Dear Sirs,

We follow with interest Brazilian Government plans for the São Francisco River regarding the diversion/inter-basin water transference (Transposição) and Revitalization (Revitalization) Projects.

Respectfully, your Excellencies, we wish to share our concerns regarding the possible social and environmental impacts resulting from the Transposição.

We understand the National Integration River’s (“Rio da Integração Nacional”) historic, cultural, social, economic and environmental importance. We are also aware of the problems of this river which include deforestation, silting, water pollution from sewage and agro-toxins, issues resulting from the construction and operation of dams, and the uncontrollable growth of agribusiness at the expense of local ecosystems (Cerrado and Caatinga). The current low water level at the Sobradinho dam, which now holds 14% of its volume capabilities, attests to the river’s deterioration.

The current degradation of the São Francisco River makes troubling any proposed new use to the existing multiple ones, which are already conflicting in several dimensions.

Since November 27, 2007, Dom Luiz Cappio, Bishop from the diocese of Barra in Bahia State, resumed his fast and prayers in opposition to the authoritarian way by which the Federal Government imposed the São Francisco River ‘s Transposição without a democratic debate over the real viability of this project.

In a letter sent to the Brazilian President, Dom Luiz reminds that Mr. Lula did not meet his side of the original accord sealed in October 2005. Then, Dom Luiz halted his eleven-days fast after the president’s promise to stop the Transposição work and to start a broad dialogue about the project with society.

The Transposição works will not deliver water to 12 million northeasterners. Advertisement campaigns have shown the wrong message. Quite the other way around, the project will benefit the production of upscale fruits, ethanol, steel, and shrimp culture to supply mainly the international market, making richer a few large companies.

The semi-arid region has a diversity of possibilities and potential hydro resources fit to promote human consumption and sustainable development. Better and cheaper solutions exist to meet the needs of the semi-arid inhabitants. Alternatives include the 530 projects suggested by National Water Agency - ANA (Agência Nacional de Águas) - which would supply 1,3 thousand municipalities of the region at a price of  R$ 3,6 billions (almost half of the R$ 6,6 billions that will be used for he Transposição). Alternative ways to deal with the climate in rural zones are proposed by Articuação do Semi-Arido – ASA, a non- governmental organization.

Given this situation, the Transposição Project raises serious questions. Some have to do with several illegalities which have been legally challenged and still await a decision by the Brazilian Federal Supreme Court (Supremo Tribunal Federal – STF).

Therefore, people, entities, and organizations listed below demand the suspension of the Transposição work which has been started by the Brazilian army.

We demand that the desparate voices of the people in the São Francisco River basin, represented by Dom Luiz Cappio’s fasting, be finally heard.

Regards,