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News / 5 November 2014

Local people in Suape supported by Bar Association

Finally, some good news from Suape, Brazil! The Fórum Suape, an association of affected local people, has gained support from the official Bar Association in Pernambuco. The human rights commission of the Bar Association has decided that there is enough reason to file a complaint against the Suape Port Authority. On November 10, the first public hearing will be held to give impetus to the case.

Illegal practices

The Suape Port Authority has stated that it is entitled to an area of land the size of 13.500 hectares. Because of this, entire families are repeatedly being forced to move and leave their land for the sake of the harbor’s expansion. For a long time, the Fórum Suape has been trying to convince the legal authorities in Pernambuco of the illegal status of these practices, and that the port authority does not have any rights to this land. The Dutch dredging company Van Oord, which has been hired by the port authority, has dredged in areas inhabited by people because it - probably incorrectly – presumed that the port authority’s claim of the area was legitimate.

 

Collected evidence

The Fórum Suape has gathered all documents and evidence related to the violation of land and human rights in the area, and subsequently contacted the Bar Association in Pernambuco. With promising results, so it appears. The public hearing that will take place on November 10 should provide the Bar Association with a clearer picture of the situation. To do so, as many affected people as possible will be invited to the area to share their stories. Based on these, it will then be decided what steps should be taken next in this process. “It is therefore extremely important – with support from the members of the Fórum Suape – to mobilise as many local inhabitants as possible!”, says an employee of the Fórum.

 

Support from The Netherlands

Wiert Wiertsema of Both ENDS has been involved in the developments in and around Suape for quite some time now. As the co-founder of Fórum Suape, Both ENDS provides the necessary assistance. Wiert: “Hopefully, from now on, we can put judicial pressure on the port authority of Suape so that a better compensation regulation for the local population can be achieved.” In any case, Both ENDS will continue to follow the developments in Suape, and exert pressure both in and from the Netherlands.

 

For background information, see ‘Port Expansion Brazil

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