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Saturday, 13 March 2010 15:14
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Inambari: The Controversial Brazilian Hydroelectric Project Causes Violent Protests In Peru


Translated from Spanish, Original Below

Hilton S. Nascimento y Helena Ladeira del Centro de Trabalho Indigenista (CTI)


Brazil currently lives an amazing boom of plants. In the Amazon we have the two on the Madeira River, the Belo Monte hydroelectric complex Xingu and Tapajos five plants that will be auctioned later this year. And we also have plants of the Strait, Serra Quebrada, Tupiratins, Maraba in the Tocantins river, out other to be built south of the country showing that this wave of plants is not only a privilege of the Brazilian Amazon.

The fact is that most of these works directly affects many peoples from south to north. Neither this wave is restricted to the limits of our country. Brazil is also exporting its megs hydropower to neighboring countries like Peru.

Since November 2006 that Peru and Brazil are starting an understanding for energy integration between the two countries. Agreement provides for the construction of six dams in the Peruvian Amazon: Inambari with 2,000 mw, Sumabeni with 1074 mw, 2000 mw with Paquitzapango, Urubamba with 950 mw, 750 mw with Vizcatán and Chuquipampa with 800 mw. The six plants generate over seven thousand mw from the beginning of their runs in 2015. The Brazil promotes and fund these works with the intention to buy 80% of this production.
InambariDam_Peru.gifLocation of the proposed Inambari Dam, Peru
But the number of plants will not be in six, both governments speak of a total of 15 dams to be built with Brazilian technology to meet the market. According to the minister of Mines and Energy of Brazil, Edison Lobao, this production could reach 20 thousand MW.

The Agreement for the Supply of Electricity to Peru and Export Surplus in Brazil that will last 30 years is ready and about to be signed.

Inambari be the first of these six plants already planned. A project economic and energy front. Until today the Peruvian Amazon had never seen any work of this size. Inambari will be the largest hydro plant in Peru, the fifth of South America, with its 41 hectares of flooded area would form the second largest lake in the country, second only to the very lake Titicaca.

His two thousand mw today represent half of all current energy demand of Peru and Brazil will hold 80% of that energy. To bring the energy to Brazil will build 1,500 km of electric transmission lines that connect the grids of both countries. Inambari will cost four billion U.S. dollars, it will take five years and be undertaken by a consortium formed by Brazilian OAS, Electrobrás and Furnas, who will invest four billion dollars in its construction. Most of these resources will be provided by BNDES.

With the start of his works scheduled for the end of this year Inambari flood 27 towns, Peruvians, displace 3,500 people and indirectly affect 4600 residents.

Located 300 km from the border with Brazil, within the Peruvian departments of Puno, Cusco and Madre de Dios, Inambari also impound water to promote better use of hydroelectric Jirau and San Antonio, Rio Madeira, during times of drought .

Protests

In recent days 4 and 5 March the residents of 27 population centers affected by the dam staged a protest 48 hours in the city of Puno. More than 1,800 residents participated and were blocking the main roads that give access to the city. The trade was closed and several workers and owners of public transport joined the strike.

During the demonstrations thousands of people cried for hours "not the central hydroelectric Inambari. They argue that Puno not want that plant and question the government to negotiate the hidden with Brazil without consulting the region, saying it will not allow it.

There were confrontations with the police and the arrest of three leaders of the movement, leading to an attack by the protesters and students of the Universidad Nacional del Altiplano (UNA). The students attacked the police with stones and police responded with tear gas. Also attacked the headquarters of the Provincial Government of Puno where is the Security State breaking their windows.

The project to build the plant was rejected by more than 60 social organizations Andean signaling that soon will be a march to the city of Lima, the capital. In the Amazon region more than 30 indigenous communities belonging to the Native Federation of Madre de Dios - FENAMAD also rejected the dam through a statement.

Experts indicate that the environmental and social cost is too high. The College of Engineers of Peru said that his country will consume very little energy produced, but will get all the social and environmental impacts. In February this year also a group of civil society organizations and Peruvian universities signed a term with questions and recommendations for energy integration project that both countries are about to sign.

Peru has a series of violent social disruption because of the aggressive policy of current President Alan García to grant to explore the Amazon resources without consulting the indigenous inhabitants. On June 5, 2009, less than 1 years ago, the Peruvian Amazon Indians protest against government policy that he intended to facilitate access to their land for biofuels crops, entered into violent confrontations with police. The result was a balance of 33 killed, 23 officers, 5 civilians and 5 Indians. A tragedy that shook the country. It seems that new clashes are being generated in Peru and this time we Brazilians can be directly involved.

Source: Servindi




Spanish Original

Inambari a polêmica hidrelétrica brasileira provoca violentos protestos no Peru


Por Hilton S. Nascimento y Helena Ladeira del Centro de Trabalho Indigenista (CTI)

O Brasil vive atualmente um impressionante “boom” de hidrelétricas. Na Amazônia temos as duas do rio Madeira, Belo Monte no Xingu e o complexo hidrelétrico do Tapajós com cinco hidrelétricas que irão a leilão ainda esse ano. E também temos as hidrelétricas de Estreito, Serra Quebrada, Tupiratins, Marabá no rio Tocantins, fora outras que serão construídas no sul do país mostrando que essa onda de hidrelétricas não é um privilegio somente da Amazônia brasileira.

