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Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB)

Dams Burst in Brazil, Thousands Impacted by Toxic Sludge

By: Carol Schachet | November 19, 2015

When two dams owned by transnational mining companies burst in Brazil, a flood of toxic mud and wastewater poured into neighboring villages and began its journey down the Rio Doce (“Sweet River”). This tragedy could have been avoided if companies heeded warnings sounded more than two years ago. Instead, authorities estimate over 2,000 people have been affected in the immediate area of the dam, with more than 600 people evacuated (many rescued by helicopter), hundreds left homeless, and dozens of people who are still unaccounted for feared dead.
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Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB)

Celebrating International Day of the World’s Indigenous People: A Photo Blog

By: Sarah Welch | August 7, 2015

Since 1994, August 9 has been dedicated as the UN’s International Day of the World’s Indigenous People. The primary purpose of this commemorative day is to help promote and protect the rights of indigenous people around the world.
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Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB)

The People Affected by the Belo Monte Dam: A Photo Blog

By: Shannon Duncan Bodwell | March 25, 2015

According to our partner the Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB), approximately 10,000 families in the city of Altamira in Brazil will be directly affected by the flooding and subsequent lake created from the construction of the Belo Monte mega-dam. Meanwhile Norte Energia, the company responsible for this mega-project, has only built 4,100 poorly-constructed houses for the displaced without any other infrastructure like schools, medical facilities, and public transportation for the displaced communities. These are only a few of the reasons is why hundreds of people came together on March 11 to protest against the Belo Monte dam.
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Stories of Victory and Struggle from 2014

By: Lydia Simas | January 15, 2015

Grassroots International and our global partners are leading the way in developing sustainable solutions to the biggest challenges facing our world. From farming cooperatives and seed banks, to passing laws that protect ancestral lands and defending the human right to land, water, and food, together we take on big struggles and win important gains. Below are just some of the successes achieved in 2014 with support from Grassroots International, standing up to challenge poverty, climate disruption and human rights abuses.

Moving Towards an International Declaration on the Rights of Peasants
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Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB)

Biodiversity and Creole Seeds Focus of Global Learning Exchange

By: Lydia Simas | December 16, 2014

Peasant groups from around the world joined an international agroecology learning exchange in Goiás, Brazil.
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Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB)

Speaking out for Climate Justice and Food Sovereignty

By: Carol Schachet | September 23, 2014

Miriam Miranda’s journey from Honduras for the People’s Climate Justice Summit put her on the podium in front of thousands of people in New York this weekend. A leader of the Black Fraternal Organization of Honduras (OFRANEH, a Grassroots International partner), Miriam and her community have been on the front lines of work for climate justice. She boldly told the crowd, “We cannot accept nor perpetuate this supposed development which does not take into account or respect nature and the earth’s natural resources… We should and must have the obligation to leave water, air, food and secure the safety for our sons and daughters and other living things.”
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Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB)

Brazilian Movement Stands Up to Hydroelectric Expansion

By: Carol Schachet | August 27, 2014

Although the damaging impacts of hydroelectric development are widely known, the Brazilian Ministry of Mines and Energy reportedly plans to construct 168 new dams by 2021, including the massive Belo Monte Dam.
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Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB)

Historic Victory for People Affected by Dams

By: Lydia Simas | June 25, 2014

For the first time in Brazilian history, a decree will grant legal rights to people impacted by mega-dam projects. Tarso Genro, Governor of the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, signed the decree creating a State Policy of People Affected by Hydroelectric Projects on June 23.
Grassroots International joins our partner, Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB), in celebrating this huge victory. MAB played a key role in pushing for the rights of communities displaced or disrupted by dams, and works for the rights of dam-affected communities nationwide.
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Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB)

Dams, Human Rights and Community Resistance: Interview with leaders of MAB

By: Lydia Simas | June 23, 2014

Thousands of families throughout Brazil face threats to their homes and livelihoods from large hydroelectric dam projects. Driven by corporate profit interests, the number of mega dam projects in Brazil has increase significantly in recent years, displacing farming and indigenous communities, diverting water from local communities, and increasing deforestation and methane emissions.
The Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB), a Grassroots Partner, organizes among these communities. In this video Alexania Rossato and Josivaldo Alves de Oliveira of MAB talk about the challenges and successes of their work, about building sustainable grassroots movements, and the value of international solidarity.
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Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB)

Leading a River Revolution in Brazil

By: Carol Schachet | March 26, 2014

The Tapajos River basin is one of the best preserved regions in Brazil, a mosaic of protected forest reserves and indigenous lands. This river is located in the heart of the Amazon and is the home of the Munduruku’s indigenous people and other riverine communities. It is the only river in the Amazon River basin currently free of dams. And a river revolution is happening there, led by Brazil’s Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB), a Grassroots International partner working in solidarity with indigenous people to stop the government’s outrageous plan to build six dams along the Tapajos River.
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Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB)

