The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (a division of the Organization of American States) has ordered Panama to immediately halt all action on three dams planned for the Changuinola River. The dams have been threatening indigenous Ngobe and Naso communities, as well as the World Heritage Site of La Amistad Biosphere Reserve.

The Chan-75 Dam was already under construction by the Panamanian government and subsidiary of the U.S.-based AES corporation.

The injunction is only preliminary, so that indigenous communities can be protected from further harm until the Commission comes to a final decision on their petition to have the dams canceled outright. The  Commission has given the Panamanian government 20 days to report on what action it is taking to comply with the order.

Work on the Chan-75 Dam began two years ago with the bulldozing of farms and houses. Indigenous protests have repeatedly been met with beatings, arrests and even paramilitary attacks.

Anti-Bonyic signs in Naso territory