Dear Sirs and friends,
I’m Roberta Stucchi.

I’m writing you from Brazil because I hope you could indicate me how the population of Ilheus, Bahia, can receive some help to try to unable a destroying project that the Governor of Bahia has just approved in the same area, hiding the real intention to the environmentalists, local politics, population, investors etc.

Suddenly, on the last month of February a law by decree has been approved, that provides the construction in a very short period of time of an industrial harbor and an important railway, with its deposits, in the idyllic coast of Ilheus, Praia Norte, km 17 rodovia ecoparque Ilheus-Itacarè.
This zone, characterized by a gorgeous MATA ATLANTICA and many coral reef, is one of the 5 areas of the world richest in ecosystem; therefore is strictly protected by the UNESCO as a Humanity Heritage.

The harbor project, that could be realized in 4 other possible areas quite close to Ilheus, areas that would not go through such an environmental disaster, has been superficially approved by Governor of Bahia because the buyer of some Brazilian mines (it is supposed to be and Indian industry) in order to close the business deal pretended the approval of the project of an harbor, and its fast realization, in the south of Bahia.
The most sad thing of the above project, is that the strongly polluting dust of transported mineral (iron, nickel and manganese) would kill the earth and marine flora and fauna, damaging all the 37 km of the Praia Norte.

The entire population of Ilheus is deeply worried because, after the destruction of cacao plantations, fact that brought a serious crisis in the entire region during the last 30 years, the new industrial harbor would harm the many perspectives for a high level tourist development, intended to be ecological considering the nature of the area. In addition, it is important to underline that an economy based on a good tourism is already giving many job opportunities, while it seems the harbor would not.
The population of Ilheus is making everything possible in order to avoid the realization of the project in this area.

Considering that the MATA ATLANTICA is strongly protected by the UNESCO, and in the case of the realization of the harbor would be partially destroyed, it is fundamental that each one of us makes something to avoid it: “the concept of World Heritage Sites belongs to all the peoples of the world, irrespective of the territory on which they are located” .

As you can see, the modern ideals don’t hesitate in contaminating even one of the few paradise that still exists in our exploited planet, even if it is one of the last lungs of the earth.

With the pacific population of Ilheus, I do hope in your help especially for contacting UNESCO; AL GORE and GEEN PEACE, to send them all the projects of the harbor.

For communications and news, write to:

robertastucchi@yahoo.it