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.
OFFLINE: People who do not wish to register can get the money from select ATMs using their bank card, ID number and National Health Insurance card number Online registration for NT$6,000 (US$196.32) cash payments drawn from last year’s tax surplus is to open today for eligible people whose national ID or permanent residency number ends in either a zero or a one, the Ministry of Finance said on Monday. Officials from the ministry revealed which days Taiwanese and eligible foreigners would be able to register for the cash payments at a joint news conference with the Ministry of Digital Affairs. Online registration is to open tomorrow for those whose number ends in a two or three; on Friday for those that end in a four or five: on Saturday
Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) officials are investigating why a Starlux Airlines flight to Penang, Malaysia, returned to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport nearly two hours after takeoff yesterday morning. The airline said in a statement that Flight JX721 to Penang took off from Taoyuan airport at 9:20am. “After the dashboard showed a signal of an abnormality in the hydraulic system, the captain followed standard operating procedures and returned the flight to Taoyuan airport for safety precautions,” the airline said, adding that the flight landed safely at the airport at 11:04am. The airline arranged for the passengers to have lunch after the flight landed and
TECH PROGRAM: A US official said that an important part of the delegation’s trip would be to meet with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co executives The US is to send officials in charge of chip development to Taiwan, Japan and South Korea to promote cooperation in the global semiconductor supply chain, the US Department of Commerce said on Tuesday. Chips Program Office Director Michael Schmidt announced the visit, which marks the first time officials from the office are to visit the three nations since it was set up in September last year. “As semiconductors and technologies continue to evolve, the United States will keep working with allies and partners to develop coordinated strategies to ensure that malign actors cannot use the latest technologies to undermine our collective
WORKING UP AN APPETITE: Sales at the Rueifong Night Market surged 20 to 30 percent, while seats at Liouhe Night Market were packed until 1am, market officials said South Korean pop band Blackpink’s concerts over the weekend in Kaohsiung helped draw large crowds to local night markets, the Kaohsiung City Government said yesterday. The two concerts on Saturday and Sunday at Kaohsiung National Stadium drew more than 90,000 people. The city government offered NT$50 vouchers to spend locally to concertgoers who showed their ticket stubs. Liouhe Night Market (六合夜市) management committee head Chuang Chi-chang (莊其章) said that crowds over the weekend surged at about 10pm and the market remained packed until 1:30am. “Almost all the seats were filled,” Chuang said. Night market stall owners had stocked up in expectation of an increased number
RSS