Society for Threatened Peoples warns about escalating tension at the Belo Monte dam construction site in Brazil

Following the capture of three engineers working for the Norte Energia S.A. consortium of companies (NESA) by the chiefs of the Juruna and Arara tribes, the Society for Threatened Peoples (GfbV) has issued a warning about the gravity of the situation in the Amazon region of Brazil. “The Indians are already suffering the consequences of the initial construction work being carried out on the controversial Belo Monte dam on the River Xingu, despite the fact that work should not really have commenced yet", complained Yvonne Bangert, the Society for Threatened Peoples’ expert on indigenous populations, in Goettingen on Thursday. “There are already some so-called coffer dams blocking the waterways that the natives use to get to Altamira, the local centre for trade, education and health care. The quality of the water has deteriorated and fishing is suffering. Unless the construction companies and the authorities start taking the Indians’ concerns seriously at last, there will be more and more protests.” As recently as June 2012, a group of 300 Indians from nine different communities occupied the site for a period of three weeks.

The Indians captured the three engineers, who were supposed to be conducting negotiations about the waterways leading to Altamira in Muratu in the state of Pará on behalf of the NESA, on Tuesday. Ms. Bangert criticized that “Although a verdict had not yet been reached in several appeals submitted by opponents of the project and 40 preliminary requirements had not been met, building work commenced in March 2011”. “This has deeply embittered both Indian and non-Indian riverside dwellers alike.” The natives demand that all restrictions, such as those concerning the water quality, the sanitary conditions and the protection of Indian territories and the rich natural resources, be complied with.

Both the International Labour Organisation (ILO), whose Convention 169 on the rights of the indigenous peoples of Brazil was ratified, and the Organization of American States’ Human Rights Commission had already admonished the Brazilian government about these shortcomings in the past. Just the day before the engineers were taken captive, the Director of Public Prosecution in Pará had again filed an application for construction work to be halted.

With a peak performance of 11,000 MW (annual average of 4,428 MW) Belo Monte is designed to be the third largest hydraulic power station in the world. About 14,000 members of several indigenous tribes are affected. At least 20,000 people will have to be relocated.