Brazil – It started at May 21. An indigenous man, José Araújo Guajajara, 70 years, was shot death in the state of Maranhão, in the north of Brazil. His son of 28 years old was heavenly injured. The crime took place after threats of a farmer and shortly after the assassination the farmer was set to prison. Seven more people where involved, among which two sons of the farmer. They were the ones that actually killed José Araújo Guajajara. Against them the police has given an arrest warrant. But until today they have not been caught.

 

Last Sunday, 26th of May, another indigenous man was killed. This time the crime happened in Mato Grosso, a state in the east of Brazil. Indigenous people (Kaiowá Guarani) were returning to their land, which is occupied by farmers. Originally it is indigenous land, but the formal process of getting the land back is very slow. Soon after the Kaiowá Guarani start building their huts, two pickup trucks with around thirty gunmen arrived. They start shooting at the group and Dorival Benitez was shot death. His brother Ari and two others were injured. Besides this the gunmen also pulled out of their truck Silvio and his wife Rosane, four months pregnant, start kicking and beating them and set the truck on fire.

 

Until now nobody has been arrested.

 

And since yesterday evening (30th of June) another sad fact can be added on this list of terror. Two Truká indigenous people were murdered in Pernambuco, the west of Brazil, and another one was injured. The victims are Adenilson dos Santos of 38 years and his son Jorge dos Santos of only 17 years. They were present at a party, which was going on after the visit of Minister Gomes of Funai, the Governmental Indigenous Council, at the indigenous land. According to reliable sources military policemen were also present at the party, with the purpose of killing Adenilson. Adenilson was shot in his back. The bodies were taken to the hospital and returned back to the indiginous area without any research done.

 

All these crimes are directly or indirectly related to land issues. According to the Brazilian Constitution of 1988 indigenous people have the right to live on their traditional lands. But until now this is only realized for 313 of the 841 indigenous areas.

 

CIMI, www.cimi.org.br

CIMI is an Missionary Indigenous Organization that is already working more than 30 years with indigenous peoples in Brazil

For further information contact:

Geertje van der Pas

[email protected]

Tel +55 61 33227582

 

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