THE SECRET ACCOUNTS OF A BANANA ENCLAVE

F o r o

is a publication for the dissemination of opinions and information of the Foro Emaús and its member organizations.Editor: Tomás SaravíTranslator: Felipe Montoya Photography credits:
H. Buschor, Hernán Hermosilla, Richard May, Alvaro Rojas

The texts of Carlos Luis Fallas were taken from the book "Mamita Yunai", Editorial Costa Rica, 1986.The texts of David Maradiaga were taken from the poetic anthology "Dejen al Sol Brillar" AECO-AT/Grupo Hechos y Palabras, 1992.

CONTENTS

• INTRODUCTION
• MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS OF THE FORO EMAUS
• "THE SOCIO-ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS OF BANANA PLANTATIONS IN COSTA RICA" by Gerardo Vargas, Director of the Social Pastorate of the Diocese of Limon and Coordinator of the Foro Emaús.
• "THE HISTORY OF THE FORO EMAUS: A GRASS ROOTS AND ECUMENICAL STRUGGLE FOR THE DEFENSE OF LIFE" by Hernan Hermosilla of the Foro Emaus.
• "REPRESSION IN THE ATLANTIC ZONE OF COSTA RICA" by Gilbert Bermúdez Umaña and Ramón Barrantes Cascante for the Banana Workers Unions Coordinator
• "THE MESSAGE OF SOLIDARITY OF EUROBAN: OUR RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEMS AROUND THE BANANA INDUSTRY" by EUROBAN Secretariat
• "SAD RECORD FOR LIMON: BANANAS THAT POISON" by Marvin Amador of the Costa Rican Ecological Association and Friends of the Earth (AECO-AT).
• "TWO ECONOMIES COME FACE TO FACE: BANANA PLANTATIONS TRANSFORM THE LANDSCAPE" by Gerardo Alfaro, Fundación Güilombé
• "THE PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPHYXIATION OF THE WORKERS: TRAPPED WITHOUT EXIT?" by Marlene Castillo Jiménez
• "A PHENOMENON OF OUR TIMES: THE LIFE OF MIGRANTS" by Jeanette Vargas Quesada of the Social Pastorate of the Diocese of Limon
• "THE STRUGGLE OF THE WOMEN OF LIMON: FROM SILENCE TO WAILING" by Erlinda Quesada, Coordinator of the Commission for the Recognition and Promotion of Women, Diocese of Limón
• "TRANSNATIONAL COMPANIES AND GOVERNMENTS AGAINST THE PEOPLE: THE STRUGGLE OF SARA DE BATAAN" by Roy H. May, Professor at the Latin American Biblical University
• "A PRODUCTIVE ALTERNATIVE FOR A NEW BEGINNING: THE ORGANIC BANANA" by Javier Bogantes of the Fundación Güilombé
• "THE CERTIFICATION OF ORGANIC PRODUCTS: NATIONAL AGENCIES SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED" by Cileke Comanne and Javier Bogantes of the Fundación Güilombé.
• "NEW SOCIAL FUND RENDERS FRUITS: QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE BANANA PLANTATION ZONES" by Omar Salazar Alvarado of the Social Fund of the Costa Rican Fund for Microprojects (FOMIC)

INTRODUCTION

"A LONG HISTORY OF EXPLOITATION" In these pages, the Foro Emaús synthesizes aspects of the problems of the banana industry that are often ignored now is a decisive moment of the struggles of the banana workers of the Costa Rican Atlantic Coast.The campaigns carried out by transnational companies and their local agents against this sector, attempt to hide the problems around health, cultural, social, economic, labor, and environmental issues, such as the daily poiso-nings,and the repressive system that pretends to squash the workers and to deny communities the right to life. As a backdrop, the prophetic and combative considerations of Carlos Luis Fallas, the unforgettable Calufa, show with a raw prose the long history of exploitation initiated by the United Fruit Company. After reading the reflections and the analyses presented here nobo-dy can ignore the true story behind the curtains of this cruel history.

MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS OF THE FORO EMAUS:

Asociación Ecologista Costarricense-Amigos de la Tierra (AECO-AT) (Costa Rican Ecologist Association-Friends of the Earth), 223-3925Asociación Nacional de Empleados Públicos (ANEP) (National Association of Public Employees), 222-8360Asociación Pro-Desarrollo y Ecología (APDE) (Pro-Development and Ecology Association), 758-2233Asociación Servicios de Promoción Laboral (ASEPROLA) (Services and Labor Promotion Association), 285-1344Corporación Educativa para el Desarrollo Costarricense (CEDECO) (Educational Corporation for Costa Rican Development), 240-5866Centro Teológico Bautista Caribe (Caribbean Baptist Theological Center), 798-4703Asociación para la Conservación y el Desarrollo de los Cerros de Escazú (CODECE) (Association for the Conservation and Development of the Mountains of Escazú), 228-0183Coordinadora de Organismos no gubernamentales con Proyectos Alternativos de Desarrollo (COPROALDE) (Coordinator of non-governmental organizations with Alternative Development Projects), 226-7283Comite Ambiental Barrio El Molino, Guápiles (Environmental Committee Barrio El Molino, Guapiles), 710-6397Coordinadora de Sindicatos Bananeros (Banana Workers Unions Coordinator), 256-5225Fondo de Microproyectos Costarricense (FOMIC) (Costa Rican Fund of Microprojects), 227-9082Iglesia Luterana Costarricense (Costa Rican Lutheran Church), 226-6618Fundación Güilombé (Güilombe Foundation), 224-1770Instituto Centroamericano de Asesoría Laboral (ICAL) (Costa Rican Advisory Institute of Labor), 283-8740Fundación Nairí (Nairí Foundation), 229-2767El Productor R.L. (The Producer R.L.), 255-0729Universidad Biblica Latinoamericana (Latin American Biblical University), 233-3830Sindicatos de Trabajadores de la Universidad Nacional (SITUN) (National University Workers Union), 238-0986Comisión de Valoración y Promoción de la Mujer, Diócesis de Limón (Commission for the Recognition and Promotion of Women, Diocese of Limon), 768-8276Comisión Diocesana de la Pastoral Social, Diocese de Limón (Diocese Commission of the Social Pastorate, Diocese of Limon), 768-8276Unión Nacional de Empleados de la Caja y la Seguridad Social (UNDECA) (National Union of Workers of the Social Security System), 233-6538Asociación Ambientalista La Cuenca, Sitio Mata, Turrialba (Environmentalist Association of La Cuenca, Sitio Mata, Turrialba), leave messages at 531-1054Asociación Voces Nuestras (Our Voices Association) 224 86 41

 

Foro Emaús, Tel/Fax: 768-8276P.O. Box 106 SiquirresLimón, Costa Rica E-Mail: foremaus@sol.racsa.co.cr

For the Ecology and Human Rights in the Atlantic Zone

The general goal of the Foro Emaus is to develop and carry out a participatory strategy of action and education before the responsible entities of the banana industry in Costa Rica and internationally, with the aim of fighting for humanizing and reducing the negative impacts of the banana industry on health, social justice and the environment.