Published on: 23 February 2016
Common home: for the rights of the peoples (Amos 5:24)
The construction of dams in Brazil is marked by Human Rights violations, environmental destruction and corruption. The Brazilian government intends to construct up to 9 hydroelectric power plants on the Tapajós basin in Pará. The one in São Luiz do Tapajós, which is in the “tendering” phase, will flood environmental conservation units, part of the Amazon and Jamanxim National Parks, and the Itaituba I and II National Forests. This will cause extensive ecological damage and affect biodiversity. It will also flood indigenous lands, directly affecting their way of life, and that of the traditional river dwelling communities who have lived in the region since 1850.
Through this enterprise, the Brazilian Government is violating – amongst other things – international treaties and the Federal Constitution, since it did not conduct a Free, Prior and Informed Consultation of the indigenous and river dwelling peoples, as laid down in Convention 169 of the ILO and article 231 paragraph 3 of the Brazilian Constitution. For all of these reasons, in defence of LIFE, of ECOLOGY and BIODIVERISTY, SAY NO to the Tapajós Hydroelectric Dams and the destruction of the Amazon. Support the Munduruku indigenous peoples and the river dwellers in their struggle by signing this petition, which will be sent to the Brazilian Government, the Supreme Federal Court, the National Congress, the UN, the OAS, the European Union and other institutions.
The petition:
COMMON HOME, OUR RESPONSIBILITY
“I want to see justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream.” (Amos 5:24)
The responsibility of the Common Home challenges us all to search out sustainable alternatives for generating energy. It is for this reason that, during Lent and in the context of the Campaign for Ecumenical Fraternity (Campanha da Fraternidade Ecumênica: CFE), we are mobilizing ourselves for the Rights of the Tapajós Peoples and saying “No to the Tapajós Dam”.
In most cases, the construction of dams in Brazil does not involve the consultation of the local population or basic sanitation policies. On the contrary, it has a huge environmental impact, does not respect human rights and leads to increased violence. In some cases, the construction of dams also involves corruption schemes.
The Brazilian government intends to construct up to 9 hydroelectric power plants on the Tapajós basin in Pará. The one in São Luiz do Tapajós, which is in the “tendering” phase, will flood environmental conservation units, part of the Amazon and Jamanxim National Parks, and the Itaituba I and II National Forests. This will cause extensive ecological damage and affect biodiversity. It will also flood indigenous lands, directly affecting their way of life, and that of the traditional river dwelling communities who have lived in the region since 1850. Through this enterprise, the Brazilian Government is violating – amongst other things – international treaties and the Federal Constitution, since it did not conduct a Free, Prior and Informed Consultation of the indigenous and river dwelling peoples, as laid down in Convention 169 of the ILO and article 231 paragraph 3 of the Brazilian Constitution.
For all of these reasons, in defence of LIFE, of ECOLOGY and BIODIVERISTY, SAY NO to the Tapajós Hydroelectric Dams and the destruction of the Amazon. Support the Munduruku indigenous peoples and the river dwellers in their struggle by signing this petition, which will be sent to the Brazilian Government, the Supreme Federal Court, the National Congress, the UN, the OAS, the European Union and other institutions.
(Click here to SIGN the petition!)
(Source: National Council of Christian Churches of Brazil – Conselho Nacional de Igrejas Cristãs do Brasil)