Hotline
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FIAN International Secretariat
P.O. Box 10 22 43
D-69012 Heidelberg
Tel: + 49 .6221 653 0030
Fax: + 49 .6221 830 545
email: [email protected]
http: www.fian.org
06.06.2005
Brazil: Construction of Dam will affect approximately 20,000 people on the banks of the river Tocantins
More than 5,000 peasant families, approximately 20,000 people, amongst them rural workers, Afro-Brazilians
and indigenous people, will be affected by the construction of the Estreito dam, on the River Tocantins,
between the municipalities of Estreito and Aguiarnópolis. The destruction will extend to the municipalities of
Aguiarnópolis, Babaçulândia, Barra do Ouro, Darcinópolis, Filadélfia, Goiatins, Itapiratins, Palmeiras do
Tocantins, Palmeirante e Tupiratins, in the state Tocantins, and Carolina and Estreito, in the state of Maranhão.
Beyond the impacts on the families, who will be deprived of their access to land, the Estreito dam will provoke
irreversible social, environmental and scenic alterations. Such impacts will harm the development of the
ecological tourism in the region, one of the best economic alternatives for the local population. Please, send this
letter to the President of the IBAMA (Brazilian Institute of the Environment and the Natural Renewed
Resources), Marcus Barroso Barros, as soon as possible, with a copy to the Minister of the Environment,
Marina Silva. Please inform the Land Commission of Araguaia Tocantins, too.
Profile
The Estreito dam is planned for a total power of 1,109.7 MW. Its reservoir will flood 434 km². The companies
within CESTE (Consórcio Estreito Energia), in which TRACTEBEL is the largest shareholder, in partnership
with other private companies (ALCOA, BHP Billiton, Votorantim and Vale do Rio Doce), have played a
scandalous role with the purpose of obtaining from the IBAMA the license for the construction of the Estreito
dam. The construction of this dam will evict thousands of people from their lands, causing the displacement of
over 5,000 families, some 20,000 persons. It will also provoke irreversible social, environmental and scenic
damage.
The current biological imbalance in the fauna due to previous constructions of dams on the river Tocantins will
worsen, since the interference in the reproduction cycle of fish will increase and the diversity of fish species
used by the indigenous communities to feed themselves will diminish. The entrepreneurs themselves recognize
that there will be changes in the water quality and in the climatic conditions of the region, which has a direct
impact on the farming activities and puts an end to the ritual culture of the Krahô indigenous people in Bacuri,
Rio Vermelho and Krintu, living on the banks of Rio Vermelho , an affluent to the river Manuel Alves Grande.
Moreover there will be a direct interference with the cultural practices of the communities, due to the severe
reduction of fish species, as, for example, the Tep Arkwá or the Tep Teré, used to supply the main popular
festivities. For all these reasons, the construction of the dam will mean the violation of the right of these
peoples to adequate food, recognized in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. In
addition, the pressure on the indigenous lands of the Krahô and Apinajéwill increase, as many workers will
come to the region to work in the construction. This will lead to an increase in illegal occupations and hunting
in these areas, thus harming the integrity of the community and its natural resources. Moreover, the extended
contact with non-indigenous persons resulting from the flow of workers coming to the region will account for a
higher number of illnesses, also sexually transmissible illnesses.
Besides exerting pressure on the indigenous areas and on the biodiversity of the cerrado (open pasture areas of
transition to the Amazonian forest), this large project will also render futile the efforts of current projects
developing a sustainable exploitation of the natural resources in the cerrado. The communities and
organizations involved are preparing economic, job creation and income alternatives for the "peoples of the
cerrado" –indigenous people and small producers–, thus contributing to the environmental conservation to the
creation of a new development model, non-predatory and sustainable. In addition, alternative energy sources,
such as wind, solar, tidal and geothermal energies, or biomass energy (biogas of sugar cane, straw of rice,
gasification of wood, of domestic garbage, among others) should become a strategic alternative at a short and
medium term, in order to have renewable and sustainable energy options without adverse social impacts.
The mandate of FIAN
In the light of the facts above mentioned, FIAN emphasizes that the Brazilian State assumed the international
legal obligations to respect, protect and fulfil the human right to feed oneself. The International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, to which Brazil is a State Party, establishes that the authorities have the
obligation to respect and protect the right of the indigenous communities and peasant groups to access land.
The ancestral lands of indigenous groups are protected under ILO conventions. There is a threat of massive
violations if the Estreito dam is constructed.
