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Families remember the victims in front of Minas Gerais Labour Court © Photo: ECCHR

20 January 2023, Brussels

Four Years of Impunity After Dam Collapse in Brumadinho – Everyday Life in Brumadinho and Criminal Proceedings in Brazil and Germany

Brussels
20 January 2023, 5:00 pm
Online

On the occasion of the fourth anniversary of the dam collapse in Brumadinho, we want to commemorate all those who have been affected by this tragedy. At a time when there are negotiations at both the European and international levels to oblige companies to respect human rights and the environment – as well as to increase access to justice for victims of corporate abuses – this tragic event serves as a warning about the damage that can be caused by a system that puts corporate profits above people and planet. Furthermore, it demonstrates the need to integrate the demands and concerns of communities negatively affected by corporate activities into the existing legislative process to enact a European due diligence law.

The Brumadinho dam collapse represents a systematic failure in the coordination between the mine operator chain, state supervision and privatized control by certifying companies to guarantee safety and environmental standards. The case highlights the need for legislators to oblige companies to identify and address such risks. We wonder, could this crime have been prevented if a German or EU supply chain law had been in place earlier? What can be done to ensure that such a new EU law contains no loopholes and does everything possible to prevent such crimes from happening?

These and other questions regarding the situation of the affected people and communities, as well as the difficulties people face who fight against impunity, will be discussed by:

  • Bishop Vicente Ferreira, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Belo Horizonte and member of the Commission for Integral Ecology of the CNBB
  • Andresa Rodrigues, mother of victim Bruno and Vice-President of the Association of Families of Victims and People Affected by the Córrego do Feijão Mine Dam Crash in Brumadinho (AVABRUM)
  • Danilo Chammas, human rights lawyer and coordinator of the Observatory of Criminal Proceedings on the Tragedy in Brumadinho (RENSER)
  • Antonia Klein, lawyer and Senior Legal Advisor, European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR)
  • Ben Vanpeperstraete, Senior Legal Advisor, European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR)
  • A Member of the European Parliament (tbc)

Moderation: Madalena Ramos Görne (MISEREOR)

You can access the event via Zoom.
The discussion will be in English and Portuguese.

More information on the case.

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