Colombia’s government has agreed to compensate the Emberá-Katío Indians for environmental damage done by the Urrá hydroelectric dam, ending a four-month sit-in by nearly 200 members of the tribe at the nation’s environment ministry in Bogotá. The Emberá, who live along the tributaries of the Sinú river in Córdoba state, had sought compensation for the inundation of 1,030 acres (417 hectares) of reservation land and for the loss of an estimated 80% of their fishing resources. Under an agreement reached April 25, the government has pledged to expand the tribe’s reservation to 287,496 acres (116,348 hectares) from its current 255,749 acres (103,500 hectares), an increase of over 12%. In addition, authorities have agreed to pay $1.6 million to remove some 300 peasant... [Log in to read more]