Frances Leate
CAMPAIGNERS fighting for the right to repair and rebuild their fire damaged homes have moved closer to their goal following a meeting with a leading upholder of citizen’s rights in Spain.
Members of the Phoenix Campaign met with the Denfesor del Pueblo, Soledad Becerril, at the town hall offices in La Cala de Mijas.
Sra Becerril joined campaigners, many of whom have been waiting five months to get the go ahead to rebuild their homes after the Malaga fires last August, in visiting the sites of destruction.
The meeting, described as a breakthrough moment in the campaign by fire victims, included Carmen Marques, the 2nd Deputy Mayor of Mijas and a number of councillors.
Pat Laing, campaign spokesman, said the group is hoping Sra Beceril will put pressure on the Junta of Andalucia.
Ms Laing said: “The meeting went really well. I don’t think there is an equivalent role in the UK; she is pretty powerful and I think we were very lucky to get a face to face meeting with her.”
The issue was recently discussed in parliament and it was unanimously agreed the situation should be resolved as soon as possible.
Alternative Councillor Mijeña-Greens, Juan Porras, said he hoped his vote would help to ‘unlock a situation that affects many people’, while Socialist Party spokesman, Fuensanta Lima, said: “The municipal officers should approach the scattered groups to explain to those affected the process forward
Unfortunately for them there is a “floodgates” argument behind this. If they decide to legalise all the burned out houses so they can be rebuilt, then they may have to legalise all illegally built houses, naves, etc through the entire land. And what about the stuff built on the beach. If you burn it down does it then get legalised so you can re-build it ? It would be perverse to legalise a house simply because is not longer there. We can all have sympathy with the people who have lost their homes, but it is not going to be easy to get this through.
“following a meeting with a leading upholder of citizen’s rights in Spain.”
Such a person exists?!
Citizen’s rights might also include the Right to live in a legally authorised house and not be gradually surrounded by grotty little illegal built houses built on land which was designated as “Green Belt” when you bought your own. It is a very difficult area.
The Olive Press has always been steadfastly AGAINST illegal projects, golf courses, beach buildings and so on, and can link itself proudly with some achievements in stopping them. But here I begin to detect a complete ‘volte face’.
PM I have heard your voice before elsewhere , please leave these people alone. They are victims of the fires , and have been promised so much and received so little . 18000E being one such promise , not received ,
. These so called “grotty little illegal homes have been destroyed and were promised legality .Now they want what a roof over their head. PM. you can i take it sit back and make your pseudo santermonisus remarks safe in knowing you are completely legal . Well let,s hope a new super rail or rd way is not coming your way because if it is you are a victim. legal or not .
My words may seem hard but these people have suffered more much more than you and I perhaps a little compassion not ridicule would be in order . Still your “I am all right jack attitude seems to fit in with the common trend . Pat laing you know me and I am a registered supporter of you. Do not comment , your work for the homeless is tireless and you may yet get what you want , i really hope you do .You have my surport for what it is worth and always will.
pat laing has with the olive press tirelessly fought for the homeless in malaga from the fires .
PM you seem to feel that her cause and olive press is well incorrect,. As according to your statement these homes are illegal and therefore should not be rebuilt.Please correct me if I am wrong .
Yet there is a whole campaign going on to make all these properties legal that’s the ones that did not get burnt down .It also looks like they will get their legality . Yet those that have been burnt to the ground cannot rebuild neither can the ones that need repair . so Pm you are saying well they are illegal and burnt to the ground so that is it finished . but the ones that have not been burnt to the ground fine they stay and get legalized ?
Can I point out to PM, that the aim of the Phoenix group is to seek permission to restore the damaged homes to the condition they were in before the fire, AND THEN follow due process to regularize the properties.We are not asking for our burnt out homes to be legalised at this stage. Our homes are in a newly rezoned area and it is a reasonable expectation, that they would have been regularised, so therefore why should we be disadvantaged by this catastrophe. I feel you do the Olive Press a disservice when you infer that by giving us their support they are supporting illegal endeavours,
when in reality they are only trying to help us in our bid to get back to square one.