Twenty-five years after his last campaign, the Cacique Raoni returned to Europe to mobilise key political leaders against major risks posed by the mammoth dam project of Belo Monte.
Green MEPs Eva Joly, Catherine Grèze and Ulrike Luncacek hosted a Press conference in the European Parliament in Strasbourg Tuesday, 11th December at which the Cacique Raoni denounced the numerous violations of human rights suffered by the indigenous peoples of the Amazon. He highlighted especially the social disaster, ecological and economic burden that will be caused when the Belo Monte project floods more than 660km2, including 400 km2 of primary forest in indigenous territories, leading to the displacement of 20,000 people, not counting the loss of unique biodiversity.
The press conference was held the day of the state visit to France of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, and also aimed to question the central role of European companies involved in this project. Eva Joly, Chair of the Development Committee of the European Parliament, Catherine Grèze, coordinator of the Development Committee and Ulrike Lunacek want to raise awareness in the EP & amongst citizens of this project and its challenge to sustainability and human rights.
