UN receives denounces of violations caused by Belo Monte

Members of the Working Group that discusses Business and Human Rights of the United Nations (UN) were in Altamira on Sunday (13) to verify the allegations of human rights violations caused by the construction of the Belo Monte hydroelectric plant.

The delegation was composed by Pavel Selvanathan and Dante Pesce, of the UN  Working Group, and Andreas Nathasha and Ulrik Halsteen, visit organizers. They visited the district Independente II in Altamira, where still lives around 400 families in the area that will suffer permanent flooding of the area with the construction of the dam. Initially, this area was ignored by the company Norte Energia, responsible for Belo Monte, the families only became entitled to registration after organized struggles within the Movement of Dam Affected People (MAB). One of the coordinators of the neighborhood, Elane Cristina handed a document with the history and current situation of the district.

“As a result of our visit, we will prepare a report and certainly we will question the company about this situation,” said Pavel Selvanathan.

After visiting the neighborhood, UN members met with representatives of popular movements, indigenous organizations, the Federal Public Defense, State prosecutors, University, tutoring assistance, unions and other entities of local civil society. They have received numerous denounces of violations committed by Belo Monte, as increase of violence, loss of housing, fishing and traditional customs, disrespect for indigenous peoples, among others. Numerous documents were delivered to support the mission report.

The denounces were not limited only regarding the building of Belo Monte. Fred Vieira, of  MAB in the Tapajós region, easter of Pará state, where Amazon forest is still very preserved, presented a dossier on the construction of the Tapajós  Dams Complex and the risks that this construction involves in the lives of indigenous and riverine, small farmers and the environment. Jackson Dias, of MAB from the region of Xingu, spoke about the rights violations perpetrated by the Canadian mining Belo Sun in the region of  Volta Grande do Xingu.

After the meeting, UN officials reported that the denounces will be included in the report that they will elaborate from this visit, with recommendations to the Brazilian government.

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“The Brazilian government is signatory of the document for the protection of human rights and that obligation extends to projects and constructions under state control. Also private companies have pledged to respect human rights, which mean creating procedures to avoid these impacts. Who should judge whether these procedures are being suitable are the victims of these violations,” said Dante Pesce.

The UN delegation was also on Saturday (12) in Mariana (MG), where they witnessed the chaos caused by the rupture of the dam of Samarco (Vale/ BHP Billiton) and will also visit this week Belém and Brasilia.