22.07.2008
Farmers paralyse worksite of the Hydroelectric Plant Foz de Chapecó

Around 200 people affected by the Hydroelectric Plant Foz de Chapecó and members of the Movement of Dam Affected People (MAB), have camped and blocked since yesterday (21/7), the entrance of the worksite of the plant, on the division between the States of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul.

According to the Movement, the consortium Foz de Chapecó, formed by the companies Power and Electricity Company of Sao Paulo (CPFL), State Electricity Company (CEEE) and Furnas, has not respected the agreements established in previous meetings. Such agreements were the recognition of the rights of fishermen that were not considered as affected by the dam even though they have lost their means of subsistence and the implementation of projects for the restoration and development of the affected communities which would be approved by the families and executed under their supervision.

The affected people are organizing an assembly in the community Nossa Senhora das Graças in the Municipality Águas de Chapecó on the Day of the Farmer (July 25). According to Ivonei da Luz from MAB “the objective of the assembly is to analyse the current context of farming in the region and its perspectives for the future, in addition to reaffirming the demands of the dam affected people”.

Dam affected people handed in a list of demands to the construction consortium, which includes a meeting with local leaders of MAB.

Contact: +55 (49) 9116 8570