China's Interoceanic Canal thru Nicaragua Could Spark Revolution

The much awaited canal which China plans to build through Nicaragua from the Pacific to the Caribbean known as the Interoceanic Canal or Nicaragua canal is about to begin construction in about a month. The problem is that the canal at a whopping size of 175 miles long and more than 500 yards wide will displace several entire communities and indigenous people which live in the area. The Panama Canal by comparison is 110 feet wide and 110 miles long.

Local farmers and villagers, many of whom were supporters of or fought alongside the Sandinista Liberation Front are furious over the canal because they say it will destroy their livelyhood; farming. They are ready to take up arms and fight if necessary.

Duarte owns a small plot of land where she grazes cattle and grows beans, maize, bananas, and oranges. She leads the same simple but secure subsistence lifestyle that sustains most of the 700 families in and around Tolesmaida, and it was made possible by the Sandinistas’ post-revolution land redistribution programmes. So to hear such fervent anti-Ortega sentiment from previously devoted campesinos and compañeros is unprecedented. But the issue for them is, precisely, the matter of their land.

Plans to construct a $50 billion shipping canal and channel 175 miles long and more than 500 yards wide have incited a mix of fury, fear and defiance not witnessed since the Contra War ended in 1988. What had seemed to be a theoretical and almost mythical project is just about to take concrete form.

Construction is due to begin before the end of December, which means that lands will be taken, villages relocated. The canal project will bisect Lake Nicaragua—Central America’s largest lake—and forcibly displace almost 300 communities, including Rama and Creole settlements from protected indigenous territories on the Caribbean coast.

The deal was signed in secret between the Sandinista Liberation Army and the Chinese Company Jing-who will oversee construction. According to the article, Jing has been given carte-blance to do whatever they want in displacing land and having no penalties if they back out of the deal, and will only have to pay displaced farmers a very minimal fee below market value. It's a very long.g.g.g.g.g.....g article but an interesting read.It seems that a major change is upon us wiith this new construction project. What says ATS?

www.thedailybeast.com... edium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+thedailybeast%2Farticles+%28The+Daily+Beast+-+Latest+Articles%29

a reply to: lostbook

Christ almighty, that's a sea not a canal.

size of 175 miles wide and 500 miles long

Fortunately that's not quite right, 175 miles long and more than 500 yards wide as per your source.

“We are not against a canal per se, we are against a canal that will destroy our lake and water supply, and serve only the economic interests of the Ortega oligarchy and the Chinese,” says Lombardo Fonseca, 48, a local radio presenter and member of the Save Lake Cocibolca campaign.

“People are rearming across the country,” says Fonseca. “The land issue is making people along the canal route rise up to join the New Contras, who are already armed and embedded in the mountains. Together we will do everything humanly possible to stop this canal.”

The above quote from your source along with the details therein regarding the circumnavigation of any credible environmental impact assessment leads me to think this is one massive sh!t storm desperately seeking a fan of equal proportion.

Kind Regards
Myselfaswell

There's like 4 canals proposed for Nicaragua, each running through Lake Nicaragua. That lake is pretty much resigned to eco-disaster. The only nation that will benefit from this is China, which will ship even more crappy goods all over the globe.

a reply to: lostbook

I don't think any revolution will break out. I used to vacation regularly..err...actually I more or less lived there for a couple years mostly on the pacific side but I have been through the proposed areas for the canal on the Caribbean side. The Caribbean side is where you have the people that feel cheated however the surrounding land will become quite valuable with this project and the influx of money and work will remake the entire area as well as the people probably for the better. The caribbean side is sparsely populated and hard to traverse known as the mosquito coast. If that is what people want there is plenty of coast to locate too they should hang around where they are at first and make their fortunes before leaving.

Sucks because I think it will ruin two of my favorite places on both sides but it was going to happen sooner or later. Ruin as in land will be developed and cities will grow. IMO another Panama City will be there soon which will be good for those already there owning land but I can't stand panama city. Ecologically it could be a disaster but hey it is their country.

originally posted by: Grimpachi

IMO another Panama City will be their soon which will be good for those already there owning land but I can't stand panama city. Ecologically it could be a disaster but hey it is their country.

Except they are having their land stolen for cheap.

a reply to: OccamsRazor04

I take that claim with a grain of salt.

I had read before that the indigenous populations were well compensated. If it is a matter of money then the Chinese will pay to get their canal.

