Court suspends Amazon dam construction - Keep Going - STOP THE DAM

Brazilian judge rules environmental and rights activists' concerns regarding massive $11bn project must be addressed.

A federal judge in Brazil has suspended construction work on a massive dam in the heart of the Amazon rainforest.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Judge Souza Prudente said that work could only resume on the $11bn, 11,000MW Belo Monte Dam after the indigenous communities living in the area were consulted.

The dam has been condemned by environmentalists and rights activists, who say that it would devastate wildlife and the livelihoods of 40,000 people who live in the area that would be flooded.

"It's a historic decision for the country and for the native communities," Antonia Melo, coordinator of the Xingu Vivo indigenous movement, said.

"It's a great victory which shows that Belo Monte is not a done deal. We are very happy and satisfied."

Fierce opposition

About 12,000 workers are due to be working on the dam's constructions, 24 hours a day, by the end of the year. Up to 22,000 are scheduled to be at the site by next year.

Belo Monte is expected to flood an area of 500sq km along the Xingu and displace 16,000 people, according to the government, although some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) put the number at 40,000 displaced.