Environment News Service | In a struggle between a Brazilian indigenous tribe and the federal government over two dams that would flood lands claimed by the tribe, a federal judge has ruled that the government must immediately publish its report delineating the tribe's territory that has been withheld for more than a year.
Tapajos
Defying Brazilian Government, Indigenous Group Proceeds with Demarcation of Amazonian Territory
Munduruku people "auto-demarcate" lands threatened by Tapajós River mega-dams
Rio de Janeiro – In response to the Dilma Rousseff government's failure to recognize indigenous rights to lands scheduled for flooding by two mega-dam projects, the Munduruku people have taken the extraordinary measure to demarcate their own territory.
Guardians of Life: The Indigenous Women Fighting Oil Exploitation in the Amazon
Washington Post | Felipe Jacome's set of photos Amazon: Guardians of Life documents the struggles of indigenous women defending the Ecuadoran Amazon through portraits combined with the powerful written testimonies.
Brazil's Tapajós River Dam Complex: Lessons from the Failures of Belo Monte
Development Progress | Given the growing scrutiny of Brazil's dam-building boom, the Tapajós River is now a key battleground in the global debate on the true costs of our development model and its fate could determine the future of the Amazon region.
Amazon in Focus 2014
Plus Our Annual Financial Report for 2013
We stand at a critical moment in history. Amazon Watch is facing this challenge with great resolve and creativity. We are a powerful community and without you and your support, none of our work would be possible.
Amazon Watch is building on more than 25 years of radical and effective solidarity with Indigenous peoples across the Amazon Basin.
Brazil's Proposed Mega-Dam Auction Provokes Outrage, Indigenous Fight
Indian Country Today | When Brazil announced plans September 12 to build a new dam on the Tapajós River, they violated their own legal requirements to comply with a process of free, prior, and informed consultation with threatened indigenous and traditional communities.
Brazil Waffles on Indigenous Rights and Dams in the Amazon
If the Belo Monte disaster set a grim paradigm for human rights and environmental protection in the Amazon, then the manic race to dam the nearby Tapajós River confirms that the Brazilian government will stop at nothing to produce energy at any and all cost.
Amazon Women on the Frontlines of Climate Change
A selection of photos from Amazon Women on the Frontlines of Climate Change, a traveling photography exhibit with written and live testimonies from indigenous women leading solutions on the frontlines of the Amazon as the region confronts the impacts of climate change.
Brazil Reverses Approval of Concession Auction for Tapajos Hydro Project
HydroWorld | A day after a complaint by environmentalist lobbying groups, Brazil's mines and energy ministry revoked its approval of a concession auction to develop the Tapajos hydroelectric project on Brazil's Tapajos River.
Brazil Suspends Auction for Tapajós Mega Hydro
BNamericas | The Brazilian government has suspended the auction of the 6.1GW São Luiz do Tapajós hydroelectric plant earmarked for December. The announcement comes a day after environmental lobby group Amazon Watch accused Brazil of "flouting" international law by failing to properly consult local communities about the project.
Brazil's Announcement to Auction New Amazon Mega-dam Provokes Outrage
Plans to build new dam on the Tapajós River flout legal requirements for consultations with threatened communities
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – In a precipitous move last Friday, Brazil's Ministry of Mines and Energy set December 15th as the date to auction the construction of the massive São Luiz do Tapajós hydroelectric dam, the first in a series of large dams slated for construction on the Tapajós River, one of the Amazon's largest tributaries.
Amazon Tribe Fights Brazil Dam Project
BBC News | Over the last few months some 13,000 Munduruku have been protesting against government plans to build a series of hydroelectric dams that will flood part of their land on the upper reaches of the Tapajos river.
Tensions Rise on the Tapajos River
Peaceful Mundurukú gathering met with brutality
As the Brazilian government ramps up reckless plans to build another mega-dam complex – this time on the Amazon's Tapajos River – tensions reached a fever pitch last week with a hate-driven mob raining violence on a peaceful protest gathering of Mundurukú people.
Brazilian Judicial Abuses Questioned on Anniversary of Military Coup
Human rights commission hears case questioning state use of dictatorship-era legal device
Washington, DC – Marking the 50th anniversary of Brazil's military coup, Brazilian community representatives and their legal advocates questioned President Dilma Rousseff's administration last week at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights over its flagrant use of a legal mechanism that dates to the country's dictatorship.
