Keith Woolford Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 SINAPROC has sent air and land rescue teams to the comarca Ngobe Buglé where two people are trapped in a vehicle which was caught in a landslide at Kankintu, near Cerro Santiago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted June 22, 2017 Author Share Posted June 22, 2017 (edited) A SINAPROC team has reached the site of the truck and will begin to extract the bodies of the folks, teachers who were traveling to their school in this remote area on Sunday June 18th. Unfortunately, for some reason, they were not reported missing until Wednesday. Edited June 22, 2017 by Keith Woolford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted June 23, 2017 Moderators Share Posted June 23, 2017 Quote Landslide kills two teachers Posted on June 22, 2017 in Panama Post Views: 239 TWO TEACHERS traveling to a remote school in the Ngäbe Buglé region were killed by a landslide that sent their vehicle plummeting 500 feet down a cliff on Sunday, June 18. Multiple specialized units of the The Joint Task Force were called in to locate their vehicle and recover the bodies. Thomas Camargo, 30 and Marta Sanjur 31 were in a very remote area, heading for the Suiche school of zone #7 in the ÑoKribo, District Ngäbe Bugle. In a statement, the Ministry of Education (Meduca), lamented the death of teachers and said it is working with the families of the educators to offer them the help that is required. http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/landslide-kills-two-teachers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted July 21, 2017 Moderators Share Posted July 21, 2017 Quote Protesting teachers and students arrested Posted on July 20, 2017 in Panama Post Views: 178 FOUR TEACHERS and students protesting road and school conditions in the Ngäbe Buglé comarca were arrested by riot police in Horconcitos de San Lorenzo, after they blocked a highway on Wednesday, July 19. The protestors including parents, students and teachers were calling for improvements to schools, roads and bridges to prevent further accidents and deaths of teachers and students in areas of difficult access following the recent road deaths of two teachers. For more than 24 days 500 teachers working in 40 educational centers in the region Ngäbe Buglé region have been on indefinite strike. The teachers’ leader Yadira Pino said that while they were demonstrating riot police began to repress and beat participants. The teachers shouted slogans like “¡ring! Ring Ring! Wake up Varelathis fight belongs to everyone” Deibis Navarro, the teachers’ spokesman said that they closed the Inter-America road because the government had failed to comply with the safety certification, on roads in the region where teachers daily put their lives in danger. The riot police managed to open the road that remained closed for more than two hours, and the protestors were moved to the side. Teachers, parents and students are kept on the side of the Another group gathering in San Felix were pepper sprayed to stop them from closing the highway. http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/protesting-teachers-students-arrested Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brundageba Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 (edited) Monday July 10 we were stuck inside the truck 6 1/2 hours just about 1/2 km from the intersection at Horconcitos. By the time the riot police arrived all fours lanes facing east had advanced forward ( the two active lanes as well the ones closed and under construction). Traffic behind us was as far as the eye can see. We were told that was the case as well on the other side of the protest facing west. Total impasse. On our return back yesterday 7/20 there were at least 20 or more riot police in full gear at the intersection. From the looks of the debris on and beside the road, problems there must be on-going. If that's what it takes that safe roads be made for teachers to drive to remote interior posts, then so be it. Two teachers had the road disappear and were hurled down a steep hillside to be buried under rocks and mud inside there truck where they died. Being a teacher here in Panama does not guarantee an easy assignment. I'm glad to see this protest even though we were inconvenienced 6 hours because of it. Alison Edited July 21, 2017 by Brundageba 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brundageba Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 Here's an observation. When we were stuck 6.5 hours in one place on the highway with the protest, it took about an hour or so and the street came alive as far as the eye could see. Folks were chatting, sharing food and helping one another. The kids from town were selling sodas, water and snacks from the grocery store. The predominant opinion among those inconvenienced was: " I know this makes Panama look bad to others, but these poor people deserve better and this is the only way they feel they can get anything done". What we didn't see was raised fists and an attitude of entitlement among the drivers. Oh sure, as you can imagine some were pretty upset...but generally folks just dealt with it . We had a whole mini bus full of old folks from a nursing home behind us . I took Flossy our dog inside to visit them and provide a pleasant break. Others