Devastating news for 40,000 native Indians in Brazil..

Discuss the application of the Dharma to situations of social, political, environmental and economic suffering and injustice.
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Jesse
Posts: 2127
Joined: Wed May 08, 2013 6:54 am
Location: Virginia, USA

Devastating news for 40,000 native Indians in Brazil..

Post by Jesse »

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"While newspapers and television talk about the lives of celebrities, the chief of the Kayapo tribe received the worst news of his life: Dilma, "The new president of Brazil, has given approval to build a huge hydroelectric plant (the third largest in the world). It is the death sentence for all the people near the river because the dam will flood 400,000 hectares of forest. More than 40,000 Indians will have to find another place to live. The natural habitat destruction, deforestation and the disappearance of many species is a fact."

What moves me in my very bowels , making me ashamed of being part of Western culture, is the reaction of the chief of the Kayapo community when he learned of the decision—his gesture of dignity and helplessness before the advance of capitalist progress, modern predatory civilization that does not respect the differences . . .

But we know that a picture is worth a thousand words, showing the reality of the true price of our bourgeois "quality of life".
Source:
http://geographynqt.blogspot.com/2012/0 ... ative.html

Sign Petition Here:
http://www.raoni.com/signature-petition ... -monte.php
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Thus shall ye think of all this fleeting world:
A star at dawn, a bubble in a stream;
A flash of lightning in a summer cloud,
A flickering lamp, a phantom, and a dream.
Norwegian
Posts: 2632
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2011 7:36 pm

Re: Devastating news for 40,000 native Indians in Brazil..

Post by Norwegian »

And to think the Norwegian government just gave Brazil a random $175 million as a "Good job!" award for supposedly cutting down less trees...

At the same time this was revealed in Norwegian newspapers, there was mention of how there's supposedly a new law on the way in Brazil, which will make it more easier to cut down forests.

And now this... I'm not sure what emotions I feel with regards to this, because there's quite a few of them at the same time right now....
Jesse
Posts: 2127
Joined: Wed May 08, 2013 6:54 am
Location: Virginia, USA

Re: Devastating news for 40,000 native Indians in Brazil..

Post by Jesse »

Yea, I don't even know what to say. I just hope they get enough signatures to stop this particular dam from happening. I am stuck somewhere between thinking we can make a difference as individuals -- and knowing the few of us who do care are so outnumbered it will never matter... but for now, I'll go the route of doing something over nothing.. even if it's something of as little value as signing a petition.
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Thus shall ye think of all this fleeting world:
A star at dawn, a bubble in a stream;
A flash of lightning in a summer cloud,
A flickering lamp, a phantom, and a dream.
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Distorted
Posts: 93
Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 7:26 am

Re: Devastating news for 40,000 native Indians in Brazil..

Post by Distorted »

Nothing is changed. People's attitudes at most may have changed but power is still the same. It's a real shame.
"Sona, before you became a monk you were a musician". Sona said that was true. So the Buddha said, "As a musician which string of the lute produces a pleasant and harmonious sound. The over-tight string?" "No," said Sona, "The over-tight string produces an unpleasant sound and is moreover likely to break at any moment." "The string that is too loose?" Again, "No, the string that is too loose does not produce a tuneful sound. The string that produces a tuneful sound is the string that is not too tight and not too loose."
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Bhavana
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Joined: Sun Jan 15, 2012 5:18 pm
Location: east coast US

Re: Devastating news for 40,000 native Indians in Brazil..

Post by Bhavana »

Where has the money come from to build this plant? I heard that Obama was behind it, that we (the american taxpayers) are footing the bill. Anyone know if this is true or not?
gyougan
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Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2011 3:37 pm
Location: Helsinki, Finland

Re: Devastating news for 40,000 native Indians in Brazil..

Post by gyougan »

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Well, I hope at least some of the wealth generated by this power plant and the following economic growth will trickle down to these poor Indians.
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