“Panama police carry out grievous assault on indigenous dam protesters” 2 Sep 2016

…Panama’s national police left approximately 20 indigenous Ngäbe protesters injured last week in what one medic described as an “absurd and irresponsible act”. The protesters, all residents of Gualaquita, mobilized against the Barro Blanco hydro dam after the project’s owner and operator, Honduran-based Generadora del Istmo (GENISA) began flooding the Tabasará River basin with blessings from the government. It didn’t take long for Ngäbe communities within the basin to suffer the consequences. In the community of Kiad, local road connections were washed away by the flood waters leaving entire families geographically isolated…“The police entered the community and practically every house was ‘fumigated’ with pepper gas…In addition to rubber bullets, birdshot and pepper gas, the attacks involved physical blows and kicking…The result was 20 people injured…” [said Dr. Pardo]…