assisted some of the old people to places where they could urinate and brought them food. The People of Panama are special. This is just one example of why we are glad we chose to live with them here. ALISON 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwoSailors Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 You have a great attitude, Alison. Good for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bud Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 1 hour ago, Brundageba said: Here's an observation. When we were stuck 6.5 hours in one place on the highway with the protest, it took about an hour or so and the street came alive as far as the eye could see. Folks were chatting, sharing food and helping one another. The kids from town were selling sodas, water and snacks from the grocery store. The predominant opinion among those inconvenienced was: " I know this makes Panama look bad to others, but these poor people deserve better and this is the only way they feel they can get anything done". What we didn't see was raised fists and an attitude of entitlement among the drivers. Oh sure, as you can imagine some were pretty upset...but generally folks just dealt with it . We had a whole mini bus full of old folks from a nursing home behind us . I took Flossy our dog inside to visit them and provide a pleasant break. Others assisted some of the old people to places where they could urinate and brought them food. The People of Panama are special. This is just one example of why we are glad we chose to live with them here. ALISON Marcelyn and I had a similar experience many years ago when we were stopped on the InterAmerican Hwy while returning from PC to Boquete. We were there (meaning fairly close to and on the western side of Santiago) for about 3+ hours. Not a thing we or the others could do except to wait for the authorities to deal with it. I wouldn't call it a big highway party, but people did get out of their vehicles, walk around, talk, and food and water started showing up from the locals. Also, the absence of violence or raised fists, etc. Nice to see that people can still act with civility in times of stress. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brundageba Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 When Bill and I were choosing a place to retire, it wasn't anything I read from international Living but a travel article written about the Panamanians who live on the Azuero Penninsula. I don't remember exactly (as it's been awhile) but their good nature , hospitality and kindness I recall being a central theme of the article. I remember showing the article to my husband and saying: "We need to go and live with these people". Well...time passed and I eventually came down myself ( Bill stayed home, working) . When I returned to the USA my report to my husband was...what I experienced of the folks who live in Panama was exactly as described in the article ! It's 10 years now since we moved here and we both can testify that nothing has changed with regard to our impression of the citizen of this country. It has nothing to do with me Two Sailors, it's what I describe as an extra kindness gene that Panamanians seem to have naturally. ALISON 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwoSailors Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 5 hours ago, Brundageba said: It has nothing to do with me Two Sailors, it's what I describe as an extra kindness gene that Panamanians seem to have naturally. ALISON I agree with you totally. I meant your attitude is positive considering how long the protest was going on. You took it for its merits. We know some others would have been all bent out of shape over it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted August 8, 2017 Moderators Share Posted August 8, 2017 Quote Panama teachers clash with police in Chiriqui Posted on August 7, 2017 in Panama Post Views: 252 REPRESENTATIVES of teachers organizations from Panama City and across the country clashed with riot police in Chiriqui on Monday, August 7. The confrontation took place on the Inter-American Highway, near the San Felix junction. They were there to support teachers in the region who are on strike calling for better working conditions in areas of difficult access. Two teachers were killed recently while driving to school in a remote area with bad roads. Eddy Pinto, secretary general of the Association of San Miguelito 2000, said that they went to give support and to ask the State to provide better working conditions “I refer specifically to better classrooms, roads, job security so that educators can guarantee the classes to their students.” he said. Pinto called for the Minister of Education Marcela Paredes and President Juan Carlos Varela, to “attack this situation” and give a solution to the educators in places of difficult access.”The National Union of Educators of Panama (UNEP) will remain on alert until the Government makes a visit to the area because there is a list of requests for teachers with difficult working conditions. Otherwise, we will take other actions” said Pinto. http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/panama-teachers-clash-police-chiriqui Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted August 16, 2017 Author Share Posted August 16, 2017 Forces are out improving