Brazilian indigenous leader Ademir Kaba is addressing the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, arguing that the Brazilian government has violated international law, as well as its own constitution.

The Munduruku leader is arguing that the government has neglected to consult indigenous communities ahead of building the Belo Monte dam, adding that the government is repeating the offense as it plans to build an additional dam across the river Tapajos. “Only after consulting all 126 villages that run the length of the Tapajós should the government make a decision about whether to go ahead,” he said.

Belo Monte is set to be the world’s fourth-largest hydroelectric plant, and it is scheduled to generate electricity beginning in November. Norte Energia, the consortium responsible for the dam, says that it should fill the needs of 60 million people when it’s completed. The government adds that it will be a clean source of renewable energy that is fundamental to development in the region. It claims the dam was designed to minimize environmental damage.

Environmentalists and indigenous communities disagree, of course. They say the dam will devastate wildlife as well as the livelihoods of at least 2,000 families who live in the area.

Ademir Kaba told the Guardian that in an effort to work with the government, the Munduruku people handed over a protocol establishing the terms of a consultation process back in January. Months later, they still haven’t heard back.

He also added that the government used disproportionate use of force when it attempted to intimidate the Munduruku by raiding the village of Teles Pires in 2012, (the government claimed its intention was to stop illegal gold-mining). The raid resulted in the death of an indigenous leader. Should the government move forward with its plans, Ademir Kaba warned, the Munduruku people were prepared to respond with similar force.

“If the government does not engage in dialogue with us, if it does not use the tools of democracy, we are prepared to die to stop the building of this dam,” he said.

Unfortunately, the Brazilian government’s blatant disregard for the indigenous communities who live around the dams is all too common. Because they represent the minority, indigenous people’s rights are continuously trampled on, as governments deem their needs less important than the needs of the majority.

However, according to the UN, “there are approximately 370 million indigenous peoples occupying 20 percent of the earth’s territory.” For perspective, that’s greater than the population of the US. That’s a lot of people to throw under the bus.

While it’s possible the Brazilian government had only the best intentions when deciding to push forward with the dams, disregarding the needs of the local indigenous communities was the wrong way to go about it. Not only was it unethical, but it also a missed an opportunity to establish trust and goodwill between the parties involved.