End of Action: August 6, 2005
Adresses
Marcus Barroso Barros, Presidente do
IBAMA
SCEN Trecho 2 - Ed. Sede - Cx. Postal
nº 09870 - CEP 70818-900 - Brasília-DF
FAX: +55-61 322-1058
E-mail: [email protected]
Cópias para: Marina Silva, Ministra do
Ministério do Meio Ambiente
Esplanada dos Ministérios, Bloco "B", 5º
andar , 70068-900 - Brasília – DF
Fax: Fax: +55-61 400911756
E-Mail: [email protected]
CPT – Araguaia Tocantins
Rua Porto Alegre 446
Bairro São João
77813-650 – Araguaína – TO
Fone: +55-63-34123200
E-Mail: [email protected]
Translation of the letter proposed:
Honorable Mr.President,
I am very concerned about the impacts that the planned Estreito dam, on the River Tocantins, between the
municipalities of Estreito and Aguiarnópolis, will have on the living conditions of thousands of people from the affected
municipalities. This construction will cause, amongst others, the displacement of more than 5,000 families, approximately
20,000 people. It will also provoke irreversible social, environmental and scenic alterations. I was also informed that the
companies within CESTE (Consórcio Estreito Energia), where the TRACTEBEL is the greatest shareholder, in partnership
with other private companies (ALCOA, BHP Billiton, Votorantim and Vale do Rio Doce), have played a scandalous role
with the purpose of obtaining from the IBAMA the license for the construction of the Estreito dam .
I am writing to you, Honorable President, because Brazil is a State Party to various UN International Treaties on
Human Rights, through which it assumed the international legal obligation to protect and respect the right to land and the
human right to food of the people, in particular of the peasants and indigenous families. According to the UN document,
"the obligation to protect requires that the State take measures against companies or individuals that will deprive other
individuals of their access to the adequate food". Thus, the impacts of the construction of the Estreito dam are not in
accordance with the human rights treaties signed by Brazil.
I have heard that the construction of hydropower plants in Brazil implied in various cases, such as Cana Brava e Irapé, massive
violations of human rights, without the state authorities taking effective action defending and protecting the affected families. Due to
the social and environmental impact that the construction of the Esteito dam will have and according to the international
treaties ratified by the Brazilian State, I respectfully request from your Your Honor
That the Brazilian State, through the Ministry of the Environment and the IBAMA, does not grant the release
of the license for construction of the Estreito dam.
Please, keep me informed about the measures you have taken.
Respectfully
Marcus Barroso Barros
Presidente do IBAMA (Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis)
SCEN Trecho 2 - Ed. Sede - Cx. Postal nº 09870 –
CEP 70818-900 - Brasília-DF
FAX: (61) 61 322-1058
E-mail: [email protected]
Excelentíssimo Presidente,
Estou muito preocupado com os impactos que a implantação da Usina Hidroelétrica de Estreito, no Rio
Tocantins, entre os municípios de Estreito (MA) e Aguiarnópolis (TO), causará nas condições de vida de
milhares de pessoas dos municípios atingidos, causando dentre outros o deslocamento de mais de
5.000 famílias, ou seja, aproximadamente 20.000 pessoas. Também provocará alterações sociais,
ambientais e cênicas irreversíveis. Também fui informado de que as empresas através do CESTE
(Consórcio Estreito Energia), onde a TRACTEBEL é a maior acionária, em parceria com outras
empresas privadas (ALCOA, BHP Billiton, Votorantim e Vale do Rio Doce) têm desempenhado um
papel escandaloso com a finalidade de liberar a Licença Prévia junto ao IBAMA.
Tomo a liberdade de escrever a Vossa Excelência, pois o Brasil é Estado Parte de diversos Pactos
Internacionais de Direitos Humanos da Organização das Nações Unidas (ONU) e, desta forma,
assumiu compromissos no âmbito do direito internacional de proteger e respeitar o direito humano à
alimentação e o acesso à terra dos povos, em especial das famílias camponesas e indígenas. Segundo a
ONU, “a obrigação de proteger requer que medidas sejam tomadas pelo Estado para assegurar que
empresas ou indivíduos não privem outros indivíduos de seu acesso à alimentação adequada”. Ou
seja, os impactos da construção da UHE de Estreito não estão em consonância com os tratados de
direitos humanos assumidos pelo Brasil.
Temos conhecimento que a construção de hidrelétricas no Brasil, em vários casos, como por exemplo,
Cana Brava e Irapé, têm provocado massivas violações de direitos humanos, sem que exista uma ação
efetiva do poder público para a defesa ou proteção dos direitos das famílias atingidas. Em razão dos
impactos sociais e ambientais que a construção da Usina de Estreito causará e em função dos acordos
assumidos pelo Estado brasileiro no âmbito do direito internacional, solicito respeitosamente que
Vossa Excelência adote a seguinte medida, para evitar mais violações dos direitos humanos:
Que o Estado Brasileiro através do Ministério do Meio Ambiente e do IBAMA não conceda
a liberação da licença de instalação da Usina Hidroelétrica de Estreito.
Por favor, mantenha-me informado das medidas que forem tomadas.
Respeitosamente