Hydro-Quebec is involved in a huge dam project in Colombia that threatens to destroy the way of life of local indigenous people, says a Gazette report.
Hydro-Quebec International is responsible for checking the validity of an environmental-impact study into the Calima 3 hydroelectric project. The study was done by Roche International, a Quebec-based engineering firm. If the project goes ahead, both Hydro-Quebec and Roche stand to gain from large construction contracts.
Colombian authorities see black people and natives on the Pacific Coast as “an impediment to development,” said Greenpeace at a press conference in Montreal in April. Amnesty International reports that Colombia has been rocked by over 20,000 political killings since 1986, mostly by members of the army.
Environmentalists say the project is part of an effort by Hydro to get more involved in dam projects in the Third World. The utility is also involved in preparations for the construction of the massive Three Gorges dam in China, which will displace 1 million people.
