Solidarity Campaign: Brumadinho

Have you ever imagined suddenly losing your home? And your neighbors too? To see like in a flood the school where you started to learn to write, the square where your first kiss took place and the football field where you constantly put your dreams simply disappeared from the map?Unfortunately, millions of people affected by dams have lived this experience in all the world.

On January 25^th this year, showed us again how dams violently affects people’s lives and how the Brazilian development model favors transnational corporations at expense of local development and the well-being of its population. The breach of the iron ore tailings dams owned by Vale SA, responsible for the Córrego do Feijão Mine, killed at least 320 people, of which 165 bodies were found and 155 are still missing. Most of these victims were workers employed by Vale and residents of Brumadinho. Also as result of the breach 133 people are now homeless.

The community of Córrego do Feijão and Parque das Cachoeiras are most affected by this crime, but contamination by the toxic wastes present in the tailings is causing damage along the Paraopeba River and continues along the entire São Francisco River Basin.

As in 2015, when a similar dam of Samarco (Vale joint venture and BHP Billiton) broke in Mariana/MG, the company (Vale) continues to prevent full diagnosis of the damages, the recognition of the populations affected and the company’s liability for these crimes.

Since the day of the break in Brumadinho, as it did in Mariana, the Movement of People Affected by Dams – MAB (Portuguese acronym) is present in the communities with the affected families, giving support and organizational guidance, based on its 27 years experience of working with populations affected by dams in Brazil.

These families are struggling to guarantee their rights to information, participation in the negotiation processes and for a fair compensation and reparation. The reconstruction of their lives, as well as the revitalization of the entire contaminated ecosystem, must be done from the protagonism of those affected by the dams.

Support MAB to continue working to support families affected by dams!

All funds raised will support the maintenance of the MAB Support Brigades in the Brumadinho region and the São Francisco River Basin. The Brigades provide psychosocial support for families affected by the dams, support their organization so that they do not become Vale’s hostages and can build their guidelines for claiming their rights.

The National Association of People Affected by Dams – ANAB (Portuguese acronym) is responsible for the management of donations and application in the actions developed by MAB. The Association will make available here, every two months, an archive of accounts of the funds received and their use for transparency in the dialogue with donors.

For those who want a receipt for your donation, please contact [email protected], sending the deposit / transfer receipt and personal data (full name, document number, juridical/personal registration number, date of birth and address) The receipt will be forwarded by email. Stay tuned to MAB social networks (instagram: @atingidosporbarragens, facebook: MAB.Brasil and twitter: mab_brasil) for news, updates and information about actions developed throughout the region affected by dams.

MAB is grateful for the solidarity of all those who donated and support our work in the region affected by the dams in Brumadinho/ MG and in the São Francisco River Basin. The struggle of those affected by dams is the struggle of all.

Waters for life, not for death!

#SomosTodosAtingidos