Government opposes Aboriginal people request because a 2011 agreement protects water resources without banning exploitation. AFP

• Government ordered to suspend mobile zone epicenter of depression

They struggle against mining project to develop hydroelectric power plants

Panama, Panama (FEB/07/2012)-Panamanian indigenous leaders of the protests against hydroelectric dams and mining in their territories have taken hand of technology, through the social network Twitter to communicate, since the Government ordered the weekend suspended mobile zone epicentre of the crisis.

The general chieftainess of the Comarca Ngäbe Buglé, Silvia career, enabled Twitter account @ caciquegeneral, which constituted the only means to communicate from the paragraph Horconcitos corregimiento, in the Western Province of Veraguas, where it has remained since the start the conflict, January 30 until this afternoon.

“We are initiating dialogue with the Government in the company of Monsignor Lacunza and father Adonaí”, wrote the leader today in his account of the network of 140 characters, which continues to use despite the fact that shortly before noon were restored cellular communications in the area.

“We have decided to reach a dialogue with the Government and hope that on this occasion our demands are fulfilled,” he added in another career message.

The Security Minister, José Raúl Mulino, admitted on Sunday that was ordered to suspend service of cellular telephony in a border area between the Western provinces of Chiriquí and Veraguas, epicenter of the conflict, for reasons of “national security”.

So far, the chieftainess career communication was possible because it leveraged wireless endowed by the Government of the Panamanian President, Ricardo Martinelli, to a public school in the town of Horconcitos, which connected to a Blackberry.

In another message Monday race added that indigenous people expect “to reach an agreement with the Government”, but also that “President Martinelli give face to the Panamanian people”.

The social network has served to enable not only Panamanians who support the protest to express, but also stars of the show as Rene Perez of Calle 13, an interpreter which includes social theme in their songs.

“Force for indigenous Ngäbe Buglé people at Panama… are with you!” Are fighting against a draft mining.. “, replied the Puerto Rican singer career.”

A Government delegation headed by the Prime Minister, Ricardo Fábrega, traveled early this morning to the Chiriqui to engage in dialogue with indigenous leaders with the mediation of the President of the Episcopal Conference and David Bishop, José Luis Lacunza.

Managers of the Coordinating Committee for the defense of natural resources and rights of the Ngäbe Buglé people have also created the account @ cacike1976, from which ordered the protesters stop street protests which have since Monday at several points in the West of the country.

“I repeat: stop all actions, annular harassment, but without neglecting flanks, vigilant and on the defensive, we show who we are!”, said one of the messages, signed by “CBernal”.

The conflict began on July 30 January and so far has caused two demonstrators killed, one on Sunday and another this morning, and nearly a hundred wounded and detainees.

Clashes between police and protesters began Sunday, when anti-riot agents cleared a section of the track inter-American, Chiriquí and Veraguas, blocked by the Indians since January 30.

Indigenous leaders had conditioned the dialogue to the withdrawal of the national police of the area of conflict, the release of detainees on Sunday and the restoration of mobile communications, which are normalized today towards noon.

Indigenous peoples demand a law, that discusses the unicameral Parliament that vetoes mining activities in its region, adding also the ban on developing hydroelectric power.

The Government opposes this by considering that in an agreement reached in February 2011 with the Ngäbe Buglé Indians to settle a similar protest, both parties agreed to the protection of water resources, but in no way prohibit their exploitation.