Signed agreement to compensate victims of Mariana

The tailings dam failure killed 17 people

Published on 24/12/2015 - 14:16 By Agência Brasil - Brasília

Mariana (MG) - Distrito de Bento Rodrigues foi atingido pela lama devido ao rompimento de duas barragens de rejeitos da mineradora Samarco (Antonio Cruz/Agência Brasil)

Mariana (MG) - The collapse of Fundão Dam, on November 5th, destroyed Bento Rodrigues village in Mariana.Antonio Cruz/ Agência Brasil

Agreement signed by Samarco mining company during the conciliation conference organized by Minas Gerais Prosecutor on Wednesday (Dec. 23) established the immediate payment of compensation to each family affected by the collapse of Fundão Dam, on November 5th, destroying Bento Rodrigues village in Mariana. The largest and unprecedented environmental disastir in Brazil killed 17 and left two missing.

Representatives of victims and companies Vale and BHP Billiton Brazil also attended the hearing.

During the conference, it was decided to grant a compensation of $5,000 to each homeless family, of which $2,530 will be anticipating future compensation. The other $2,530 will not be received in the future. Moreover, even when they find a job, families will also receive a minimum wage ($220.3) for assistance, and more 20% for each dependent person and a monthly food basket until the end of the reconstruction of communities. The final value of compensation has not been defined yet.

Families who lost relatives will receive $25.30000. Rural producers will also be compensated but the value has not been defined yet.

Samarco executed the order to place all families in rented houses until Christmas. For the payment of anticipated compensations, the Public Prosecution Office agreed to unfreeze the necessary amount—$ 871,000—of Samarco assets that had been blocked by the courts. The mining company will have until January 31st, 2016 to ensure the accountability of the amount spent to the Justice.

The permanent resettlement of those affected by the disaster, by reconstructing communities, is the main purpose of the next conciliation conference, scheduled for January 20th, 2016.

Renting houses

Samarco has pledged to keep families in rented houses for up to three months from the date they deliver the keys for the permanent resettlement, so that they can definitely arrange their home moving. Exceptionally, for cases of families that do not agree to be permanently resettled, the mining company will be responsible for paying the rent for up to 12 months.

Those who end up homeless, but chose not to be housed in hotels or rented houses, should receive the value of an average monthly rent of $303.61, backdated from Nov. 5, 2015, except for agreements already negotiated.


Translated by Amarílis Anchieta


Fonte: Signed agreement to compensate victims of Mariana

Edition: Graça Adjuto / Nira Foster

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