Catholic Church’s Bishop Luiz Cappio resumed his hunger strike on November 27th, 2007 in protest against the São Francisco River diversion project, in Northeast Brazil.
After two years of frustrated attempts to establish a dialogue between social movements and the Brazilian government to democratically discuss the controversial project he resumed his fasting in defense of the river. In an open letter to president Lula he declares his opposition to the mega-project and his worries regarding the river’s degradation.
He will only stop his fasting if two conditions are met:
- the Brazilian army’s withdrawal from the project’s construction site (the army is in charge of the construction works for both sites at the north and east canal) and
- the final suspension of the São Francisco River diversion project.
(more information about the river diversion project in the attachment) and on http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14004755
President Lula and the Minister of Nacional Integration responded grimly: the construction works would continue regardless of the bishop. All formar protest activities of social movements (only this year two large protest camps took place) always have been ignored by the government. Public debate on the mega-project has been opressed. Mass media again is ignoring the Bishop’s desparte protest.
Therefore, at this curcial moment, it is extremly important to draw public attention to the protest movement against the river diversion project, especially on international level.
Please send the attached prostet letter in English and in Portuguese by FAX and by email to the adresses below. You can contribute a lot to make the Brazilian government aware that the imposition of the São Francisco river diversion project casts a damning light on Brazilian democracy.
Please don´t worry about returning mails due to full mail boxes.
It is important to send a blind copy (Bcc:) to apoio.dom.cappio@gmail.com
In this mailbox we will store all the email copies sent to the authoroties in Brasília, print them out and deliver the directly in Brasília.
Please forward this solidarity campaign to your contact lists.
Juazeiro (Bahia), 30th November 2007
Peoples´ Coalition for the Restoration of the São Francisco River
 
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