This World Cup Victory Goes to… | Amazon Watch
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This World Cup Victory Goes to…

The very real "game" to keep the ball rolling for justice on the Xingú

June 25, 2014 | Maira Irigaray | Eye on the Amazon

This World Cup Victory Goes to…

Justice Now!

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…Brazil! Many predict Brazil will win the 2014 World Cup. Perhaps – as one of the favorites and also the host country, fueled by the perfection of its game – it could win this global tournament.

But when it comes to social justice, Brazil is no winner. I say this from the perspective of a Brazilian human rights campaigner who has struggled on these “fields” with my fellow players for a long time.

The unfair “game” between peoples of the Xingú River and those behind the looming Belo Monte dam has been played with no referee and no rules for over 25 years. Since 2000, when the dam was redesigned and repackaged for Brazil’s political establishment, the government annulled our goals, gave our “players” red cards and scored goals under their own terms.

In spite of this, we kept on playing. We resisted because we believed in the potential power of the game. We believed – and still believe – in playing for social justice even when it all seems unclear, unfair and sometimes even lost.

Last week, we finally won a victory that was not celebrated in the streets, but rather acknowledged by all of those who root for the Xingu! Belo Monte’s dam building consortium Norte Energia was forced to request a one year extension before it can actually begin to generate power. This year delay, and its associated cost overruns, were the result of “all of the times construction was paralyzed because of protests, occupations, strikes and lawsuits.” Demonstrations that Amazon Watch is proud to have been – and continues to be – a major part of.

Whether Norte Energia will receive government approval for this year delay remains a mystery, but the reality is that sometimes change only comes with resistance and persistence!

This victory demonstrates that we need to keep the ball rolling for social and environmental justice on the Xingu. While we “play” this very real “game” alongside the communities and organizations who defend this majestic river, we are also playing for ourselves: for the protection of the Amazon – a biome responsible for 20% of the world’s oxygen and fresh water – and for this incredible planet that we share.

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