Dam project threatens indigenous rituals, hunting areas and even gravesites in the Tenharim Marmelos Indigenous Land

InfoAmazonia and Brasil de Fato visited the territory to understand the views of the indigenous people about the construction of the Tabajara Dam – a project for a 37-square mile (97-sq. km) reservoir in Machadinho d’Oeste, in Brazil’s Rondônia state, which is expected to impact 9 indigenous lands, including Tenharim Marmelos.

Nine indigenous territories, including areas of uncontacted people, are impacted by a dam project in Brazil’s Rondônia state

The Tabajara Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP) project will create a 60-square-mile reservoir in Machadinho d’Oeste. In addition to nine indigenous territories, an exclusive joint analysis by InfoAmazonia and Brasil de Fato confirms the influence of the project on seven areas where evidence of uncontacted indigenous groups has been found.

Brazil’s isolated tribes in the crosshairs of miners targeting Indigenous lands

Mined Amazon has revealed 1,265 pending requests to mine in 26 Indigenous territories in Brazil that are home to isolated tribes. In 2020, half of the requests filed with the ANM were on lands with isolated tribes. Indigenous groups have filed a lawsuit with Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court against the government, and avert a “real risk of genocide” due to the COVID-19 pandemic.