The Federal Court ruled, this Monday (25), that the Union, the National Indian Foundation (Funai) and Eletronorte must compensate the Waimiri-Atroari indigenous people for the lands flooded in the 1980s by the Balbina Hydroelectric Power Plant, in Amazonas.
The decision was made in a Public Civil Action filed by the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office (MPF).
The ruling considered the historical, anthropological and testimonial evidence presented by the MPF.
The Federal Public Prosecutor's Office demonstrated that traditional indigenous occupation in the region has existed since the 19th century, including the areas affected by the construction of the hydroelectric power plant.
The energy concessionaire Eletronorte, the National Foundation for Indigenous Peoples (Funai) and the Union were also ordered to pay compensation for the collective damages caused to the Waimiri-Atroari.
The indigenous people were expelled from their lands for the construction of the plant and suffered losses due to the delay in redefining the boundaries of their lands.
The amount of compensation will be determined at a later stage of the process.
The ruling by the 1st Federal Civil Court also annulled the property titles granted by the Government of Amazonas to private individuals.
The area had been improperly divided into lots between 1969 and 1971, disregarding the occupation of the Waimiri-Atroari.
These lots, located in the so-called Pitinga subdivision, were later expropriated by Eletronorte for the construction of the plant's reservoir.

Fuente: Agencia Amazon