Less than 15 days ago, the recovered CrünShürin farm – Brörán-Térraba Indigenous Territory – turned 6 years old, during that time 6 boys and girls were born who have spent the worst Easter of their short lives. These boys and girls today know that this is their territory, that it is called the “land of deer” (CrünShürin) and that their tears, fear and cough these days have an origin in a deep racist hatred of the former and current usurpers of their lands.
While many people celebrate, rest or meditate, the enemies of recovery generate these fires. Robert Morales, recoverer and affected, assures that “we had not burned our farm for years, on Holy Thursday they burned us outside (on the Inter-American Highway) they saw a person running and then they picked him up.”
Hit-and Run tactic
“Most of the fires have been the same in CrünShürin, they come in a vehicle, the passenger gets out, turn on a fire and gets back in and they escape by car along the Inter-American highway,” says Jorge Sivas. In addition, he remembers that they had another worse fire 4 years ago where they lost all the crops.
The residents estimate that this Easter the arson fires burned 20% of CrünShürin, that is, about 200 hectares of mountain, reforested areas and pastures that are being left for natural regeneration. In these areas it was possible to see deer, wild pigs, birds and a lot of diversity that returned and was already beginning to produce water.
Residents on high alert
They remain vigilant because high temperatures or the disastrous emboldening of the aggressors can start the fire again at any time. In addition, they are preparing to form a fire brigade and train in fire management with a project that they manage to also have a hydrant, because although the firefighters are present, it has little water and limited capacity to control the fire.
Cabécar territory also
Also in the south, the fires caused in China Kichá have affected more than 200 hectares of Cabécar territory so far this year, for the fourth consecutive year affecting the planted areas, springs, forests and wildlife.
The fires have burned almost 80% of the territory, as happened in 2022. Given this, the Faculty of Social Sciences of the UCR and the Socio-Environmental Kiosks Program have joined forces in the initiative “For territories for life donation campaign for China Kichá” that recovers the interest of the China Kichá community to obtain tools, seeds and trees for the revitalization of the territory of China Kichá.
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