Newsletter No. 774: – Violence and health are on the agenda of the 2nd CNPI meeting
ViolENCE, THE statutE AND HEALTH ARE ON THE AGENDA OF THE 2ND CNPI MEETING
The second meeting of the National Policy Committee for Indigenous People (CNPI) began this Thursday morning in Brasília. Three of the nine thematic sub-committees have submitted proposals, which will be voted on by the Committee, made up of indigenous people, Federal Government representatives and indigenous people’s organizations.
The Justice, Safety and Citizenship sub-committee has proposed the acceleration of indigenous land demarcation processes, giving priority to the peoples that are in a conflict situation. It has requested information about programs and actions focused on the protection and safety of the indigenous people; on the existence of a safety program that is directed towards the indigenous people; on the number of registered conflicts; on the number of imprisoned indigenous people; and on gathering data about the leaders that are receiving threats. Based on these data, the committee will develop policy proposals.
The Lands sub-committee has proposed, amongst other things, the suspension of the committee for demarcating land in the state of Santa Catarina. The third committee of the morning presented proposals for the National Council for Indigenous Policy’s draft law.
The Committees for Ethnodevelopment, Legislation, Health, Indigenous School Education; Gender; Children and Young People; and Policy Coordination will present their proposals during the afternoon.
A presentation by the Ministry of Mines and Energy on mining and proposed projects in Indigenous Lands; a presentation by the National Health Foundation and a discussion about the Indigenous People’s Statute are also on the agenda.
The Committee has the duty to indicate ways in which the Brazilian state can put into practice public policies that focus on the indigenous people.
MURDER OF Ortiz Lopez: movEments ASK FOR FEDERAL POLICE TO INVESTIGATE
Last Wednesday morning (11 July), the Guarani-Kaiowá from Kurusu-Ambá, Mato Grosso do Sul, held the funeral of the leader Ortiz Lopes, who was murdered on the night of 8 July in front of his house in Kurusu Ambá, Mato Grosso do Sul.
On a cold, drizzly day, Ortiz was buried in the Taquaperi Land, next to Julite Lopes. She had been murdered in January, at the age of 73, by people acting under the instructions of ranchers who wanted to expel the indigenous people that have been reclaiming their lands.
The leaders from this land today held a meeting with Funai and with the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MPF) petitioning for steps to be taken to study and demarcate the Kurusu Ambá land, and to find out who was responsible for the two crimes.
The inquest into the death of Julite, which took place seven months ago, has yet to be concluded.
Indigenous people and social movements in Mato Grosso do Sul have asked for the murder of Ortiz to be investigated by the Federal Police, since the death occurred within the context of a conflict for the ownership of the traditional Guarani lands. Ortiz was one of the main leaders of the group that has repossessed the land and has been living in a camp by the side of the MS-289 highway, in the municipality of Coronel Sapucaia.
There is also concern for the safety of Marluce, Ortiz’ widow who witnessed the crime. According to Eliseo Guarani, another leader in the region, the community is still receiving threats.
This was the 20th murder in Mato Grosso do Sul in 2007. The total number of murders is already equal to the number registered by Cimi during all of 2006.
TransposiTION –Truká AND Tumbalalá REPOSSESSIONS CONTINUE IN FULL SWING
The repossession of their traditional lands by the Tumbalalá and Truká peoples continue to take place as a protest against the São Francisco River transposition project and in favor of the legalization of these people’s lands.
In the repossessed Truká land, there is a climate of peace. However, as far as the Tumbalalá action is concerned, land grabbers that live on the disputed land put up a barricade, on Wednesday, to prevent the indigenous people from circulating between the village of Pedra Branca and the repossessed land. The police intervened and the barricade was removed but, according to the leader Cícero Tumbalalá, there are rumors that other actions will take place – both by the indigenous people and the land grabbers. The Tumbalalá have guaranteed, however, that the rumor that their people intend to invade the village is untrue.
Around 450 land grabbers live in the Tumbalalá land. Many of these are farmers who have been affected by the dams that have been installed in farming settlements by Chesf (São Francisco Hydroelectric Company).
The Tumbalalá people have been fighting for ethnic recognition since 1998. In 2003, after 3 years of demands by the indigenous people, Funai set up a Working Group to identify this group, but these studies have not yet been concluded.
