Xingu River, Brazil (June 15, 2012) — Three hundred indigenous people, small farmers, fisherfolk, and local residents occupied the Belo Monte Dam project, removing a strip of earth to restore the Xingu’s natural flow and “freeing the river.” Participants gathered in formation spelling out the words “Pare Belo Monte” meaning “Stop Belo Monte” to send a powerful message about the devastating impacts of the dam prior to the UN Rio+20 Summit. They are demanding the cancellation of the $18 billion Belo Monte dam project. Captions and Photo source: ©© International Rivers
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Opponents of the world’s biggest new hydroelectric project, the Belo Monte dam in Brazil, notched up a rare victory this week, when a federal appeals court ordered construction to be suspended until indigenous groups are properly consulted about the project…