I think maybe the investors are undervaluing the land a little while the locals are overvaluing their land. Looking at the map it looks as though the route they plan to take traverses more land probably because it is cheaper land.

I mean when I went through that area it was barren. Flying over it even it was hard to pick out where it had been settled even with their shiny metal roofs because you could go miles with nothing and no roads.

I doubt this thing will ever go very far. Looks like one big money pit to me and ticked off locals are just a small part of the problems they are going to have with this thing.

originally posted by: Blackmarketeer
There's like 4 canals proposed for Nicaragua, each running through Lake Nicaragua. That lake is pretty much resigned to eco-disaster. The only nation that will benefit from this is China, which will ship even more crappy goods all over the globe.

American Consumers love this!

People are not as important as IPODS.

Peace

a reply to: lostbook

Hmmmmm I wonder if the US would take advantage of the situation.

originally posted by: myselfaswell
a reply to: lostbook

Christ almighty, that's a sea not a canal.

size of 175 miles wide and 500 miles long

Fortunately that's not quite right, 175 miles long and more than 500 yards wide as per your source.

“We are not against a canal per se, we are against a canal that will destroy our lake and water supply, and serve only the economic interests of the Ortega oligarchy and the Chinese,” says Lombardo Fonseca, 48, a local radio presenter and member of the Save Lake Cocibolca campaign.

“People are rearming across the country,” says Fonseca. “The land issue is making people along the canal route rise up to join the New Contras, who are already armed and embedded in the mountains. Together we will do everything humanly possible to stop this canal.”

The above quote from your source along with the details therein regarding the circumnavigation of any credible environmental impact assessment leads me to think this is one massive sh!t storm desperately seeking a fan of equal proportion.

Kind Regards
Myselfaswell

Thanks for that...I had the feeling that I'd made a mistake.....but yeah, China isn't known for caring for the environment in its effort(s) to cut corners....This could very well end up as a huge mess........hopefully not.

originally posted by: Grimpachi
I take that claim with a grain of salt.

I had read before that the indigenous populations were well compensated. If it is a matter of money then the Chinese will pay to get their canal.

I am only going on the article. It also says the government is basically letting the Chinese do what they want, so they are not being made to pay it does not seem.

a reply to: Grimpachi

The 3 gorge damn comes to mind in terms of forced displacement and no regard to the environment.
hell the air quality in some Chinese cities is so bad that if the Olympics were held there the javelin's would get stuck in the sky.

originally posted by: starwarsisreal
a reply to: lostbook

Hmmmmm I wonder if the US would take advantage of the situation.

While this is a conspiracy website it gets old when America is dragged into a conversation where it does not even factor.

Stick with China taking advantage of the situation.

Ooooh! Those nasty Chinese!
I mean, it's not like western nations ever have people thrown off their land for big projects, or simply because the corporations want what is underneath or on top of the place they are living. Nor do they care about environmental impacts.

It also means that China will have a passage route that they will have some control over, rather than relying on one that a US friendly / puppet regime could deny them access to.

originally posted by: Britguy

It also means that China will have a passage route that they will have some control over, rather than relying on one that a US friendly / puppet regime could deny them access to.

And what would China be doing that would jeopardize their ability to use the panama canal?

originally posted by: Xcathdra

originally posted by: Britguy

It also means that China will have a passage route that they will have some control over, rather than relying on one that a US friendly / puppet regime could deny them access to.

And what would China be doing that would jeopardize their ability to use the panama canal?

Or rather, what would the US be doing that would deny the Chinese use of the Panama canal?

At least the Chinese seem to be operating along the lines of trade agreements and other deals, whereas the US track record is one of destabilization and war to get what they and the corporations want. The Chinese model is, one has to admit, a lot less bloody!

originally posted by: Britguy

It also means that China will have a passage route that they will have some control over, rather than relying on one that a US friendly / puppet regime could deny them access to.

Maybe you can back that up with actual evidence about this happening.

a reply to: OccamsRazor04

I didn't say it was happening, but given the hostility and petty mindedness of the US when it comes to anyone else maybe having an upper hand in anything, it's a prudent move.

a reply to: Britguy

So it's not happening, and never happened, but the US would do it. Did the magic 8-Ball say so? You have nothing to back your statement up except small-minded American hatred.

a reply to: Britguy

It would be up to the Panamanian government to deny China use of the canal and not the us.

Bacl to my question -
What would China do that would result in being denied access to the Panama canal?

You raised the point .