A trial that began Monday (Apr. 4) and continues on until Friday (8) is considering the appeal filed by people affected by the tragedy. They request the recognition of the UK’s jurisdiction in the case.
As per estimates from the state’s Prosecution Service, less than 30 percent of the victims have been compensated. The dam collapse caused a wave of sludge that swept over a number of municipalities in Minas Gerais and its neighboring state Espírito Santo through the Doce river basin. Furthermore, 19 people died.
“Not a single group of people affected—field and laundry workers, artisans, fisherpeople, small business owners—was fully compensated. The environment has also not been fully recovered", according to prosecutor and task force coordinator Silmara Goulart.
BHP Billiton, the British-Australian mining company being sued in the UK over the tragedy in Mariana, Minas Gerais, is challenging the jurisdiction of the British courts moving ahead with the case. The matter is expected to be discussed at a hearing on June 9, 2020.
In the last few years, the first days of November have brought difficult memories to Mariana, the historical town in Minas Gerais state, Southeast Brazil.