Both ENDS in solidarity with Justice for Brumadinho!
272 innocent people were killed. A tsunami of toxic mud unleashed, some 12 million cubic metres of ore tailing into the surrounding areas. January 25th, 2024 is the solemn 5-year mark of the Brumadinho upstream mining dam collapse. This was Brazil’s worst environmental and industrial disaster.
The responsible company, Vale S.A., has made multiple commitments to repair the situation and improve the safety standards of their operations. The reality on the ground greatly contrasts with those empty words.
Five year later, the communities affected by this preventable disaster are still traumatised and seeking justice. Everyday these people live in a heavily contaminated environment and are afraid that another mining disaster could happen any time as 27 dams are operating under emergency protocols and 2 dams are at risk of rupture.
Global campaign
Today a coalition of 13 NGOs is launching a global campaign to engage with investors in Vale, invite them to go beyond company reports and come see the situation for themselves in Spring 2024. Letter to investors can be found here.
'Never again'
Cindy Coltman, Senior Policy Officer at Both ENDS: “Many investors in Vale promised “never again” should this happen in the mining industry after the Brumadinho disaster. Five years later the tragic reality is that not enough has changed for people on the ground and this is unacceptable. We want investors to come, understand the urgency and work together to influence Vale.”
A delegation of Both ENDS is in Brumadinho, Brazil this week in solidarity with Justice for Brumadinho! community members.
In the Netherlands, Both ENDS, Eerlijke Geldwijzer, BankTrack and SOMO are participating in the coalition of NGOs engaging investors, the largest of which are pension funds ABP and insurer Allianz. The full launching coalition approaching global investors includes Facing Finance, Misereor, FIDH, CCFD-Terre Solidaire, Earthworks, Articulação Internacional dos Atingidos pela Vale, Churches & Mining Network, ECCHR, and OECD Watch.
Additional information launched this week in Portuguese and English can be found here:
The Observatory of Criminal Actions on the Tragedy in Brumadinho https://obspenalbrumadinho.com.br/en/
Legacy of Brumadinho https://legadobrumadinho.com.br/
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