Indians end 9-day protest at work site of Brazil's huge Belo Monte hydroelectric dam

Indians protesting the construction of a huge hydroelectric dam on the Xingu river in the heart of Brazil's Amazon rainforest have ended their nine-day occupation of one of the project's construction sites.

The Norte Energia consortium that is building the Belo Monte dam says the protesters started leaving Tuesday night after the company agreed to build schools, a hospital and housing for the Indians.

Indians, fishermen and other activists occupied the construction site on Oct.9 to protest plans to definitively dam the Xingu River and jeopardize the livelihoods of some 40,000 people who live in the area where the dam is being built.

The consortium says it expects the activists will end their protest by day's end.

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