Director James Cameron said Monday that a real-life “Avatar” battle is playing out in Brazil's Amazon rain forest, where indigenous groups are trying to halt the construction of a huge hydroelectric project. In an interview with The Associated Press, Cameron said he was in Brazil's capital to support Indian and environmental groups as they stage protests against the Belo Monte dam project. Cameron attended an environmental summit in the Amazon last month with former US Vice President Al Gore. He returned this week to Sao Paulo and said he came to Brasilia on his own initiative because he was drawn to the activists' plight. “Avatar” has struck a chord with environmentalists worldwide. The $11 billion Belo Monte hydroelectric dam was cleared for construction Feb. 1 by the Environment Ministry. Environmentalists say it will devastate wildlife and the livelihoods of 40,000 people who live in the area to be flooded. They also argue that the energy generated by the dam will not benefit the average person.
