KRENAK PEOPLE PARTICIPATE IN THE FAREWELL TO DOM LUCIANO

 

Over the last two days, thousands of people have flocked to the historical city of Mariana, Minas Gerais, to pay homage to Dom Luciano Mendes de Almeida, Archbishop of Mariana for 19 years, who died of liver cancer on Sunday, September 27, after 42 days in hospital. Cimi missionaries and representatives of the Krenak people, who live in Resplendor, Minas, were present.

 

Dejanira, spiritual leader of the Krenak, sang prayers in her people’s language to ask the Marets, their protective spirits, to receive Dom Luciano. In her opinion, the bishop was more than a friend. Dom Luciano’s presence in mediating conflicts was of great importance in the Krenak’s struggle against Companhia Vale do Rio Doce and its projects in the indigenous people’s lands. At the end of her prayer, Dejanira proclaimed: “for us, he has not died; he continues to live in our struggle!” Next, the Krenak leaders sang a solemn song, with a melody that joins the spiritual world to that of the living, taking them to a place where the land rests and the spirit finds harmony.

 

Around 7,000 people took part in the celebration in the presence of the body, which was held yesterday morning, 30 September, in Praça da Sé. Bishops, priests, authorities, ministry and social movement representatives, and the people of the archdiocese of Mariana attended this celebration, which was commanded by Cardinal Dom Geraldo Majella, the CNBB chairman.

 

Dom Luciano was born in Rio de Janeiro and ordained in Rome. He was auxiliary bishop in the diocese of São Paulo, where he worked intensely with people who were living on the streets and at the Young People’s Ministry, which he founded.

 

The doors of his residence were always open to those who lived on the streets of the city’s East Zone, and he often spent the night walking with them in the square, talking to them and listening to their hopes and fears.

 

As chairman of the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB) from 1987 to 1994, Dom Luciano played a decisive role in the Constituent Assembly, especially in the defense of indigenous people’s rights. He also worked on defending Cimi from the accusations made by the newspaper, O Estado de S.Paulo. In 1987, in an attempt to influence the Constituent Assembly against indigenous rights, this newspaper published “reports”, ridden with slander and lies, about the supposed role of religious missions as a front for foreign mining interests. After six days of reports which directly accused Cimi, and through the work of the CNBB, the newspaper was obliged by the courts to grant and publish the organization’s right of reply.

                       

Amongst his many contributions, the bishop leaves behind many beautiful phrases. “He, who is loved, carries within himself the mysterious desire to abandon his own egoism and to sample the joy of graciously loving others” is one such example. (from Luciano Marcos, Cimi East)

 

THE PATAXÓ RESISTANCE AND STRUGGLE FRONT CONTINUES TO FIGHT FOR UNIFIED TERRITORY

 

The Pataxó Resistance and Struggle Front, which coordinates the struggle for land of the 12 Pataxó communities in the South of Bahia, held its 5^th Assembly between 18 and 20 August. They are continuing with the fight for the demarcation of a unified land for their people, and state, in the assembly’s final document: “We will only accept the proposal to expand the conservation units after demarcation of our territory, in order to avoid these units encroaching onto our lands”.

 

They are also striving to bring the planting of eucalyptus in lands traditionally occupied by the indigenous people, which are currently controlled by the company Veracel Celulose, to an end. According to the communities, the company “continues to attack the environment”.

 

In terms of education policy, the Pataxó ask that the laws which guarantee specific, quality education to be complied with, and that indigenous educators are employed and granted their labor rights.

                       

Brasília, 31 August 2006

Indianist Missionary Council

www.cimi.org.br