O fato é que grande parte dessas obras afeta diretamente vários povos indígenas do sul ao norte do país. Tampouco essa onda se restringe aos limites de nosso país. O Brasil também está exportando suas megas hidrelétricas aos países vizinhos, como o Peru.

Desde novembro de 2006 que Peru e Brasil vêm iniciando um entendimento para uma integração energética entre os dois países. Acordo que prevê a construção de seis hidrelétricas na Amazônia peruana: Inambari com 2.000 mw, Sumabeni com 1.074 mw, Paquitzapango com 2.000 mw, Urubamba com 950 mw, Vizcatán com 750 mw e Chuquipampa com 800 mw. As seis hidrelétricas gerarão mais de sete mil mw a partir do início de seus funcionamentos em 2015. O Brasil promove e financiará essas obras com a pretensão de comprar 80 % dessa produção.

Mas o número de hidrelétricas não ficará em apenas seis, ambos os governos falam de um total de 15 hidrelétricas a serem construídas com tecnologia brasileira para atender o mercado brasileiro. De acordo com o ministro de Minas e Energia do Brasil, Edison Lobão, esta produção poderia atingir 20 mil mw.

O Acordo para o Fornecimento de Eletricidade ao Peru e Exportação de Excedentes ao Brasil que durará 30 anos já está pronto e prestes a ser assinado.

Inambari será a primeira dessas seis hidrelétricas já previstas. Um projeto econômico e energeticamente ambicioso. Até hoje a Amazônia peruana nunca tinha visto nenhuma obra desta dimensão. Inambari será a maior hidrelétrica do Peru, a quinta da América do Sul, e com seus 41 mil ha de área de inundação formaria o segundo maior lago do país, só perdendo para o próprio lago Titicaca.

Seus dois mil mw representam hoje a metade de toda a demanda energética atual do Peru e o Brasil ficará com 80 % dessa energia. Para levar a energia até o Brasil construirão 1.500 km de linhas elétricas de transmissão, que conectará as redes elétricas de ambos os países. Inambari custará quatro bilhões de dólares, demorará cinco anos e será feita por um consórcio integrado pelas brasileiras OAS, Electrobras e Furnas que investirão quatro bilhões de dólares na sua construção. Grande parte desses recursos será fornecido pelo BNDES.

Com o início de suas obras previsto para o final deste ano Inambari inundará 27 centros povoados peruanos, deslocará 3.500 pessoas e afetará 4.600 moradores indiretamente.

Localizada a 300 km da fronteira com o Brasil, nos limites dos departamentos peruanos de Puno, Cusco e Madre de Dios, Inambari também represará água para promover um maior aproveitamento das hidrelétricas de Jirau e Santo Antonio, no rio Madeira, durante as épocas de estiagem.

Protestos

Nos últimos dia 4 e 5 de março os moradores dos 27 centros povoados afetados pela hidrelétrica promoveram um protesto de 48 horas na cidade de Puno. Mais de 1.800 moradores participaram e houve bloqueio das principais ruas que dão acesso a cidade. O comércio foi fechado e vários trabalhadores e donos de transportes públicos juntaram-se a paralisação.

Durante as manifestações milhares de pessoas gritaram durante horas “não a central hidrelétrica de Inambari”. Afirmam que Puno não quer essa hidrelétrica e questionam o Governo que negocia as escondidas com o Brasil sem consultar a região, afirmando que não vão permitir isso.

Houve enfrentamentos com os policiais e a prisão de três líderes do movimento, o que provocou um ataque dos manifestantes e alunos da Universidad Nacional del Altiplano (UNA). Os estudantes atacaram a delegacia com pedras e a polícia respondeu com gases lacrimogêneos. Atacaram também a sede do Governo estadual de Puno onde fica a Seguridade do Estado quebrando suas janelas.

O projeto de construção da hidrelétrica é rejeitado por mais de 60 organizações sociais andinas que sinalizam que em breve vão fazer uma marcha até a cidade de Lima, capital do país. Na região Amazônica mais de 30 comunidades nativas pertencentes a Federação Nativa de Madre de Dios – FENAMAD rejeitaram também a hidrelétrica através de um comunicado oficial.

Expertos sinalizam que o custo ambiental e social será muito alto. O colégio de engenheiros do Peru declarou que o seu país consumirá muito pouco da energia produzida, mas ficará com todos os impactos sociais e ambientais. Em fevereiro deste ano também um grupo de organizações da sociedade civil peruana e universidades assinaram um termo com questionamentos e recomendações ao projeto de integração energética que ambos os países estão prestes a assinar.

O Peru vem de uma série de conflitos sociais violentos por causa da agressiva política do atual presidente Alan García em conceder para a exploração os recursos amazônicos sem consultar os seus moradores indígenas. Em 5 de junho de 2009, a menos de 1 anos atrás, os indígenas amazônicos peruanos em protesto contra essa política de Governo que pretendia facilitar o acesso a suas terras para plantações de biocombustíveis entraram em violentos confrontos com a polícia. O resultado foi um saldo de 33 mortos, sendo 23 policiais, 5 civis e 5 indígenas. Uma tragédia que sacudiu o país. Tudo parece que novos confrontos estão sendo gerados no Peru e desta vez nós brasileiros poderemos estar diretamente envolvidos.


Tags: Peru  Brazil  dams  hydropower  Inambari  
Last Updated on Saturday, 13 March 2010 15:25
 


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