Video Highlights Water Rights and Energy Sovereignty as part of a Just Transition

By: Sara Mersha | February 11, 2014

Today, the Climate Justice Alliance (CJA) launches a new video describing Our Power Campaign: Communities United for a Just Transition. The video was shot during last year’s CJA “Our Power” camp and action, hosted by the Black Mesa Water Coalition, which...
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Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB)

Advances on the Journey to Food Sovereignty and Human Rights

By: Jonathan Leaning | December 19, 2013

This last year has seen many advances around the globe for communities and activists pushing to regain their fundamental human rights to land, water, and food. As we now approach the end of 2013, we take this opportunity a look back at some of the accomplishments that have marked the year. In spite of the great challenges—and seemingly insurmountable odds—there is much to celebrate. Below are some of many highlights from the last year.

Winning land for formerly landless farmers in Brazil
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Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB)

Hydroelectric Resistance: MAB’s Energy Politics for Brazil

By: Carol Schachet | November 7, 2013

The article below orginally appeared in La Jicarita: An online magazine of Environmental Politics in New Mexico following a presentation by Leonardo Maggi (from the Movement of People Affected by Dams) and Sara Mersha (from Grassroots International).
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Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB)

Celebration and song from our Brazilian partners

By: Carol Schachet | July 31, 2013

Members of the Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB) showed off their creativity, singing voices and solidarity in a special 30th anniversary message to Grassroots International. In it they recognize what the partnership has meant for them in their struggles in the Amazonian region and throughout the country.
Obrigado, MAB!
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Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB)

General Strike in Brazil: Social Movements Lead the Way Toward Constitutional Rights

By: Saulo Araujo | July 11, 2013

Millions of Brazilians are marching today (July 11) in another demonstration of the vitality of national social movements. The demonstrations taking place in different major cities across the country follow last month’s historic marches.
Building on the political momentum created by the massive mostly youth-led demonstrations, today’s show of force will include both organized labor and social movements, marching side-by-side to demand political reform and expanded constitutional rights.
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Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB)

MAB is Nominated for International Human Rights Award

By: Carol Schachet | May 29, 2013

Grassroots International nominated one of their Brazilian partners, the Movement of People Affected by Dams, to receive the annual award of the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice & Human Rights. The award honors courageous and innovative individuals for their activism. If selected, this award would not only reinforce MAB’s historic struggle to protect human rights and support those defending communities impacted by massive water projects; it would also provide monetary compensation and international recognition.
In fact, the nomination itself has already provided a boost to MAB’s reputation and a platform from which to raise the voices of those impacted by dams and hydro-electric projects.
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Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB)

Accomplishments from 2012 – A sample of inroads for global justice

By: Jonathan Leaning | January 25, 2013

Grassroots International supports hands-on solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges: hunger, violations of human rights, climate change and environmental degradation, and economic disparity. During the last year, Grassroots International and our global partners and allies – including small farmers, indigenous peoples and human rights activists – achieved some victories in their struggle to secure the human right to land, water and food for all. Below are just some of the highlights.
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Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB)

Indigenous Kaiowá in Brazil Pledge ‘Collective Death’ to Defend Ancestral Territory

By: Saulo Araujo | November 26, 2012

Leaders of the Guarani Kaiowá boldly announced that the entire community would rather die in their land defending from businesses and corporations. Their assertion is more than a war declaration. For us, the buyers of “clean energy,” their pronouncement is a jarring wake-up call that the “Green Economy” actually promotes genocide of indigenous people and Afro-descendent communities –whether in the form of a slow die off of disposed peoples or a quicker resistance.
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People Power versus Hydropower

By: Jonathan Leaning | November 26, 2012

A massive, very active social movement against the loss of land and ecosystems caused by hydro-electric dams is making headway in Brazil. The movement is little known in North America so far, but that’s changing. And it’s on the brink of spreading across the world wherever large dams are being built and waterways threatened.

But what’s all the fuss, some may ask. Doesn’t it usually only affect isolated communities, and isn’t hydropower a much more environmentally friendly source of cheap energy, especially compared with nuclear, coal, or oil? Are these anti-dam activists clinging to a kind of prosaic, but impractical pastoral way of life, or just trying to push the dams into somebody else’s backyard?
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Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB)

Brazil’s “Green Energy” too Costly, say People Affected by Dams

By: Saulo Araujo | November 9, 2012

Before becoming Brazil’s first female president, Dilma Roussef helped to engineer an ambitious development plan that would change the country. Known as the Accelerated Growth Plan and the Ten-year Energy Plan, it would build 134 dams by the year of 2020 in the Amazon alone. Among the losers in the plan: thousands of acres of forest; habitat for endangered species; and thousands of families unfortunate enough to have ancestors who chose to settle these lands. According to Grassroots International’s partner, the Brazilian Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB), the ambitious development plan failed to include any funding to offset hunger and unemployment, or to revamp public services for those displaced populations whose livelihoods will be wiped.
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