Support and sign the request made by quilombola communities in the Far South of Bahia, Brazil, for the immediate halt to destructive and illegal road works by Suzano Papel e Celulose in their territories.
Suzano, Brazil’s largest eucalyptus plantation owner and one of the world’s largest paper and pulp corporations, continues with its violent and destructive actions in the territories of quilombola, peasant and indigenous communities.
At this time, eight quilombola communities in Bahia state, Brazil, which for years have had their territories invaded by Suzano’s eucalyptus plantations, are crying out for help. We ask that you support the urgent demand by these communities that the Brazilian authorities take steps to immediately halt the illegal destruction of the Atlantic Forest and of these communities’ traditional paths by Suzano and its new road works, thus worsening the destruction and invasion of the territories of these communities.
This violence in the communities is taking place right after Suzano received a US$725 million loan from the World Bankl/IFC (December 2022) to build a new pulp mill in Brazil. This occurred despite the protests against this decision by countless Brazilian and international organizations. They denounced the devastating impacts of the monoculture model of eucalyptus production for paper and pulp practiced by Suzano in Brazil.
Support the request of the quilombola communities for an immediate halt to the road works by signing here.
Summary of the request:
To the Federal Prosecution Service and Public Defender’s Office in Teixeira de Freitas (Bahia)
Through this request, we the quilombola communities of Volta Miúda, Rio do Sul, Helvécia, Naiá, Mutum, Cândido Mariano, Vila Juazeiro and Mota come before you to denounce and ask for measures against the destruction caused by infrastructure work carried out by Suzano Papel e Celulose inside our territories in the Far South of the state of Bahia.
More specifically, one is dealing here with a new road, which is being built for Suzano’s exclusive use and is destroying our territories, especially the native vegetation and soils of the Atlantic Forest, as well as putting our springs at risk.
Furthermore, the new road is being built on top of traditional paths we have always used. The road works have already completely destroyed an old bridge, part of the communities’ historical heritage. This has made it impossible for dwellers to access their areas of cultivation, which are essential to their survival.
We are sure that our rights are being violated owing to the fact that there was no prior consultation, as established by ILO Convention 169. We therefore request, as well as the urgent holding of such consultation, the immediate halt of the Suzano corporation’s illegal road works.
