CEBs MEETING FOSTERS ECUMENICAL EXPERIENCE WITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

 

Since Tuesday, the 19th, the 11th Interecclesial Meeting of Basic Ecclesial Communities (CEBs) of the Catholic Church is being held in Ipatinga, state of Minas Gerais. Over 70 indigenous persons from 24 peoples from different parts of the country are attending the meeting, as well as almost 20 Cimi missionaries. The participation of indigenous people in the meeting enriches the debates and ecumenical experience proposed by the Interecclesial gathering.

 

This morning, six groups made up of about 100 people discussed the topic “Jesus and indigenous spiritual beliefs.” The groups answered questions such as: what are the yearnings of indigenous peoples and how is your community involved in this struggle? What do indigenous people teach us with their life, myths and rites? What values announced by Jesus are present in indigenous cultures? Land, health, and putting an end to prejudice were mentioned as major topics in terms of “yearnings.” Solidarity, the importance of sharing and religion in all moments of one\’s life were also remembered as values of indigenous religiousness.

 

Indigenous people and missionaries observed that the development of closer relations with indigenous peoples should not remain on paper only. “We must be respected. During this meeting and after it is over, people need to talk about the criminal acts that are being carried out in indigenous lands. We need support to the demarcation of our lands. We did not come here as an adornment and what we say here should not just stay here or remain on paper only. What is the commitment assumed by the Basic Eccleasial Communities in relation to our claims and indigenous peoples at large?”, asked Itamar Guajajara, who came from the state of Maranhão.

 

Missionary Dijé Fernandes, who also came from the state of Maranhão, agrees: “The Church should foster ecumenical experiences in its daily activities.” The words of Dijé were reinforced by a participant in the discussion: “I live in a municipality which has 66% of its territory inside an indigenous land. No indigenous person has ever been invited to attend a Parish Assembly.”

 

The meeting also affords indigenous persons an opportunity to become aware of the religious beliefs of other indigenous peoples. “I came here to become acquainted with other religions and with the realities experienced by other peoples. We who work in the educational area must know more to report our findings to others afterwards,” explained Eva Canoé, from the state of Rondônia.

 

The Basic Ecclesial Communities were set up in 1960 as part of an initiative of the Church to reach out to poor populations and they have played an important role in organizing these populations to foster social change, even if based on their local experiences.

 

The 11th Interecclesial Meeting was structured in three stages: The first day was the stage of “seeing,” when the groups discussed the experiences of each community, forms of exclusion and how the Church is positioning itself to deal with the exclusion issue.

 

Tomorrow, 36 “tents” with 120 participants each will address specific topics, among which indigenous education and indigenous lands. In the same morning, indigenous persons will hold a celebration as an opening ceremony to the third day of meeting.

 

 

HIGHER COURT OF JUSTICE RULES THAT TRUKÁ LEADER IS TO BE TRANSFERRED TO HIS VILLAGE

 

The deputy chief justice of the Higher Court of Justice, Sálvio de Figueiredo Teixeira, ruled yesterday that chief Aurivan dos Santos, known as Neguinho Truká, is to be transferred from a penitentiary in Petrolina to a Funai indigenous station in the Truká village, which is located on the Assunção island, state of Pernambuco.

 

The decision of the deputy chief justice of the Higher Court of Justice was partially based on arguments presented in a petition filed by chief Aurivan, a patient under Habeas Corpus 34838, represented by attorneys Paulo Machado Guimarães, Sandro Lobo, Claudio Luiz Beirão and Michael Mary Nolan, who are legal advisors to Cimi, which was also signed by Funai, the agency that filed the Habeas Corpus application, whose rapporteur is justice Laurita Vaz.

 

In the opinion of Cimi\’s legal advisors, the ruling is important because it sets a positive precedent in the application of the indigenous law in terms of penal execution, including in situations of temporary imprisonment of indigenous people, by applying penal detraction provisions.

 

Neguinho Truká, one of the most widely known indigenous leaders in Brazil, was surprised when he was arrested to testify as a witnesses in the trial for the murder of his brother and nephew, who were killed in the Truká village by military police officers from the state of Pernambuco on June 30.

 

In the opinion of Cimi\’s directors, the arrest of the Truká chief had political connotations, as it is part of an attempt of incriminate indigenous leaders who are fighting to have their rights ensured. The arrest warrant which led to the imprisonment of the chief was based on charges that Neguinho and other indigenous leaders carried out illegal acts when they reoccupied lands traditionally occupied by them which have been partially demarcated already in administrative terms. In that year, the Truká drove all the cattle away from farms which encroached upon their land. A farmer reported to the police that two of his bulls were missing, but they were promptly returned to him.

 

These acts of violence against the Truká were reported on Tuesday (the 19th) in Geneva to the United Nations Organization by a leader of that people, Edilene Pajeú. Indigenous Peoples, their Organizations and Cimi are now working together to release the Truká leader from prison once and for all and ensure his acquittal.

 

 

Brasília, 21 July 2005