Indigenous Leader Condemns Brazil's Rights Abuses at United Nations
Speakers highlight violations stemming from Amazon dams at Human Rights Council
Geneva, Switzerland – In a groundbreaking event at the 25th United Nations Human Rights Council, the national coordinator of Brazil's Association of Indigenous Peoples Sônia Guajajara exposed an alarming disregard for indigenous peoples' rights by the Brazilian government as it rushes to promote an unprecedented wave of large dam...
Team Klamazon Returns: Klamath River Indigenous Youth and River Activists Bring a Message from the Amazon
After eleven productive days in Brazil, the group of seven, calling themselves "Team Klamazon" returned to California with an in-depth understanding of the potential impact of Brazil's plans to develop the Amazon, and in particularly the Belo Monte Dam project.
In Pictures: "Klamazon" Brings Unity and Hope
A recent delegation led by Amazon Watch unites indigenous youth from the Klamath and Xingu rivers
My journey over the past four years in this fight against the Belo Monte dam has been intense, but accompanying the Klamath delegation to the Xingu brought hope not only to the local populations of the Xingu, but also to myself!
Mundurukú Indians in Brazil Protest Tapajós Dams
IPS | The Brazilian government, which is already building the Belo Monte mega-dam on the Xingú river in the northeastern Amazon state of Pará, also wants to construct another huge hydropower complex on the Tapajós river, in the same state.
Journey to the Tapajós, Rainforest Home of the Munduruku
"The message we want the world to know this is that our people are united and we will be even more united to fight for our rights," declared Akay Biorébu, second captain of the Munduruku warriors.
Tapajos: Public Consultation? More of a PR Exercise
Latin America Bureau | At the outset, the public was told firmly that no spontaneous contributions from the floor would be accepted. Only written questions would be allowed, but no instructions were given on when or how to hand over questions. As far as I could see, no one from the back of the stadium submitted a question, which was not surprising given that many of the...
Indigenous Rights Under Assault in Brazil
How can the Brazilian government justify forcing its native peoples, who were subject to centuries of injustice and genocidal abuse, to continue enduring the brunt of the country's uncontrolled economic expansion against their will?
Indigenous Protests and Unity in Brasília
The fight for the Amazon has just begun
International Rivers | "The Minister says he wants to consult with indigenous peoples, but that the government's decision to build the dams has already been made. What kind of consultation is that?"
Live from the Amazon: Indigenous Leaders Arrive in Brasília
The 150 indigenous protestors who have staged a courageous nine-day occupation of the Belo Monte dam's main work camp have traveled to Brasilia today to meet in the Presidential Palace with high officials from the Brazilian government.
Indigenous Demand Meeting with Brazilian President over Dams
Huffington Post | Armed with bows, arrows, and heavy wooden clubs, roughly a dozen indigenous men of the Munduruku tribe take shifts guarding the entrance to the construction site of the world's third-largest dam, the Belo Monte. Together with 170 indigenous protestors of various tribes, including women and children, the Munduruku have forced all construction to a...
Brazil Indians Occupy Belo Monte Dam Site
Lucy Jordan
The Rio Times | Brasilia, Brazil – The federal government said Monday it would not negotiate with indigenous groups which on Tuesday entered their sixth day of occupying the controversial Belo Monte dam construction site.
Amazon Indians Occupy Controversial Dam to Demand a Say
Indians from different river basins unite to oppose dams
Reuters | Brasilia, Brazil – Amazon Indians on Friday refused to end their occupation of a building site that has partially paralyzed work on the world's third largest hydroelectric dam for two days.
A United Cry Against Dams in the Amazon
Yesterday Brazil and the world witnessed a historic moment of unity and struggle for the Amazon and its people. Some 200 indigenous peoples, riverine communities and fishermen continue to stop work on the Belo Monte dam.
Indigenous Peoples Launch New Occupation on Belo Monte Dam Site
Tribes from Xingu and Tapajós rivers unite to protest violations of rights to prior consultations in construction of Amazon dams
Altamira, Brazil – Some 200 indigenous people affected by the construction of large hydroelectric dams in the Amazon launched an occupation today on one of the main construction sites of the Belo Monte dam complex on the Xingu River in the Brazilian Amazon.
Deadly Sins in the Brazilian Amazon
The trampling of indigenous rights, military force used against protesters, impunity, megadams and environmental destruction. Is Brazil returning to the bad old days?
Huffington Post | By prioritising these large infrastructure projects at immense cost to the people and the environment, by suppressing protest with military force, by condoning the appalling conditions in these construction sites, by failing to prevent the murder of protesters and indigenous and grassroots leaders, the Brazilian government is sending the dangerous...
