The patches of oil and oily waste that have reached the beaches of the Brazilian Northeast since the beginning of September, causing the death of animals and damage to tourist resorts, have led the Bishops’ Conference of Brazil (CNBB) to call for a «deep and immediate ecological conversion».
Thousands of people are engaged in cleaning over 200 beaches in nine states on an area of over 2,000 kilometers. According to experts, this could be the worst disaster ever occurred in the area, whose causes are still unknown. The federal prosecutor’s office accused the government of Brasilia of not organizing a response to the disaster.
«The mining processes that contaminate and kill must be monitored and duly held responsible by the public power since there is no future for humanity without the indispensable respect for the common home,» wrote the Presidency of the CNBB in the text sent to Fides News Agency.
The Synod of Bishops for the Amazon has reinforced the need for «an authentic ecological conversion», they continue, citing as an example for every person on the road to conversion, «the magnificent work of the volunteers who dedicate themselves to cleaning the beaches of the Northeast. Men and women who take risks in contact with toxic oil to save the environment».
Faced with this environmental disaster, the Bishops ask the competent authorities «effective actions to recover the natural balance», as well as making the necessary investigations «to find the origin and causes of this ecological tragedy». «The courage and solidarity of the volunteers touch the hearts of everyone, especially the rulers so that the defense of life and the planet is always a priority», the note concludes.
