Taistelu joesta

A Finnish company, Botnia, built a cellulose plant in the small town of Fray Bentos in Uruguay. The plant is the first of many foreign factory projects planned in Uruguayan territory, and the investment is the biggest ever in the whole country. Huge eucalyptus plantations, which produce pulp for the plant, are changing the landscape as well as the traditional livelihood of cattle raising. Rural Uruguay is changing into an industrial producer. Adapting to the new situation is easier for those who are employed. Some of the local cowboys, gauchos, live by organizing horse polo games for Botnia's engineers rather than herding cattle. The Botnia cellulose plant is situated on the bank of river Uruguay, which marks the border of Uruguay and Argentina. The plant has provoked a conflict between two countries: Argentina accuses Uruguay of polluting it's water. Local people on the Argentinean side of the river organize huge demonstrations against Botnia plant. The Finns are seen as invaders, just like the Spaniards 500 years ago... (Silva Mysterium)