Dozens of environmental activists gathered in front of the Commercial Office of Brazil yesterday, urging the Brazilian government to put a stop to the recently approved construction of the Belo Monte Hydroelectric Dam, which they say will destroy much of the Amazon rainforest.
The demonstration was part of a series of simultaneous protests worldwide targeting Brazilian embassies or consulates.
A short play by people wearing hand-painted Aboriginal masks trying to save the earth by fighting off another person wearing a blue monster mask and wielding an ax — symbolizing the construction of the dam — was performed on the sidewalk, while protesters shouted: “Stop the dam construction and protect the rainforest.”
Photo: Lee I-chia, Taipei Times
The project on the Xingu River, one of the Amazon’s main tributaries, was approved by the Brazilian government and passed by the Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Resources on June 1. The dam will be the world’s third-largest hydroelectric project.
The construction plan triggered several protests from environmental and human rights activists in Brazil, with protest leaders asking for global support through the Internet.
“I started the online petition in Taiwan because I saw a global petition asking for support on Facebook,” said Shamba (Lin Su-ling, 林素綾), who organized the rally.
The dam will divert more than 80 percent of the water from the Xingu, leaving downstream areas short of water, Shamba said, adding that the water supply and power generation efficiency of the dam could be as low as 40 percent because of the three-to-five month annual dry season.
Shamba said that if the “disastrous” dam were built, it would destroy at least 1,500km2 of rainforest land, resulting in the forced displacement of between 20,000 and 40,000 indigenous people and the loss of countless numbers of invaluable animal and plant species.
Green Party Taiwan spokesperson Pan Han-shen (潘翰聲) said that while many people regard hydropower as a renewable and environmentally friendly energy source, it often results in the destruction of the natural environment.
The only way to protect the earth is by saving energy and Taiwanese should take an interest in such issues as similar cases are occurring here.
Yapit-Tali, an Aboriginal representative from the Against Kaotai Reservoir Self-Help Association in Hsinchu City, said many Aboriginal villages in Taiwan were facing similar threats of forced displacement.
Their traditional culture will disappear, as their homeland and natural environment may be sacrificed for economic development, she said.
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) today condemned the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) after the Czech officials confirmed that Chinese agents had surveilled Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) during her visit to Prague in March last year. Czech Military Intelligence director Petr Bartovsky yesterday said that Chinese operatives had attempted to create the conditions to carry out a demonstrative incident involving Hsiao, going as far as to plan a collision with her car. Hsiao was vice president-elect at the time. The MAC said that it has requested an explanation and demanded a public apology from Beijing. The CCP has repeatedly ignored the desires
Many Chinese spouses required to submit proof of having renounced their Chinese household registration have either completed the process or provided affidavits ahead of the June 30 deadline, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said on Thursday. Of the 12,146 people required to submit the proof, 5,534 had done so as of Wednesday, MAC deputy head and spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said. Another 2,572 people who met conditions for exemption or deferral from submitting proof of deregistration — such as those with serious illnesses or injuries — have submitted affidavits instead, he said. “As long as individuals are willing to cooperate with the legal
The Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant’s license has expired and it cannot simply be restarted, the Executive Yuan said today, ahead of national debates on the nuclear power referendum. The No. 2 reactor at the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung County was disconnected from the nation’s power grid and completely shut down on May 17, the day its license expired. The government would prioritize people’s safety and conduct necessary evaluations and checks if there is a need to extend the service life of the reactor, Executive Yuan spokeswoman Michelle Lee (李慧芝) told a news conference. Lee said that the referendum would read: “Do
The Ministry of Environment yesterday held a seminar in Taipei for experts from Taiwan and Japan to exchange their experiences on the designs and development of public toilets. Japan Toilet Association chairman Kohei Yamamoto said that he was impressed with the eco-toilet set up at Daan Forest Park, adding that Japan still faces issues regarding public restrooms despite the progress it made over the past decades. For example, an all-gender toilet was set up in Kabukicho in Tokyo’s Shinjuku District several years ago, but it caused a public backlash and was rebuilt into traditional men’s and women’s toilets, he said. Japan Toilet Association