Justice and Human Rights Brazil Project #13692

Empower Indigenous Brazilians to Save their Amazon

by Asociacion Interamericana Para La Defensa Del Ambiente (AIDA)

Empower Indigenous Brazilians to Save their Amazon

Project Report | Nov 7, 2022
Protecting Environmental Defenders in Brazil

By Marcella Ribeiro | Attorney, Human Rights & Environment

Xingu Indigenous Man / Credit: Christian Poirier

The Belo Monte Dam is the third-largest dam in the world. The dam is located in the northern part of the Xingu River in Brazil and covers 500 square kilometers of forest and farmland. Due to the dam’s operations, the people of the Xingu have lost a main resource of survival, and over 20,000 people have been forced to leave their communities. A similar situation could happen if Belo Sun Mining Corporation is situated in the region. Belo Sun is a gold mine located in Volta Grande, part of the Xingu River, and if put into operations could leech contaminating fluids, employ high quantities of cyanide, and cause acidic waste to reach rivers.

AIDA has been working with local communities and organizations for years to bring visibility to the damage created by the Belo Monte dam to the communities and the ecosystem and amplified why Belo Sun will only destroy the Xingu even more.

The year 2022 is proving very difficult for the communities of the Xingu. Threats and hostilities to defenders opposing the implementation of the Belo Sun mining company have intensified, leading to several security incidents. AIDA is supporting the strengthening of grassroots organizations that accompany the defenders, as well as coordinating networks of allies who are joining forces to deal with criminalization, social marginalization, and direct threats. We assisted defenders in obtaining emergency resources, being removed from the field, and applying for inclusion in the defender protection program.

We have also written a report on the situation of threats against the life and integrity and stigmatization of defenders in the region, which we intend to send to the UN Special Rapporteur on Defenders as soon as there is guaranteed security for the defenders. In the meanwhile, we have submitted, in the Universal Periodic Review of the Brazilian state, in alliance with other organizations, two reports that specify the human rights violations and risks of the project's implementation in the region.

AIDA is working in alliance to counter the criminalization promoted by Belo Sun, and seeking to implement a strategy to combat the demonization of the Public Ministry among communities co-opted by the company, thus fostering unity and forming an organized resistance.

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Jul 8, 2022
Advocating for Indigenous Communities in Brazil

By Marcella Torres | Attorney, Human Rights & Environment

Artisanal miners meeting - credit Maira Irigarai

As part of the Amazon Basin, the Xingu river is a key component of livelihoods, culture and ecosystems in the Northern Region of Brazil. However, it has been threatened by infrastructure developments and extractive activities such as dams and mining. AIDA has been working closely with indigenous leaders and environmental defenders in order to ensure its protection.

Following up on our work to evidence the damage and impacts of the Belo Monte Dam case, we are now working closely with communities close to the Xingu River to protect it from the impacts of a gold mine Belo Sun. This mine is located about 10 km from the Belo Monte dam project. Gold mining possess a significant threat to the health of the Xingu River since the extraction utilizes mercury, a potentially deadly pollutant for water systems.

Environmental defenders denounced several anomalies with the operation license that was received by Belo Sun, especially regarding the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and its faults in fully determining the real impacts this mine could have on the region. AIDA prepared an analysis of the EIA for the project, signaling the anomalies and potential dangers of this assessment and how the mine could really affect the ecosystems that depend on the Xingu River and in consequence, the livelihoods and human rights of those who inhabit the region. This analysis was used by the Public Environmental Defense Office in litigation to stop the operations of Belo Sun, this resulted in a suspension of the operating license. This is a very important first step toward protecting the Xingu River and the Brazilian Amazon, and we will continue to work tirelessly to ensure the protection of these ecosystems and those who depend on them.

However, despite the suspension of the operating license, several environmental defenders and indigenous leaders have been receiving threats for their efforts in stopping this project. AIDA has continued our work with environmental defenders at the site, assessing them on security measures and plans in response to the multiple threats they have received from other stakeholders. We will continue to work on ensuring their safety and giving them the necessary tools for protection.

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Mar 14, 2022
Ensuring State Accountability

By Marcella Torres | Legal Advisor, Human Rights & Environment

Xingu river, photo credit: Nareeta Martin

In December 2021, AIDA held the first working meeting for the Belo Monte case before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). This meeting was attended by Brazilian State officials who failed to explain how they have supported the communities affected by the Belo Monte dam.

AIDA, as representatives of the victims, presented a series of arguments that proved that the State has been failing to comply with the precautionary measures that should protect the indigenous peoples of the region.

As part of the arguments presented we provided evidence around:

Highlighting the existing issues of the consensus hydrograph, a provisional measure imposed by a judge in 2021 that indicated the need to implement it on a decaying energy production during 2021 and before February 2022, and that enough water should be release to maintain life in the river. We showed that the implementation of this plan will generate the death of the Xingu and the traditional way of life in the region.
Calling the attention to the vulnerability of the indigenous territories, which continue to be invaded and have not yet completed their demarcation process.
Mentioning the high deforestation rates since, within the six most deforested indigenous territories in the country, five are in the area impacted by the Belo Monte dam.

During the meeting, the IACHR mentioned the need for the State and the representatives of the victims to enter into agreements to better monitor the situation, and requested more detailed information from the State on the status of compliance with the precautionary measures.

We are confident that it was clear to the IACHR that the State did not comply with these measures, since the State only presented general information without details. Nor did it refute our main allegations of a humanitarian crisis in the area, intense deforestation, and the real risk of the hydrograph plan.

To strengthen our arguments, in February 2022 we sent a written report to the IACHR that substantiates and deepens the allegations made during the working meeting.

AIDA continues to support the communities affected and will monitored the advances of the IACHR recommendations closely.

Links:

AIDA Belo Monte Dam Project

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