The Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva gave approval to the construction of the Belo Monte hydroelectric dam on the Xingú river at the beginning of February 2010. With that the planning intensified and the first phases of construction began.
If the project were to become reality, more idigenous people would go hungry because they are dependent as fishers of the flowing Xingú river. The right of self determination and the voice of the indigenous peole on the river were breached in the planning phase. The environmental impact assesment is incomplete. The excavation of earth and rocks will have ramifications on the scale of digging the Panama Canal. Furthermore e the possible ramifications on humans and animals as well as on the regional ecosystem the Amazon rainforest are far from adequetly researched.
It is certian that the Belo Monte hydroelectric dam would flood ca. 500 square kilometers of rainforest and farmland and with that the destruction of livilhood of many traditional and indigenous communities. It is not clear however what should happen to the 20,000 affected people that would have to relocate. Although or directly because they are vocal against this project they are not included in the planning. Their future is uncertin.
Furthermore a unique ecosystem would be destroyed even though there are pratical and less damaging alternatives like solar and wind energy. Brazil could cut the its energy demand by 40% by the year 2020 through improvements in energy efficiency.
Brazil does not need Belo Monte to secure its energy situation fort he future.
Please support us with your signature on our protest to Brazilian President da Silvia. You can use the form or print out a signature list and send it to our Federal office in Germany. Adress: Gesellschaft für bedrohte Völker, Postfach 2024, 37010 Göttingen
campaign: "Open Letter to the Brazilian President Lula da Silva" 
