Indigenous Brazilians set free five hostages

Jan-Uwe Ronneburger

Rio de Janeiro (dpa) – Indigenous Brazilians protesting against

the construction of a power station have freed five hostages.

   The captives, released Monday, were managers involved in the

building of a hydroelectric power station in Mato Grosso state.

   On Sunday, around 300 indigenous inhabitants prevented some 250

workers from leaving the construction site. They were only allowed

out when the five managers offered themselves as a substitute.

   The inhabitants were demanding around 5.7 million dollars to

compensate them for the loss of their burial sites and hunting

grounds as well as for other damage caused by the power station.

   EAPSA, the company involved, has rejected the allegations of

destroying the indigenous people’s ancestral grounds.

   The indigenous people, members of various tribes, were armed with

bows and arrows.

   Occupation of the construction site continued after the hostages

were released, the company said.