Mexico Takes Aim at Mennonite Deforestation
2022-07-26
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1Mennonite farming communities in southern Mexico are becoming a concern for the Mexican government.
2They are clearing areas of the Maya Forest, the largest tropical forest in North America.
3Mennonites are Christians who live a simple life and reject some modern technology, including cars, televisions, radios and other electronic devices.
4Global Forest Watch is a non-profit organization that looks at deforestation.
5It said the Maya Forest is shrinking every year by nearly 900 square kilometers.
6The Mennonites say that expanding their farms to provide a simple life for their families is the will of God.
7Isaak Dyck Thiessen is a farmer and leader in the Mennonite settlement of Chavi.
8He said his people want to be left in peace.
9Mennonites expanded into remote parts of Mexico after first arriving from Canada in the early 20th century.
10Agriculture work is central to their way of life and their religious beliefs.
11The Mexican government once welcomed their farming expertise.
12But the Mennonites' farms are causing environmental problems in the Maya Forest, one of North America's biggest carbon sinks and a home to endangered jaguars.
13A carbon sink is an area with a strong ability to take in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
14When they are not working, Mennonites do not use electricity and other modern technology.
15However, their farming has developed to include machinery like bulldozers and chainsaws to clear land, as well as tractors and harvesters for their crops.
16Mennonites arrived in Mexico's Campeche state in the 1980s.
17In the last 20 years, nearly one-fifth of the state's tree cover has been lost.
18The Mennonites keep an uneasy peace with local native communities.
19The native, or indigenous, Maya communities guard the surrounding forest but also borrow equipment from Mennonites for their own land.
20"With them, we began to have access to machinery.
21We see that it gives us results," said Wilfredo Chicav, a Maya farmer.
22Such access, however, has harmed the Maya Forest.
23Between 2001 and 2018, the three states that make up the forest in Mexico lost about 15,000 square kilometers of tree cover.
24This is driving a shorter rainy season. Less forest means less rainfall capture.
25Mennonites are not the only ones harming the forest. Other groups, including palm oil farmers and cattle ranchers, also carry out widespread land clearance.
26Last August, the government urged Campeche Mennonite settlements to sign an agreement to stop deforesting land.
27Not all the communities signed up.
28Leader Dyck Thiessen and a lawyer representing some communities and farmers said Mennonites felt attacked by the government's efforts.
29Mennonites believe in taking a pacifist approach to conflict.
30Pacifists oppose war or violence as a way of dealing with disputes.
31The lawyer said at one meeting last year, a senior official at the federal environment ministry warned villagers the military could be brought to the area to stop deforestation if the communities did not change their ways.
32Reuters reporters asked the environment ministry about the official's comments.
33The ministry denied talking about using the military, saying the government operates peacefully.
34Carlos Tucuch is head of the Campeche office of Mexico's National Forestry Commission (CONAFOR).
35He told Reuters the government was not only centered on the Mennonites.
36The government, he said, was also looking into other causes of deforestation.
37Campeche's Environment Secretary, Sandra Laffon, said the Mennonites in the state did not always have the right paperwork to turn the forest into farmland.
38The agreement signed last year created a permanent working group between the government and Mennonite communities.
39The group will try to resolve complaints against the Mennonites from other local people.
40Mennonite leaders are seeking a proposal from the government that would not cut their production.
41However, lower production may be something the farmers, including Mennonites, must deal with to protect the environment, Laffon said.
42Dyck Thiessen, the Mennonite leader, does not think the government's proposed methods will be successful.
43Still, he has hope.
44"If the government shuts us down," he says, "God will open for us."
45I'm Caty Weaver.
1Mennonite farming communities in southern Mexico are becoming a concern for the Mexican government. They are clearing areas of the Maya Forest, the largest tropical forest in North America. 2Mennonites are Christians who live a simple life and reject some modern technology, including cars, televisions, radios and other electronic devices. 3Global Forest Watch is a non-profit organization that looks at deforestation. It said the Maya Forest is shrinking every year by nearly 900 square kilometers. 4The Mennonites say that expanding their farms to provide a simple life for their families is the will of God. 5Isaak Dyck Thiessen is a farmer and leader in the Mennonite settlement of Chavi. He said his people want to be left in peace. 6Mennonites expanded into remote parts of Mexico after first arriving from Canada in the early 20th century. Agriculture work is central to their way of life and their religious beliefs. 7The Mexican government once welcomed their farming expertise. But the Mennonites' farms are causing environmental problems in the Maya Forest, one of North America's biggest carbon sinks and a home to endangered jaguars. A carbon sink is an area with a strong ability to take in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. 8When they are not working, Mennonites do not use electricity and other modern technology. However, their farming has developed to include machinery like bulldozers and chainsaws to clear land, as well as tractors and harvesters for their crops. 9Mennonites arrived in Mexico's Campeche state in the 1980s. In the last 20 years, nearly one-fifth of the state's tree cover has been lost. 10The Mennonites keep an uneasy peace with local native communities. The native, or indigenous, Maya communities guard the surrounding forest but also borrow equipment from Mennonites for their own land. 11"With them, we began to have access to machinery. We see that it gives us results," said Wilfredo Chicav, a Maya farmer. 12Such access, however, has harmed the Maya Forest. 13Between 2001 and 2018, the three states that make up the forest in Mexico lost about 15,000 square kilometers of tree cover. This is driving a shorter rainy season. Less forest means less rainfall capture. 14Mennonites are not the only ones harming the forest. Other groups, including palm oil farmers and cattle ranchers, also carry out widespread land clearance. 15Last August, the government urged Campeche Mennonite settlements to sign an agreement to stop deforesting land. 16Not all the communities signed up. 17Leader Dyck Thiessen and a lawyer representing some communities and farmers said Mennonites felt attacked by the government's efforts. 18Mennonites believe in taking a pacifist approach to conflict. Pacifists oppose war or violence as a way of dealing with disputes. 19The lawyer said at one meeting last year, a senior official at the federal environment ministry warned villagers the military could be brought to the area to stop deforestation if the communities did not change their ways. 20Reuters reporters asked the environment ministry about the official's comments. The ministry denied talking about using the military, saying the government operates peacefully. 21Carlos Tucuch is head of the Campeche office of Mexico's National Forestry Commission (CONAFOR). He told Reuters the government was not only centered on the Mennonites. The government, he said, was also looking into other causes of deforestation. 22Campeche's Environment Secretary, Sandra Laffon, said the Mennonites in the state did not always have the right paperwork to turn the forest into farmland. 23The agreement signed last year created a permanent working group between the government and Mennonite communities. The group will try to resolve complaints against the Mennonites from other local people. 24Mennonite leaders are seeking a proposal from the government that would not cut their production. However, lower production may be something the farmers, including Mennonites, must deal with to protect the environment, Laffon said. 25Dyck Thiessen, the Mennonite leader, does not think the government's proposed methods will be successful. 26Still, he has hope. 27"If the government shuts us down," he says, "God will open for us." 28I'm Caty Weaver. 29Cassandra Garrison reported this story for Reuters. Matthew Caputo adapted it for VOA Learning English. 30_________________________________________________________________ 31Words in This Story 32deforestation - n. the act or result of cutting down or burning all the trees in an area 33remote - adj. far away, distant 34access - n. a way of being able to use or get something 35rancher -n. a person who lives or work in a large farm 36approach - n. a way of dealing with something 37pacifist - n. someone who believes that war and violence are wrong and who refuses to participate in or support a war 38What do you think of deforestation? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.