The war over the Belo Monte dam rages on. The latest chapter in the controversial construction of the world’s third largest dam is the occupation by indigenous activists and fishermen of the building site, which they have brought to a halt.
40,000 indigenous people will be displaced by the dam and a huge area of pristine rainforest will be flooded, with loss of habitat for countless animals.
The occupation of the project’s earthen cofferdams paralyzed construction works. Indigenous protestors seized the keys of trucks and tractors forcing workers to leave the strategic Pimental work camp on foot.
The protesters say the construction consortium Norte Energia is not observing the terms of an agreement made a few months ago. They say Norte Energia has dammed the final canal of the river without solving the issue as to how to move boat traffic from one side of the cofferdam to the other. This is a legal requirement as specified by the federal environmental agency IBAMA.
According to item 2.6 of the Installation License, the final damming of the river cannot be permitted, nor can the consortium be permitted to interrupt the movement of vessels, until the provisional system providing for the transport of boats across cofferdams is fully functional.
“We are witnessing the devastation of this land. The island of Pimental was completely destroyed, with a sole tree left standing, and the water is putrid,†a protestor said.
This is the second time the dam been occupied in the last few months. According to an Amazon Watch report, the occupation will continue until all the agreements made by Norte Energia have been fulfilled. The fishermen also said they intend to stay indefinitely.
Video: Defending the Rivers of the Amazon, with Sigourney Weaver
Further reading: Anger As Amazon Mega Dam Gets Green Light
