Dam Affected People protest in 10 Federal States against the Belo Monte Dam

Protests will go on despite the suspension order for the auction and bidding process

Today (20/4) dam affected people form 10 Federal States protest against the auction for the Belo Monte hydroelectric dam. Activists from social movements, indigenous tribes, environmentalists, rural and urban workers and church groups are participating in the protest. The auction is planned to take place today in the headquarters of the National Electricity Agency – ANNEL in Brasília, however, for the second time in a few days the process was suspended by an order emitted by the Federal Justice of the State of Para which affirms that the project damages indigenous peoples’ rights.

Protests and mobilizations against the project are also planned in various state capitals like Fortaleza, Florianopolis, Porto Alegre, Porto Velho, Belo Horizonte and Belem, in addition to other big cities like Campina Grande in Paraiba and Altamira in Para. Dam affected people from the States of Tocantins and Goias will be participating in the protests in Brasilia. According to Iury Charles from the National Coordination of MAB “the aim is to keep the society alerted in the whole country. The problem of Belo Monte is not limited inside the borders of Brazil but goes beyond, it damages the sovereignty of the people, the dignity of the indigenous and riverine peoples and all the Brazilian society who will pay the bill of this project. The suspension order can be revoked at any moment since there is huge pressure for the process to go on. We are protesting in various state capitals to show that if this auction goes ahead, it will be a crime against the nation´s interests and we will fight it to the end”.

Last week the director of Avatar, James Cameron, participated in the protest organized by MAB and various other movements in the Federal Capital. Cameron declared his absolute opposition to the construction of Belo Monte and presented various arguments to support it including the need for a new energy model for Brazil and the world, the grave socioenvironmental and economic impacts for the region and the traditional populations in particular.

Two consortia are expected to participate in the auction. The first includes the Sate Hydroelectricity Company of São Francisco (Chesf), Constructor Queiroz Galvão, Galvão Engenharia and another six companies. The second consortium includes Constructor Andrade Gutierrez, Vale, Neoenergia in addition to two state companies subsidiaries of Eletrobras: Furnas and Eletrosul.

Regarding the suspension of the auction process, MAB evaluates that “for the big companies interested in the project, its suspension means the loss of a big opportunity to achieve huge profits. It also means a lost opportunity to exploit the natural resources of the Amazonian region which are already depleted in the rich countries of the north. Therefore, knowing that they will not give up easily the idea of this mega-project, we are obliged to continue alerted and constantly mobilized against the construction of Belo Monte and in defence of the Amazonian region”.