The National Rapporteur for the Human Right to the Environment, of the Brazilian Platform for Economic, Social and Cultural Human Rights recommended that the Federal Government should annul a prior license for building the Santo Antonio and Jirau hydroelectric power plants on the Madeira river, in the state of Rondônia. A preliminary report recommending that the auction for building the Santo Antônio plant should also be annulled was presented yesterday, April 23, to different government agencies in Brasília.

 

The document poits out certain illegal procedures and lack of respect for fundamental human rights during the process for licensing the hydroelectric power plants, including the fact that the Madeira river watershed was not covered by the studies on environmental impacts which were carried out. As a result, the likely impacts of these projects on other Brazilian states and on the Bolivian territory have not been evaluated.

 

The report also stressed that analyses on low-impact energy production alternatives have not been made. In addition, the right to health was disregarded, since the project can pose threats such as the risk of increased mercury contamination and malaria proliferation.

 

Isolated indigenous peoples under threat

The violation of indigenous peoples’ rights was one of the issues highlighted by the Rapporteur. The preliminary document recalled that the Environmental Impact Studies (EIAs) on the projects indicated that conflicts and invasions of indigenous territories may increase significantly. According to the EIAs, 1,089 indigenous people from seven different lands will be affected. One of the points made in the report is that the analysis diagnosed only land-related issues and failed to discuss impacts in greater detail. Besides, the EIA did not take into account the situation of uncontacted indigenous peoples that may be affected by the projects. About 3 or 4 uncontacted indigenous peoples live in the area where the projects will be carried out.

 

Yesterday, during the presentation of the preliminary report, the Director for Land Affairs of the National Foundation for Indigenous People (Funai), Maria Auxiliadora, said that Funai has been focused on identifying these indigenous peoples, since the Agency considers that it is possible that there are uncontacted peoples in the region. 

 

 

 

 

 

It was also recalled during the presentation that the indigenous peoples’ right to prior and informed consultations was disregarded since back when the licensing process began.

Convention 169 of the International Labour Organisation provides recommendations on how these indigenous peoples are to be consulted but such recommendations have not been complied with.

 

In order to prepare the preliminary document, the rapporteur Marijane Lisboa went to the state of Rondônia and remained there between November 15 and 19, 2007. During this period, she met with riverine populations which may be affected by the projects, indigenist organizations, communities affected by other hydroelectric power plants built in the region and state, federal and municipal public agencies. She also met with a delegation made up of peasants and Bolivian indigenous people who are worried about the risks that future hydroelectric power plants can pose to their lands.

 

Yesterday, representatives of the Ministry of Mines and Energy, of the National Land Reform Institute and of the Brazilian Institute for the Environment also met with Marijane. They took on the commitment to refer considerations on the proposed recommendations to the competent authorities. After these authorities respond, Marijane will conclude the final report.