What is going on?

[jazrgz]

and also, the fact that Botnia is being allowed to stay sets a precedent. It wont be long until other plants are settled there, pretty soon it´ll be all polluted, it´s terrible to think what can happen from now on (i hope im just exagerating and the river will be still clean in the future, i seriously doubt it though)

 

[dennisr]

The locals are complaining about the pollution, not about the $$$

Some argentinians (as me) are tired of the foreign factories and multinationals destroying our environment and stealing our resourses...

Put yourself in their shoes... Do you want to live with your childrens close to that kind of factory?

Do respect your view and wish it was a perfect world. Please do your part to save the environment and energy; turn off your computer, quit using air conditioners and wipe your ass with something other than paper. And to play "Devils Advocate," please find someone other than "foreigners" to finance Argentina’s debt: $$$. We/you cannot have it both ways: creature comforts. Argentina, always the victim.

 

[fedecc]

Whatever sympathies i may have had for the people of Gualeguaychu it was all gone when they decided to block an international border bridge, a blockade they kept for more that 2 years!!!! No they get no sympathy from me.

As far as pollution, there were countless studies made by both Argentinians and Uruguayan and most of them concluded that the mill didnt generate a significant irreversible pollution, not enough to justify closing the mill. Apparently the ICJ agrees. Ah but im sure they are undercover CIA agents trying to put us noble latin american nations down...

Lets not forget, this hole issue escalated when Nestor Kirchner made it a "national cause", conveniently at the peek of the "asambleistas" popularity. Any rational government would have never allowed a bunch of self righteous citizen to hold an international blockade for 2 years, but such is the logic of populism. Once the asambleistas started loosing popularity the blockade became a problem for the government and they threatened to remove it on several occasions. But I dont really know what they´ll do now, im sure it will be brilliant, another success...

 

[almagestos]

The rule of the Court is very reasonable. The claim of the people of Gualeguaychu was known to be irrational, and their actions criminal. I hope they end the blockade.

Why is reasonable? they don´t live here... I wonder if the houses of the court members are close to that kind of factories or close to polluted rivers...

Besides I think is more irrational that people from polluting and polluted countries are making decitions and agreements about keeping that factories in the unpolluted places...

The court sucks!

 

[SaraSara]

The protesters are wrong to insist that the plant be shut down or "moved". Do they think it's a truck? And if by any miracle it could be picked up and planted somewhere else in Uruguay, that would simply be shifting the pollutants away from them.

What they could -should- insist on is that the plant be upgraded to the cleanest technology available.

Sadly, Botnia's success has encouraged three more European pasteras to build plants in Uruguay. I've already been approached about planting eucalyptus in my place. They bring in a lot of money, but they also ruin the soil and dry up aquifers.

 

[almagestos]

Do respect your view and wish it was a perfect world. Please do your part to save the environment and energy; turn off your computer, quit using air conditioners and wipe your ass with something other than paper. And to play "Devils Advocate," please find someone other than "foreigners" to finance Argentina’s debt: $$$. We/you cannot have it both ways: creature comforts. Argentina, always the victim.

Well, those factories are from Europe, not from Argentina... Do you want argentine factories throwing shit and polluting elements in the rivers of your country?

By the way I respect the enviroment... I use the resourses in a sustainable way

 

[almagestos]

Do they think it's a truck? And if by any miracle it could be picked up and planted somewhere else in Uruguay, that would simply be shifting the pollutants away from them.

Yes, they should plant that factory in Finland or maybe in Holland close to the court...

 

[dennisr]

Well, those factories are from Europe, not from Argentina... Do you want argentine factories throwing shit and polluting elements in the rivers of your country?

By the way I respect the enviroment... I use the resourses in a sustainable way

May I ask why the Argentine Government and the Uruguay Government have not entered into some sort of agreement concerning water quality standards for the discharge of pollutants? It is not for me to tell the Argentine people what they should or should not do, but to suggest that a foreigner is the bad guy in all of this is a cop-out. The company was courted by both governments with the selling point being, low or no water quality standards. Environmental groups and scientists from both sides of the border protested the construction of the mill. They were written off and discredited by both governments. Now all of sudden, local Argentine politicians have found Jesus. Think your outrage should be directed at your own government.

 

[mini]

LA HAYA tribunal (im not sure if that´s how it´s called in english).

The Hague.

Thanks for the summary!

 

[fedecc]

Why is reasonable? they don´t live here... I wonder if the houses of the court members are close to that kind of factories or close to polluted rivers...

Besides I think is more irrational that people from polluting and polluted countries are making decitions and agreements about keeping that factories in the unpolluted places...

Since the desition of going to the court was ours (Argentina), then i guess we are the irrationals.