The International Day of Action for Rivers has Arrived!

MAB Action

The International Day of Action Against Dams and for Rivers, Water and Life is here! Many groups, such as MAB in Brazil, have already started their festivities and we expect actions to continue throughout the week.

On March 10^th, Brazil's Movement of Dam-Affected People (MAB) kicked off Day of Action for Rivers activities with a march of about 800 people. The demonstrators demanded resettlement of families affected by the Acaua Dam, which left 4,500 people homeless after the flooding of its reservoir in 2002. MAB also demanded a meeting with state government officials to speed resettlement of families who are camped out. Police broke up the march and blockaded the state capital, but following negotiations, a meeting with MAB was agreed to for March 24^th, to address resettlement issues.

On March 11^th, about 1000 people affected by the Santo Antonio and Jirau dams began encampment on the state capital of Porto Velho to discuss problems caused by the violation of their rights by the companies building dams.

10 armed federal police officers tried to break up a protest by MAB at the Agrarian Reform office in Porto Velho this morning. They arrested four Bolivians from the Farmers' Federation of Pando province, who were also protesting the dams' effects on Bolivia.

In Pinhal da Serra, Rio Granda do Sul state, populations affected by the Moinho Small Hydro Dam continue their third month of camping, demanding fair compensation. They have been harassed by the police during this time, including having their shelters destroyed and animals being set loose to destroy the crops of farmers.

On Thursday March 12, a professor at the Universidade Federal de Vicosa in Minas Gerais, Brazil, coordinated a series of activities, including a showing of the film Narradoves de Jave, an expositions of photos and posters of MAB activities and a presentation by faculty, MAB representatives and NGO activists on issues related to socioenvironmental problems and conflicts related to dam projects.

Independent filmmaker Lian Greef created a 10-minute film, "We Fear the Unknown Future," for the International Day of Action for Rivers. It includes testimonies of communities living alongside the Zambezi River, who share their fears and concerns about the proposed Mphanda Nkuwa Dam. The film was made in collaboration with the Mozambique environmental justice organization Justica Ambiental, and South African NGO, The Environmental Monitoring Group. The film is based on findings from a field trip undertaken with International Rivers, Environmental Defense and Justica Ambiental.

Today, March 13^th, International Rivers plans on hosting a film screening in Berkeley, California. International Day of Action for Rivers activities will continue, worldwide, this weekend and throughout the week.