Brazilian Bishop is fasting for River São Francisco

"Therefore, I restart my fasting and pray. And I only will stop it with the withdrawl of the army from the construction site of the diversion project at the north and the east canals and with the final suspension of the São Francisco River diversion project. There is no other alternative". D. Luiz Cappio in a letter to the President Lula

 

For second time a roman catholic bishop in Barra, state of BA started a fasting in defense of the river São Francisco. In a midst of a great controversy involving the project for implementation of the river, the bishop start two years ago a fasting. After negotiations with governamental representatives that promised suspend the project and discuss it with social representations, the bishop stopped his first fasting.

Now, with the lack of agreement between government and popular sectors, the work of implementation has started, even with the presence of military troops.

The Archbishop Mauricio Andrade and brazilians anglicans bishops is joining others churches ecumenically for support very strongly the bishop Cappio and are requesting governamental authorities to stop the project and discuss it with environmentalists, little farmers and people alongside the river.

The project in course will cause damage to the environment and will promote and benefit a small part of the population, especially the sectors related to agri-business.

We ask as brazilians anglicans to our fellow brothers and sisters to support this initiative from a fellow christian leader that is resolutely decided to fasting until the government stop the project.

I sent t my fellows Provincial Secretaries a letter stated by the CONIC - National Council of Christian Churches aupporting bishop Cappio initiative.

We must support the gesture of a christian who is identified with the preservation of nature and is offering his own life to ensure that the interests of big companies and their desire for profits did not prevail.

An english version of a letter of support is available at http://www.petitiononline.com/dcappio/petition.html

The Episcopal Anglican Chruch of Brazil is also trough the Provincial Office ready to offer any more clarification on that.