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07-11-2017, 05:18 PM
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In Spain, 1,000-year-old court settles water disputes
VALENCIA, Spain: Eight men in black robes, sitting in a circle on chairs in the street outside a cathedral look on, stony-faced, as a bailiff calls the accused. They form the water court of Valencia, a millennial institution in Spain.
In just a few minutes and without any paperwork, this tribunal settles irrigation conflicts that erupt in the fertile plain that surrounds Valencia, Spain’s third largest city, a Mediterranean region of orchards. UN cultural body Unesco has included the court -- which bills itself as “the oldest institution of justice in existence in Europe” -- on its list celebrating the world’s “intangible cultural heritage” which deserves protection. The tribunal’s existence dates back at least to the 10th century when this region was ruled by Muslims and the Gothic cathedral where the tribunal meets today was a mosque. It deals with cases of stolen water, a precious resource in drought-prone Spain, or disagreements over the interpretation of rules managing the irrigation system. disputes can happen at any time of the year but they are more frequent during droughts when special rules governing irrigation are imposed and “supervision is enforced to control the availability of water,” said historian Daniel Sala, an expert on the water Court. One recent case was brought forward by Vicent Marti, who has operated an ecological farm for over 30 years. He turned to the tribunal after **ticing that the water arriving at his farm was polluted with traces of cement and paint thrown into the irrigation system by workers re**vating a neighbour’s house. After hearing both sides, and a brief debate among the tribunal members, the president of the court an**unced that Marti’s neighbour was at fault. Following tradition, he indicated his acceptance of the ruling by saying “correct” and was later fined 2,000 euros. “I felt bad reporting it because we are neighbours, but I did **t have much choice,” Marti told AFP. His farm produces ecological produce, which is subject to strict quality controls, and the “survival” of his business was at stake, he added. The court in its current form is made up of eight members, all of them men, who are elected by the roughly 10,000 farmers who use the irrigation system set up in the plains around Valencia. أكثر... ??????? ??????: In Spain, 1,000-year-old court settles water disputes || ??????: ahlam1399 || ??????: اسم منتداك
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