloading the pluvial [river]
system could be foreseen.

Tabasco is a state crossed by a large number of rivers, among which is
the Usumacinta, one of the largest rivers in Mexico. The main cities
of the state, as well as Villahermosa, are literally surrounded by
rivers, the most important of which (like the Usumacinta and the
Grijalva) flow into the ocean, forming what is called a "tapón
hídrico" [a water block] (especially when there is a high tide). On
the other hand, the zone is the object of several aggressive plans of
hydroelectric exploitation, in the framework of Plan Puebla Panamá,
which are being planned without any kind of consideration for the
situation of the inhabitants or of nature, nor for the fact that there
already exist dams like Las Peñitas, that upsets the balance of the
zone, as can be seen today. In view of the obvious natural risk of
flooding, it is clear that a preventive policy would be required.
However, the different administrations of the state looked the other
way. As the newspaper La Jornada charges in its November 2 issue, the
previous PRI administrations, of Madrazo and Andrade, did not carry
out any preventive construction (after the terrible floods experienced
by the state in 1999), and the 200 million dollars that were intended
for those potential works, disappeared in their hands. The present
Granier administration, for its part, that is now shedding "crocodile
tears," repeatedly denied the imminent danger and did nothing to
prevent the disaster that is affecting hundreds of thousands of
workers and residents of the state. The result of this is obvious:
there are no structures for containment nor sufficient shelters, while
the public health system is collapsing and the people of Tabasco must
emigrate, like refugees from a war.

For their part, agencies of the federal government, like the National
Water Commission and Civil Defense ("la Comisión Nacional de Agua y
Protección Civil"), guaranteed that nothing would happen, and just a
few days ago, when thousands were also already under water, they
asserted that "Villahermosa will not be flooded." On the other hand,
the criminal negligence of the federal government reached its high
point in opening Las Peñitas dam, an action which speeded up the
disaster; it has now been announced that the dam will empty its waters
on Tabasco for the next 15 days.

Now the Calderón government is trying to re-position itself in the
view of working people, by calling for the "unity of all Mexicans,"
while it takes the opportunity to put the army on the streets for
"social" tasks. It is clear that the armed forces are prepared to
prevent "social instability" ("instability" that the state government
is now promoting), that could occur owing to the shortage of food and
potable water, and prevent the property of the big capitalists in the
state from being affected.

The defenselessness of the inhabitants of Tabasco is not a "natural"
result of the floods; it is a consequence of what the federal and
state governments have done, in failing to invest the necessary funds
to avoid this catastrophe, while they subsidize big capitalists
through the Fobaproa and other "bailouts" (of the auto industry, sugar
industry, etc.). This criminal negligence is the reason that, year
after year, millions of Mexicans are defenseless in the face of
different disasters, like hurricanes and floods.

Urgent appeal to unions, social and human rights organizations

It is necessary that unions, political, popular, social, and human
rights organizations throughout Mexico, that we carry out a big
solidarity campaign in all places of work and study, collecting
provisions, blankets, and clothes, for the affected workers and people
of Tabasco, as well as for communities in Chiapas that are now
suffering from floods.

An emergency plan to prevent new disasters is essential, as is
requisitioning needed goods from big self-service stores and food
companies, as well as planning for public works under the control of
the affected inhabitants and workers, to prevent the bosses’ parties
from again stealing the funds.

We must repudiate the presence of the army in the cities and demand
its immediate withdrawal; workers’ and social organizations must carry
out the distribution of assistance, not those who repress the
population. Likewise, we must promote an independent investigatory
commission, formed by representatives of the inhabitants and workers
of Tabasco, to investigate government management of funds intended for
public works and the opening of the Las Peñitas dam.

LIGA DE TRABAJADORES POR EL SOCIALISMO - CONTRACORRIENTE

November 2, 2007

Translation by Yosef M.