2011: South America

Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia

Argentina

Solidarity Against Garabi Dam
In Puerto Azara groups gathered to celebrate the International Day of Action and protest the destructive Garabi Dam which threatens the area. They showed a series of short films in solidarity with the town that is on the brink of disappearance.

Contact:
Rastrojera
larastrojera@gmail.com

Cycling Aginst The Garabí Dam

Cycling Against The Garabi Dam
Cycling Against The Garabi Dam

On March 13 a group of young people organized a bike ride from the Plaza San Martin de Apostles Mission to the village of Azara. The route represents the union between these two locations which would be affected by the mega-dam Garabí. The bike ride was a means of raising awareness about the project and expressing the views of so many people who are against the construction of this dam. Along the way people painted signs and passed out fliers with information about the Garabí Dam project and about the International Day of Action For Rivers.

Contact:
Valeria Beatriz Franco
ultracibervale@hotmail.com

Brazil

Fisherman Take to The Xingu River
On Friday the 11th of March, hundreds of fisherman staged a protest in the city of Altamira to show their opposition to the destructive Belo Monte Dam project that could destroy their livelihoods by decimating the region's migratory fish species. The event, blessed by Dom Erwin Kräutler, Bishop of the Xingu was marked by dozens of fishing boats setting out on the Xingu River to symbolize the importance of defending the river and preserving their way of life.

Symbolic Fishing Celebration
On March 14, the fishermen who had set out on Friday the 11th returned to the Port of Altamira where they were greeted by 400 supporters, many of them children and wives of the fishermen. They had caught 6 tons of fish which they unloaded throughout the morning. At noon the fisherman held a procession accompanied by 20 boats. They then prepared and shared the fish with all of those present. The remaining fish were given to poor communities in the area. The fishing protest aimed to show the importance of fishing in the communities and the threat to their livelihood from the Belo Monte project.

Contact:
Movimento Xingu Vivo Para Siempre
http://www.xinguvivo.org.br

Protest Against Chapecó Hydroelectric Plant
Those affected by the hydroelectric plant Chapecó, in Brazil staged a protest on Tuesday the 15th of March in front of the building site, to demand recognition and reparations.

Brazilian Movement Against Dams 20 Year Anniversary
March 14 marked the start of the Meeting of Dam Affected people from Santo Antônio, Jirau and Samuel, in Porto Velho, Rondônia. The meeting went until March 16 and also marked the celebration of MAB's (The Brazilian Movement Against Dam's) 20 year anniversary.  

Contact:
MAB
http://www.mabnacional.org.br

Chile

Actions in Patagonia, Chile
Actions in Patagonia, Chile
Celebration in Cochrane
On March 12 a festival was held in Cochrane to celebrate the International Day of Action For Rivers. With famous musicians and artists present, there were art activities especially for children and talks about the threats that face the region. Finally there was a march that passed through El Manzano - an area which will be flooded if the dam on the Baker River is built.

Contact:
Coalición Ciudadana por Aysén Reserva de Vida
http://aysenreservadevida.blogspot.com/

Activist Meet on the Banks of The Baker
On March 13 more than 200 people from all around the Aysen region arrived in El Manzano (35km from Cochrane) to show solidarity in the fight against the Hydro Aysen project and other projects planned for the River Baker and River Pascua. The gathering was symbolic of people throughout the world who are affected by dams. This is an important time in the campaign, as the environmental review of "HydroAysen" is due to happen in April, having been previously delayed. Find out more

Contact:
Pamela Diaz
Email: diazpamel@gmail.com

Rally in Santiago
At 2pm on Monday, March 14 hundreds of people gathered in Plaza de la Constitucion in Santiago, Chile to commemorate the Day of Action For Rivers. "Acto Testimonial por los Ríos de Chile en el Día Internacional de Acción en Contra de la Represas".

Contact:
Email: comunicaciones@ecosistemas.cl

Colombia

Movilización por la Defensa de Nuestros Territorios 
In Colombia Otros Mundos and other environmental and civil rights groups called for regional actions to be taken March 14 in defense of their territory and rivers. There were marches, assemblies, open forums and cultural activities held around the country. Read the Call to Action.

Action Against El Quimbo
In Nieva in the south of Colombia more that 2 thousand people, mostly youths marched to protest to El Quimbo Dam which will affect the River Magdelena. 200 people staged a sit in at the site of El Quimbo Dam of the proposed dam on the Panamerican highway.

Save the River Cauca
Between 3 and 4 thousand people in the north of Antioquia mobilized against the Ituango project on the River Cauca which will be constructed between the mouth of the River San Andres and Ituango. The protest brought people from Ituango, San Andrés de Cuerquia, Briceño and Toledo. They spoke about the detrimental impacts of the project and calling attention to the company behind the dam.

Protest at Site of Hidrosogamoso
Protest at Site of Hidrosogamoso
NO al Hidrosogamoso
In Santander, farmers, fishermen, environmentalists, workers and students created a campamento in Isagen on the Via Bucaramanda to say NO to the Sogamoso hydro project which will dam the River Chicamocha in one of the most agriculturally and culturally richly regions of Colombia. At seven in the evening the sit-in was violently interrupted by the arrival of the police who threw tear gas in an attempt to move the peaceful protesters.

 Action in Cuaca
In the north of Cuaca, communities affected by the Salvajina project held a general assembly to commemorate the Day of Action For Rivers and to create a plan of action to address the threats to their territory.

National Meeting in Bogota
On March 16 there was a National meeting in Bogota, those presented represented dam-affected communities, communities affected by mining and the agricultural industry. Participants gathered in the Plaza Bolivar and marched towards the MAVDT (Ministerio de Ambiente,Vivienda y Desarrollo Territorial) in Bogota. 

Contact:
Juan Pablo Soler
Otros Mundos
otrosmundoscol@gmail.com