Ibiza to the Limit
For news on the present situation in Ibiza, and information on the actions being taken, please visit the following link: click here.
A bank account has been opened for donations for this cause. A lot of money had to be raised to cover costs of the festival, in spite of the fact that over 300 unpaid volunteers worked for this event, and all artists participated free of charge. The good news is that all those costs have been met!
All money raised from now on will be dedicated to the judicial costs of the legal fight against the destruction planned by those in power. Please give generously if you can, or a small amount if that is all you can afford, the cause deserves. Every penny counts. Ibiza deserves it. We all deserve it, and so do our children, and their children...
This is the account: SA NOSTRA 2051-0197-21-1049024617
Make sure you indicate DONATION
Thank you.
The huge response that has been seen on this otherwise tranquil, conservative little island has not been heeded by its governors. For this reason, many citizens feel that the only chance now of turning things around is for there to be a power change in the next elections, which are coming up in May 2007. With this in mind, but especially with the longterm benefit of the island and the vast majority of its residents in mind, a citizens' initiative was launched on June 3rd, called "Eivissa Pel Canvi", or Ibiza for Change (see manifesto at the end of this page). A lot of work has been done in the last months to create the structure in which citizens can voice their opinions, debate, propose and agree on ideas in order to come up with a political programme and a set of candidates who can be presented for the next elections. How can you participate? You can adhere to the initial manifest, or you can actively work within Eivissa Pel Canvi. To find out more please visit the website that has just been launched: www.eivissapelcanvi.org.
Whether you do participate or not, if you are a registered citizen with the right to vote in Ibiza, please do! Every vote will count this time around, and there really isn't much time left, as the island is suffering a huge transformation in very short time. Four more years of these over-development policies would be fatal. Go to your council and make sure you are registered to vote, and find out where you must go on election day.
To see a collection of images and music, reflecting what has been happening in Ibiza in the last months, please click here: see video. You will get a good idea of the feelings of impotence that invade the many citizens who refuse to sit back and watch the ILLEGAL abuse of people and nature, and who are peacefully but determinedly opposing the outrageous projects the present conservative government is trying to impose.
To connect with the website of the Anti-road Platform (in Spanish and Catalan), please click here: Plataforma
To read fresh news from the horse's mouth, read people's comments and add your own (in Spanish and Catalan), please visit the following link: eivissa confidencial
The following manifesto was presented on Saturday June 3rd in Ibiza, signed by almost 300 citizens (not politicians). It intends to encourage a social and political dialogue that will come up with ideas and proposals in all areas that affect the people, hoping to eventually write up an electoral programme that can be a viable option for all those who wish to change the present situation.
IBIZA NEEDS A CHANGE
The island of Ibiza is at this moment in the middle of an emergency situation, democratically, territorially, economically, culturally and socially. An adequate political response is needed to face the seriousness of the reality that surrounds us. For too many years now, citizens have been suffering a way of doing politics in which those in power are sacrificing our common interests to their personal ones. Residents are witnessing how made-to-measure laws and decrees are created in benefit of a few people and their private companies. We are stuck in a scenario of serious democratic deficit, and of disrespect for the people.
Our island is the victim of a tyrannical bad government which has reached a level of corruption that is leading us to ruin. Important decisions, crucial to our future, are being taken without any consensus, bypassing the law, hiding the truth, and turning arrogant disrespect for those who think differently into a habit.
This is how our leaders understand public service, they believe that public institutions belong to them and that power is theirs by right forever. Furthermore, in this legislature their policies and attitudes have become more and more radical, endangering our territorial and therefore financial future. They have taken a direction which, unless we do something to avoid it, will soon be irreversible.
The local government has approved a development plan (Plan Territorial Insular, PTI) which has required the modification of 10 regional laws in order to apply it, which breaks several basic State laws and does not observe the principles of equality amongst citizens. This new law, the PTI, allows massive construction on the island, recovers the permits to build dozens of new urbanisations on the coast, opening the doors to the destruction of the last areas of coastland that are still unspoilt, and legalizes all the building crimes committed by local councils throughout a lifetime of speculation, despondency and bad government. It implies a model of overcrowded territorial and touristic development, a far cry from the quality and respect for the environment which would assure our future as a competitive holiday destination.
This territorial model finds its complement in a totally disproportionate road model, not adequate to solving the mobility and traffic problems of the island: the airport highway, the second belt around Ibiza Town, and the highway to San Antonio are examples of what we can expect if we continue along this path. The local government has already announced plans to develop the Santa Eulalia road following the same criteria.
Alarmed, we witness how public investment is directed towards exaggerated infrastructures, while sectors such as health, education or social welfare are abandoned and privatised, the region is mortgaged for the next 25 years and there is no serious plan of action to revitalise the tourism sector in ways that could allow us to recover a leading position within quality holiday destinations worldwide.
All of this is accompanied by inexistent cultural policies that neither protect nor consider our diversity nor our language, and which only serve to validate and reinforce the systematic destruction of our rich archaeological, rural and ethnological heritage.
Such arrogance and inefficiency, so many abuses and wrongdoings, have made many people react, and a door to hope has been opened. We are witnessing a social movement without precedent in the history of the Pitiusas Islands. Ibicenco men and women are actively and courageously showing their disapproval to these sectarian and suicidal policies. A large part of the population is saying they have had enough of destruction, speculation, waste and lack of democratic participation.
This social mobilisation requires a fitting political response. Ibicenco society urgently demands a political alternative with a wide social base to face the elections in 2007. This new political option must be unitary, joining up citizen organisations, civic entities and all those people who desire a change and are prepared to take part in it. An option that we hope will count with the participation of left-wing progressive political parties.
Ibiza deserves honest, prepared and efficient political leaders, who fulfil their promises and who look out for the general interests of the population at large. We need trustworthy people, committed to the future of these islands, with credibility, able to generate enthusiasm and who present specific proposals to guarantee the quality of life and economical progress of all citizens.
We believe a real democratic transition is essential, to regenerate public institutions, and we think that this is now possible. We call for a change that will place credible, trustworthy people in decision-making positions who will earn back the trust of the population.
For these reasons we call out publicly for union and mobilisation in order to consolidate a unitary and integrating political option for the next elections in May 2007.
Ibiza, May 2006. www.eivissapelcanvi.org
