Indigenous Brazilians fight Amazon dam project (big photo gallery)

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Native Brazilians from the Amazon basin demonstrate against the construction of the planned Belo Monte hydroelectric dam, in Brasilia February 8, 2011. Proposed to be built along the Xingu River in the state of Para, the dam would be the world's third largest at planned capacity, though environmentalists and native Brazilians have raised concerns that the project may displace indigenous tribes and damage the environment. Here is a recap of the issue on Global Voices, and below, more photographs from the protest this week.

(photos: REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino)

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RTXXM1A.jpgAbove, a protester eats ice cream.

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The sign with a portrait of President Dilma Rousseff reads, "Stop Belo Monte."

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The sign above reads, "No Belo Monte dam on the Xingu."

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Brazilian indigenous people protest outside Brazil's electric energy agency Aneel in Brasilia April 20, 2010, against the construction of the Belo Monte Hydroelectric power plant in the Xingu River. Aneel suspended the auction of the 11,000 megawatt Belo Monte hydroelectric dam that was scheduled for midday (1500 GMT) on Tuesday because of an injunction filed by a public prosecutor in a federal court, ordering it to suspend the auction. Aneel is prepared to go ahead even if the injunction is overturned just minutes before the established time for the auction of the high profile hydroelectric project.

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A Greenpeace member protests outside Brazil's electric energy agency Aneel in Brasilia April 20, 2010, against the construction of the Belo Monte Hydroelectric power plant in the Xingu River.