access roads to remote areas of the Comarca. https://twitter.com/SecMetas/status/897825285927825408 https://twitter.com/SecMetas/status/897827876652937223 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted August 17, 2017 Author Share Posted August 17, 2017 Protests continue on the PanAmerican highway in the areas of San Felix and San Lorenzo . Some violence has erupted as National Police attempt to keep the roadway clear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted September 11, 2018 Moderators Share Posted September 11, 2018 Moderator comment: I find it difficult to extract news articles from Twitter, but here is a "best effort". This is yet another horrible death of a teacher who worked in the Comarca Ngäbe Buglé. The quoted text below is an automated translation (without editing) of the Tweet. The complete Tweet in Spanish then follows. And finally are extractions of the two JPG images showing recovery and transport of the body. I decided to post this as a reply to an earlier tragic accident also involving teachers in the Comarca. Quote Moments where the body of Master Peñalba is recovered, who was surprised by the water head of the San Juan River in the Comarca Ngäbe Buglé, David Exbure staff and Bugaba a single work team @BCBRP Holy God, how many educators have died in the last few years in areas of difficult access? How many more for q @Meduca_Panama take actions to avoid it? If they are heroes, they should make a funeral as such. Quote https://twitter.com/carmenr53576295/status/1039449427042349056?s=11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted September 13, 2018 Author Share Posted September 13, 2018 Pan American Highway Closure The PanAmerican Highway has been closed intermittently near San Juan for the last 3 days. Indigenous peoples have been protesting there since a teacher died when crossing a river in the Comarca. For the moment it's open while dialogue continues to find solutions for teacher transportation. Security Minister Alex Bethancourt appeared late yesterday and brought an end to the protest, which had begun to become violent. Twelve people were injured, including members of the Policia Nacional. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted September 14, 2018 Moderators Share Posted September 14, 2018 Quote Indigenous people and Panamanian government reach agreement after road protests Fri, 09/14/2018 - 17:25 The Government of Panama and leaders of the Comarca Ngäbe-Buglé reached an agreement today that includes the end of the protests of that population to demand the construction of a highway, and the commitment of the authorities to execute the project soon. "The National Government and leaders of the Comarca Ngäbe-Buglé in Chiriquí signed an agreement today that ends the protests to demand the construction of a 23-kilometer road between the communities of San Juan, Camarón Arriba and Cerro Patena," the Ministry of Security tweeted on Thursday. The indigenous people had lifted on Thursday the blockades of the Interamerican highway that they had maintained since Wednesday, to resume the dialogue with the Government after the clashes last night with riot police that left several wounded. The Secretary of Goals of the Presidency, Jorge González, reported Thursday that there is a road project that is being worked with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). In that sense, the Deputy Minister of Public Works, Erick Velásquez, said that for 8 months this 22-kilometer road project has been developed, and about 16 million dollars have been allocated, and that it is expected that no later than November next it will be tendered. This road is part of the 300 kilometers that are being built in the region, the Secretary of Goals added. After last night's incidents, the government said in a statement Thursday that after "repeated calls to open the Inter-American highway," it decided to launch a police operation "with the minimum use of force" in which at least 9 policemen were injured "as a consequence of blunt objects thrown by the protesters". "We strongly reject the attacks that occurred on Wednesday and will take the necessary criminal measures for those responsible for these events that do not represent the feelings of the residents of these communities," it said. The Panamanian Government recalled in the same statement that "there are works of social interest in process, such as a new school and access roads." The Ngäbe-Buglé comarca, located in the Panamanian Caribbean and one of the five autonomous indigenous territories that exist in Panama, is one of the poorest areas of the country. In Panama there are about 400,000 indigenous people, who represent around 11% of the total population and who are grouped into 7 main ethnic groups: Emberá, Wounaan, Guna, Ngäbe, Buglé, Naso and Bri-Bri. Although the Central American country is one of the fastest growing in the region, the situation of indigenous people is precarious: poverty affects 96.7 percent of the people and chronic malnutrition affects 72 percent of children under five years, according to the latest official survey. https://www.panamatoday.com/panama/indigenous-people-and-panamanian-government-reach-agreement-after-road-protests-7845 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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