The Inambari Dam was proposed for a major tributary in the Peruvian Amazon. If built, the $4.9 billion development would flood 410 square kilometers of forest. Just one dam in a series of hydropower projects proposed by an agreement between Brazil and Peru, Inambari would export 80% of the energy produced to Brazil. It threatens the Bahuaja-Sonene National Park, a natural sanctuary full of biodiversity. Most importantly, it would displace 15,000 people, drowning their towns under water.
But, for now, what would have been will not be, thanks to those very people.
For three long years, affected communities rallied together in protest of the dam, blocking access to roads, going on strike, and holding mass protests. Their calls for justice culminated during 36 days this spring, when nearly 2,000 local people in the Puno region of Peru held a massive strike—blocking roads and mass protesting—to call for cancellation of the proposed dam.
An Important Precedent
Their passion and commitment paid off on June 14th, when the Peruvian government announced the massive Inambari Dam project was cancelled. After meeting with local communities and feeling pressure from protesters, the government stated that the Brazilian EGASUR (Energy Generation in South America) consortium’s rights to develop the project had been revoked, setting an important precedent for future energy projects that continue to threaten communities in Peru.
“The resolution states that all future proposed projects must be subjected to prior consultation with local communities according to ILO Convention 169 on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples, which is an important precedent,” remarked Aldo Santos, a representative of a local nongovernmental organization.
In a press release, Monti Aguirre, Latin America Program Coordinator for International Rivers, said: “This is a great day for the Peruvian Amazon and the communities who have fought for so long to protect their rights and their environment. Both Brazil and Peru are rich in alternative energy sources. If Brazil invested in energy efficiency, it could avoid the need for any dams to be built in the Amazon Basin and save billions of dollars in the process. The Amazon is simply too precious a resource to squander.”
The Right Support at the Right Time
This year Global Greengrants Fund, in partnership with International Rivers, gave a $5,000 grant to Federación Nativa de Madre de Dios, a grassroots organization working in the Inambari Basin. The funding enabled local indigenous communities to organize themselves against the dam and create a media campaign publicizing its negative impacts. With help from our donors, this grant came at a crucial time when the government was finally starting to listen.
Although the decision represents a huge victory for our grantees and affected communities, much more work remains. The decision revokes the concession to EGASUR, but there is still the risk that another company could take over the project. Communities are also fighting oil and mining concessions in the area and the threats of other dam projects. These local people are more resolved than ever to protect their traditional lands, but they still need our support.
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