Brazilian Environmental Agency (IBAMA) announced yesterday the cancellation of the license for the construction of São Luiz do Tapajós (SLT), a mega dam that had been located in one of the last three major rivers that flow through the Brazilian Amazon. Without this license, the approval process of the mega dam can not advance.
The decision was celebrated by Greenpeace, which convened in recent months to more than half of million people around the world and to reject the megadam São Luiz do Tapajós and pressure from multinational companies like Siemens to take away the project. Having allowed its construction, the damage it caused the environment and people’s lives in Mundurukú, who live in the area, would have been irreversible.
“We the people of Mundurukú, are very happy with this news. We will continue to fight against other dams on our rivers, “said Arnaldo Kabá Munduruku, General Chief Mundurukú.
Greenpeace demands that the Brazilian government completes the territorial demarcation of the people of Mundurukú immediately. “Now that the license has been canceled, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil must recognize their obligation and act quickly to officially demarcate the territory Sawré Muybu” said Leonel Mingo, team member Greenpeace campaigns.
Other Brazilian agencies such as NFI (National Foundation Indian ) and federal prosecutors of the State of Pará IBAMA advised him to cancel the license because the project would displace the people of Mundurukú, violating the Brazilian constitution. Thus, part of the territory of Mundurukú, who is now in the process of being officially recognized as indigenous land would have been flooded by the action of the dam .
