Latin America / other resources

Chapter from Human Rights Dialogue: "Environmental Rights", Published by Carnegie Council on Ethics and International Affairs. Describes the tragedy of the Maya-Achí people of Guatemala, victims of a World Bank-funded hydroelectric dam, and their efforts to reclaim their lives.

The Mexican Movement of Those Affected by Dams and in Defence of Rivers
(MAPDER) was born as part of the accords and strategies emanating from the II
Gathering of the Meso-American Movement Against Dams which was carried out in La
Esperanza, Honduras in 2003. In Honduras, the Meso-American movement made

A diversion tunnel for recently built dam in Brazil failed during the last week in June, causing an uncontrolled release of the water from the huge upstream reservoir. The failure caused no loss of life and contractors assert that the dam’s main structure is intact, but the event is raising alarms from international environmental groups and sparking concerns about additional delays in the project, which is already well behind schedule.