The Special Commission of the National
Congress of Brazil is studying various
means of making the much derided Calha
Norte mining project feasible in the
country. The commission took advantage of
the crisis in the investigation and
surveillance system of the Amazon region
(Sivam) scheme, to propose that the
Calha Norte project should be resumed as a
complement to Sivam.
Devised by the National Security Council in
1985, Calha Norte is supposed to
be implemented on the border between Brazil
and five countries covering 6,771
km. it was suspended due to financial
problems.
Critics opine that it is actually a
militarist project that
includes setting up of armed forces
stations in Indian
dominated areas, as was the case in the
Yanomami
territory.
Calha Norte was held responsible for health
hazards among the Indians in Amazonia. It is
estimated that 60,000 Tukano, Baniwa, Kuripako,
Tikuna, Yanomami, Mayongong, Taurepang, Mcuxi and
C, Wapixana Indians live in the area
covered by the
Calha Norte and Sivam.
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