A Brazilian judge brought construction of the Belo Monte Dam project to a halt last week as he ruled in favor of environmental activists to protect fish species and the Indigenous people who depend on them for food and livelihoods.
He declared a halt to "building a port, using explosives, installing dikes, building canals and any other infrastructure work that would interfere with the natural flow of the Xingu river, thereby affecting local fish stocks." The decision comes at a late stage in the struggle to stop the dam's construction. In June, the project received the final approval it needed from judges to begin construction. Although a setback, this ruling does not indicate complete termination of the project. Currently 14 law suits are pending regarding construction on the dam.
Global Response issued a campaign to prevent construction and stop violence against anti-dam activists in April 2001.
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