Federal Government Suspends Tapajós River Dredging Amid Indigenous Protests in Pará

The federal government of Brazil has suspended the dredging process of the Tapajós River in Pará following widespread indigenous protests. Indigenous peoples, alongside traditional communities and social organizations, have been mobilizing in Santarém for the past 15 days to demand the revocation of Decree 12.600, which authorizes private concessions of the Tapajós waterway.

The suspension, officially announced by ministers Guilherme Boulos, Sílvio Costa Filho, and Sônia Guajajara, aims to address the concerns raised by approximately 7,000 indigenous people from 14 ethnic groups residing in the Lower Tapajós region. The government clarified that the dredging works were routine to ensure navigability during low water periods and not directly connected to the concession studies. It further reiterated its commitment to conducting prior consultations with indigenous communities, as outlined during the COP30 climate conference.

In addition to the suspension, the government will establish an interministerial working group including public administration and indigenous representatives to facilitate consultation processes. Representatives are also being dispatched to Santarém to negotiate with protesters.

The Coordination of Indigenous Organizations of the Brazilian Amazon (Coiab) expressed support for the mobilizations and criticized the concession plan for its potential to severely impact indigenous territories, lifestyles, spirituality, and the environment.

Tensions escalated during the protests on February 5 when local politician Malaquias José Mottin reportedly drove his vehicle towards a blockade formed by demonstrators, including families and elders. Indigenous leaders condemned the act as dangerous. Mottin claimed he was attacked first and acted in self-defense, calling for an investigation. The protest centered on opposition to the dredging project, which Indigenous Council Tapajós and Arapiuns (Cita) criticize for lacking proper environmental licensing and ignoring prior consultation obligations under ILO Convention 169.

Moreover, the site of the protest, near the Cargill port, has further historical sensitivity as it was built over an ancestral burial ground significant to the Tapajó people. Indigenous leaders argue the dredging project, estimated at R$ 74.8 million, primarily serves agribusiness interests without adequately respecting local community rights.

The federal government's move to suspend dredging signifies an important response to indigenous advocacy in protecting their lands and culture within Pará’s ecological and social landscape.