Hundreds of demonstrators gathered last Sunday, February 24, in front of the Vale Minas Gerais Memorial, in Praça da Liberdade [Freedom Square], in Belo Horizonte, a month after the crime of Vale in Brumadinho, which occurred on January 25, 2019.
With slogans written on banners and posters, those present demanded justice for the victims of the crime in dam 1, at Córrego do Feijão Mine. Crosses were drawn on the ground and a mock-up of a dam that drained blood instead of mud was made. In addition to harshly criticizing the murderer Vale, the protesters have clearly shown the fear that more dam ruptures will occur again in the state.
Already on Monday, February 25, relatives and friends of the victims held a public action in the town of Brumadinho, where 131 people are still missing, in addition to 179 officially confirmed deaths. Exactly at 12:28, when the crime occurred a month ago, a helicopter threw rose petals over the Paraopeba River, which was razed by the collapse.
On the same date, numerous other demonstrations took place throughout the country. Only in the state of Bahia, at least 8 municipalities had protests that gathered, according to information sent by readers, more than 7 thousand people.
In São Paulo, activists from the Movement of the Affected by Dams (MAB) and the Movement of the Homeless Workers (MTST), among other popular movements, protested early in the afternoon at the headquarters of the Bradesco bank, where a security siren was played and polluted water from the Paraopeba River was thrown. A banner with the phrase Profit is not Worth [Vale, in portuguese] living has been exposed.
Demonstrations and activities were also registered in cities of Santa Catarina, Espírito Santo, Pará, Distrito Federal etc.
Justice!
The Poor Peasants League (LCP) of Northern Minas and South Bahia, in a note titled Slaughter of the Vale is a crime against the people and the nation! Federal and state government are accomplices!, published on the Resistência Camponesa webpage, noted:
The collapse of Brumadinho dam, which brutally and cowardly murder more than 400 people (among officially listed and cited by family members)was not an accident! It was a premeditated crime by Vale mining company with the participation of the federal and state governments, its environmental agencies that authorized the expansion in 74% of the mineral extraction in this same area in December 2018 and that in January of this year approved a damn safety report!
A heinous crime committed by Vale and covered by the different shift governments through politicians of the various party acronyms, oversight agencies and press monopolies, all properly bought out by the mining company. A crime that was announced even before the tragic events in Mariana three years ago!
The Pimentel / PT government sanctioned the Law 2,946 / 2015, which made environmental licensing more flexible for mining companies. This government has not taken any concrete steps towards the accountability and punishment of Vale / BHP Billiton / Samarco in Mariana. The newly elected governor of Minas, Zema / NOVO, and President Jair Bolsonaro / PSL protested in their campaign against what they called "bureaucratization" for mining companies and landowners to obtain environmental license and blatantly alleged "mining difficulties."
In the North of Minas, sold deputies as Gil Pereira / PP and Tadeuzinho Leite / MDB barred the approval of law that provided for a more rigorous inspection for the mining. Across the region, miners and landowners expel peasant, quilombola and indigenous families from their lands, illegally seize public lands, commit land robbery and devastate the natural environment, such as Riacho dos Machados, Rio Pardo de Minas and Grão Mogol , where, in addition to mining, we see voraciously growing areas of eucalyptus and pine. All with license from COPAM - State Council for Environmental Policy.
We demand the immediate suspension of mining for the clearing of tailings dams!
We demand the punishment of the true leaders: directors of Vale and environmental agencies!
Justice for the dead, maimed, family and affected by Vale in Brumadinho and Mariana! "
Hundreds of people protest in Belo Horizonte, February 24
Translated from A Nova Democracia website.
