Leaders of the Enawenê-Nawê, Irantxe (Manuke) and Kayabi peoples, who live in the state of Mato Grosso, are in Brasília to claim back their traditional lands and prevent the accelerated illegal clearing process for selling timber, raising cattle and planting soybeans that is affecting them. This destruction also affects the springs of the rivers from which the indigenous people take their food.

The clearing exposed by the leaders – who have brought maps with them showing the growth of illegal activities – is proven by the numbers of trees felled in the Amazon forest announced by the National Institute for Space Research – INPE. The Amazon region lost 26,130 square kilometers in 2003 and 2004, and Mato Grosso was responsible for 48.1% of the total amount of clearing.

The difficulties for the recognition of the indigenous lands involve national political issues. The Governor of Mato Grosso, Blairo Maggi (PPS), is part of the group allied to the federal government and a member of the same party as the president of Funai, Mercio Pereira Gomes. In 2003, the governor asked the federal government to suspend the demarcation of indigenous lands in the state for two years. The power of the pressure that the ranchers in Mato Grosso can bring to bear on the federal authorities in something that is well known in Brazil. Furthermore, Maggi is one of the largest producers of de soy in the world, and the Lula government, which is interested in keeping the balance of trade positive at any cost, is still defending agribusiness.

The Enawenê-Nawê people demand the start of the review of their land boundaries. A work group was being set up to carry out the anthropological studies, but the process was interrupted by the National Foundation for Indigenous People (Funai), which is following a decision not to proceed with boundary review processes.

The Irantxe and Kayabi lands, which are on the list of those that have already been identified by the Foundation, arrived at the Ministry of Justice and were returned to Funai without any further explanation. “If the process grinds to a halt, the environmental impact will be greater, and the timber clearing and the land-grabbers will advance further. The pastures are where there are ceramic works and where our cemeteries are”, said Raimundo Jywy, of the Kayabi people. 

The Public Prosecutor’s Office has asked the Ministry of Justice to justify the return of the anthropological reports of the Irantxe (who call themselves the Manuke) and Kaiabi peoples and asked for urgent steps to be taken concerning the clearing in the three areas. Funai has also promised to coordinate with environmental to repress this clearing.

Yesterday (1 June), the House of Deputies Human Rights Committee approved the holding of a public hearing to get a position from the Ministry of Justice, Funai and organizations such as the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama), which is responsible for looking after the environment. This hearing should take place in August. Deputies Eduardo Valverde (PT-RO) and Iriny Lopes (PT-ES) issued the request, after a meeting with the indigenous people.

The Enawenê-Nawê

The Enawenê-Nawê are a people that have only recently been contacted. There was a population of 97 people when they were contacted, in 1974. Now, there are 430. This people demand inclusion of the Rio Preto region, which fell outside the ratified area in 1996, in their territory. Last year, Funai issued a public notice with gave information about the hiring of third parties to carry out the study. However, the process has been suspended. On 31 May, the NGO Survival International sent a letter to the Brazilian government asking for measures to be taken regarding this people. They state in the letter that: “Survival has received very worrying reports describing how the rivers of the Rio Preto [region], which are crucial to the subsistence of this fish-eating people, are being polluted. This is poisoning the waters that they drink and the fish stocks. Traditionally, the Enawenê-Nawê have lived off fishing, growing corn and gathering nuts and have built their communal houses in the Rio Preto area. Besides this, this region is of an enormous spiritual significance to them. The indigenous people are also being intimidated by ranchers who have, on several occasions, burnt down their communal houses.”

TUPINIKIM AND GUARANI REPOSSES THEIR LANDS IN ESPÍRITO SANTO

Around 200 indigenous people from seven settlements in Espírito Santo have started to reoccupy the areas that they themselves have demarcated over the last few weeks. The group is cutting down the eucalyptus trees planted in the 11,009-hectare area of the indigenous lands that are currently in the hands of the company Aracruz Celulose. These 11,009 hectares have already been identified by FUNAI and recognized as indigenous lands by the ex-Minister of Justice Íris Rezende, but were not included in the demarcation orders due to an unconstitutional agreement signed by the indigenous people after the leaders had suffered violent coercion.

The court order in favor of Aracruz Celulose, which decreed the withdrawal of the indigenous people from their territory, was overturned on appeal by the Federal Court, based on the argument that Funai and the Public Prosecutor’s Office should have been heard before the Federal Court came to its decision.

Today (2 June), a march in favor of the demarcation of the Tupinikim and Guarani lands will take place in Vitória, the capital of Espírito Santo. Indigenous people, landless workers, small farmers and the population of Espírito Santo will march to the center of the city. This will coincide with the opening of the 4th National Meeting of the Green Desert Alert Network, a network that brings together communities affected by the eucalyptus and pine monocultures in Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, Bahia, Rio de Janeiro and Rio Grande do Sul.

By the middle of June, the current Minister of Justice Márcio Thomaz Bastos will have to come to a decision about a recommendation made by the Public Prosecutor’s Office involving the issue of a new demarcation order, which includes the 11,009 hectares that were not demarcated in 1998. The President of FUNAI, Mércio Pereira Gomes, who met with the indigenous leaders last week, has promised to talk to the Minister of Justice this week, to ask him to issue a new order recognizing the rights of the Tupinikim and Guarani to the area.

Reoccupation of these lands is taking place nine days after the demarcation process, an activity that involved 500 indigenous people. Today, the work of cutting down the eucalyptus trees continues, and two huts have been built to house the families that will remain there. In place of the felled eucalyptus trees, food and native plants will be planted.  (Information supplied by Fase)

Brasília, 2 June 2005

Cimi – Indianist Missionary Council

www.cimi.org.br